Miami is a global city, a crossroads if you may and the population is of course muliticultural. Growing up here it wasn’t strange to have classmates from all corners of the world and who spoke numerous languages. Jan Nijman a professor at the University of Miami published a paper this year entitled “Locals, Exiles, and Cosmopolitans: A Theoretical Argument about Identity and Place in Miami” in it he examines Miami’s population and divides it into exiles, locals, and cosmoplitans. While I don’t agree with all his points and feel there is missing mention of Miami’s growing hybrid local cosmopolitan community, I do agree strongly with his points about people not treating Miami like their home. For too many people Miami isn’t their adopted hometown or final destination instead it’s a layover and they live and party here never embracing and investing themselves in Miami.
