Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, it's a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that at some level of genius. It also helps

that it's a long time ago, right? It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream

van plays music when it's out of ice cream. Listen to evil genius on BBC Sounds. On tonight's

program, the vexed question of belonging. As part of Free Thinkings Week devoted to culture wars in Europe,

we explore whether it's better for Europeans to forge a cosmopolitan identity

or whether the European future belongs once again to nation-states,

think the impulse in Scotland or in Catalonia towards national sovereignty and identity.

Cosmopolitanism and nation-building have tussled in Europe since the late 18th century.

But globalisation, migration and economic crisis seem to have given a new kick to both.

The revival of nationalisms, whether in Greece, Crimea or Catalonia,

is partly a response to globalisation, as is the renewed interest in cosmopolitanism.

Now, perhaps as Salman Rushdie said, roots are conservative things designed to keep us in our

places, but perhaps he was wrong. Maybe we need roots as

everything around us melts into thin air. Well, to discuss the identity was in Europe, I'm joined

by Aichah Chubuktu, who leads a cosmopolitanism group at the London School of Economics, by

Philip Blonde, director of the think tank res publica,

by Agatha Picchik, author of Poor But Sexy Culture Clashes in Europe and East and West,

and by the historian Andrew Dowling, who's the author of Catalonia since the Spanish Civil War.

I wonder if I could begin with you, Aga. Do you think the future ought to belong to nation states or to cosmopolitans?

I can only reply with that as a Polish living in London, I cannot but only support cosmopolitan.

This is my life. This is what enables what I do and who I am.

Being a Polish writer, bilingual writer,

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