European Cosmoscapes. The case of the Festival of Europe in Florence

The aim of this essay is to offer an empirical contribution to the understanding of cosmopolita-nization processes, centred on Europe. Specifically, the subject of my study is the Festival of Europe, an event dedicated to European themes that is held every two years in the city of Florence (Italy). By means of this case study I intend to analyse those elements that enable or constrain the formation of a European cosmopolitan imaginary within a concrete situational context. This analysis will also permit the formulation of some observations with regard to the role that such organizational and social forms festivals can play in the construction of a cosmopolitan social space.