Appiah explores the complex interplay between individuality and collective identity-arguing that our sense of self is shaped both by personal life choices and our affiliations with groups such as race, nationality, religion, gender, and culture. He examines whether these identities constrain personal autonomy or enrich it, ultimately asserting that they do both. Drawing on thinkers from Aristotle to Mill and contemporary philosophers across the globe, Appiah develops a vision of “rooted cosmopolitanism”-an ethical framework in which universal liberal values coexist with authentic cultural belonging. He critiques extremes on either end: authoritarian demands for uniform identity, or unchecked identity politics that fragment societies.
Appiah then turns ethical reflection into political guidance-asking how liberal societies can honour cultural difference without losing social cohesion. He warns against treating diversity as an unqualified good or reducing moral discourse to relativism. Instead, he proposes balancing individual moral agency and cultural embeddedness, supporting pluralism through dialogic and democratic means. Throughout, Appiah emphasizes respect for individual choice and moral responsibility, while advocating for public policies that safeguard both autonomy and belonging in multicultural societies.