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Theory and Methods - Modernity and Postmodernity - flashcards done -…
Theory and Methods - Modernity and Postmodernity - flashcards done
modernity x
When and what?
18th C
industrialisation
development of modern world
scientific dsiciplines sought to understdn natural and social world
knowledge used to improve natural and social world - social progress
allegedly came to an end at Auschwitz
overview
any theory that uses
knowledge claims
based on
empirical data
theories are part of the
enlightenment project
- the idea that society can progress through the use of human reason
rationality and science
will enable us to discover true knowledge about society and the natural world
Key features
the Nation State
political unit in society
ruled by powerful centralized government
world is made up of separate societies each with its own state
Mass Production
Rationalisty/Science
rational thinking
secular state
decline in magico-religious world views
Hierarchial structure
Stabel identities linked to culture
Politics based on class/capitalism
economic system
brought about by industrialisation
increased wealth but wealth distribution is unequal
class conflict
One way communication
Disciplines making truth claims.
How has globalisation affected society x
technological change x
we can now
cross countries in a matter of hours,
or exchange information across the globe with a click of a mouse. Satellite communications, the internet and global television networks have helped to create
time-space compression,
closing the distance between people.
Beck x
we are no living in a
'risk society'
- where increasingly the threat to our well being come from
human-made
technology rather than
natural disasters
economic changes x
economic factors play a huge part in globalisation - the economy is increasingly an
electronic economy
instead of producing physical goods, much activity now involves the production of
information such as music and TV programmes
. These are produced, distributed and consumed through
global electronic networks.
In the electric economy,
money never sleeps
. Transactions can take place 24 hours a day - this
contributes to the 'risk society'
Transnational companies (TNCs)
most TNCs are Western-based such as Coca-Cola. The largest
500
companies account for
half of the total value of commodities produced in the whole world.
Sklair x
this small group of elite companies are so powerful that Sklair claims they now form a
separate global capitalist class.
political changes x
some sociologists claim that globalisation has
undermined the power of the nation-state
Ohmae x
we live in a
'borderless world'
in which TNCs and consumers have more economic power than national governments.
states are
less able to regulate
the activities of large capitalist enterprises.
Lash and Urry x
describe this as
'disorganised capitalism'
changes in culture and identity x
globalisation makes it much harder for
cultures to exist in isolation
from one another.
a major reason for this is the role of
information and communications technology (ICT)
, especially the
mass media
today we find ourselves living in a global culture in which Western-owned media companies spread
Western culture to the rest of the world.
E.G. TNCs such as Nike selling the
same consumer goods in many countries
- helping to promote similar tastes
globalisation also undermines
traditional sources of identity
such as class.
postmodernity x
when and what?
1950s
unstable/breakdown
media saturated
hyper-iniduation
overarching explainations no longer possible - decline of meta-narratoves. Scoial progress is at an end
knowledge is not objective - it is subjective
more choice than we have ever had
a shift away from class to consumtion identities
culture is more fragmented. People pick and choose to create individual identities
nation states are superseded by TNCs
social relations are dominated by digital interactions
science and technology cause rather than solve problems.
key feautures
Incessant Choice
Truth is relative
Uncertainty
Consumerism is all
Globalisation
Transformation of self - 'pick n mix'
fragmentation of social life
disillusionment with the idea of progress
impact of technology of social life.
Key thinkers x
Lyotard x
science
has helped
destroy the meta-narrative
of religion and ideology - however, it is
now destroying itself
knowledge is no longer a tool of the authorities
actions and ideas are now judged on how useful they are, rather than how true they are.
All knowledge is equally valid
Baudrillard x
media-saturation
- mass media distorts how we see the world, we rely on it to know how to behave
we live in
hyper-realities
in which
appearance
of the event is
more real than the event it is depicting
Society is now based on
buying and selling knowledge
, these images and signs have
no physical reality
- but these signs
stand for themselves and not a real thing
= simulacra
simulacra
= media presents an
image of something but has no basis in reality.
we base so much of our life on simulacra that we live in hyperreality - the
signs appear more real than reality
- think of TV/Soaps programmes
We are now
just consumers whose desires are created by the media
- no longer by class, gender or ethnicity - we feel
driven to consume to create an identity
Derrida x
Logocentrism
- an obsession with consumption
social structure is in a state of flux where all
meaning is now relative and socially constructed
reality is
fragile and confusing
Evaluation x
strengths
it has highlighted some important cultural changes in media, culture and identity
It recognises that identities are more fluid
provides insight into modern issues
it has influenced the way sociologists research
limitations
Ollocks x
using obscure imagery and flowery language to disguise nonsense ideas
ignores
power and inequality
saying that we have limitless choice in choosing identities ignores how
poverty restricts people
wrong to assume we
cannot distinguish reality from media
by saying all views are equally true, its like defending a normally indefensible position
late modernity x
overview x
the rapid changes we are witnessing are not the dawn of a new era, these changes are actually a
continuation of modernity itself
the
key features
of modernity that were always present have now
become intensified
for example,
social change
has always been a feature of modern society, but new the pace of change has
gone into overdrive
they
recognise that something is happening
- we are still within modernity but we have entered its 'late' phase
as we are still in the modern era, then the theories of modernist sociology
can still be useful
.
unlike postmodernists
theories of late modernity
do subscribe to the Enlightenment project
- they believe we can discover objective knowledge and use it to improve society.
