Whither cosmopolis: yearning for closure in times of uncertainty

The world, after 11 September 2001, has been fracturing as, in direct contradiction to the liberal ethos of openness, a series of nations have reverted to immuring themselves in a context of increased migratory flows and populist animosity. While the world counted 16 walls at the beginning of the 21st century, today there are 53 walls totalling 40,000 kilometres in length.