Giddens - Dis-embedding and Reflexivity x
we are now at a stage of late or high modernity.
one feature of late modernity is
dis-embedding
which is the
"lifting out of social relations from local contexts or intersections"
in other words, today we no longer need face-to-face contact in order to interact - dis-embedding breaks
down geographical barriers
and makes interaction more
impersonal
.
Reflexivity - Link to STRUCTURATION
He agrees with postmodernists that individuals can think
reflexively
, but that sometimes
structure
limits our ability to do so.
this is because, globalisation has made us become more individualistic, as our ties to
community and traditional customs have become eroded
this brings about a
heightened sense of individuation
, where we look out for ourselves and see us as working on a personal project - e.g. 'self-religion'
individualisation means that we have to
constantly monitor, reflect on and modify our actions
in the light of information about the possible risks and opportunities that they might involve.
as a result, reflexivity means that
nothing is fixed or permanent,
everything is up for a challenge.
together, dis-embedding and reflexivity account for the
rapid and widespread nature of social change
in high modernity.
reflexivity
- people focus on personal freedom and fulfilment
people can therefore plan rationally to change and improve the world for themselves and everyone.
Beck x
compare to postmodernists
agrees that we are
undergoing change
, but believes that the
threats
as a result of this change, need to be faced with a
collective response rooted in rationality - Enlightenment project
due to social change, we are now living in a
'risk society'
that we have
manufactured ourselves
. The only possible response is a
rational one rooted in modernist logic.
Risk society
A period of
growing individualisation
, in which we become
increasingly reflexive.
This means we must constantly take account of the
risks attached to the different courses of action open to us
.
For example
, we read of the
dangers or benefits of this or that food and change our eating habits accordingly
. However, a great deal of our knowledge about risks comes from the
media
, which often give a
distorted view of the dangers we face
.
science has abused its position to create
risks that we now cannot control
- we have created a
useless throwaway society
that is coming back to haunt us, this is
not what the enlightenment project promised us
.
people have
lost faith in science and politics
and are therefore making their own choices.
however, he still believes in our ability to use rationality to overcome risk, as we are capable of relfexivity.
looked at
new political movements
such as environmentalism to challenge the direction of technological and industrial development.
Risk consciousness
an increasingly central par of our culture - we become more
aware of perceived risks and seek to avoid or minimise
them
Like Giddens
late modernity is a period of
growing individualisation
, in which we become increasingly
reflexive
. Tradition no longer governs how we act.
as a result, we have to
think for ourselves and reflect on the possible consequences of our actions
. This means we must constantly t
ake account of the risks attached
to the different courses of action open to us.
Evaluation x
the concept of reflexivity suggest that we reflect on our actions and then are f
ree to re-shape our lives accordingly
to reduce our exposure to risks
however,
not everyone has this option
- the poor are generally exposed to more environmental risk because they are more likely to live in heavily polluted areas, but
may not be able to afford to go somewhere more healthy
Rustin x
criticises Beck's idea that technology is the cause of risk
, he believes it is
capitalism
, with its pursuit of profit, that is the cause of risk.
Hirst x
rejects Beck's view
that movements such as environmentalism will bring about significant change, because they are
too fragmented to challenge capitalism
.
strengths
provide a sociological
alternative
to postmodernism
they also recognise that, while our knowledge may never be perfect, we can still
use it to improve society and reduce the risks we face
Marxism and postmodernity x
Harvey x
Whilst he agrees with postmodernists that we have entered a new era, this has been brought about by capitalism. It
benefits capitalism and is not a model for change
as a result, we must look at
postmodernism in relation to capitalism
to fully understand it.
Capitalism is a dynamic system -
it
constantly changes
in order to survive - it's first concern is profit
Flexible accumulation x
manufacturers change to meet supposedly new customer demands
- an illusion that capitalism creates, to create more profit, and
flexibility
is the driver of this in postmodernity
the economic crisis of the 1970s, means that there is a
new way of ACCUMULATING profits
- Post-Fordist production. ICT and technology developed to allow firms to
communicate efficiently;
workers had become more
flexible to meet employers' needs
; production had to become more
niche and easily switchable
between different products -
work became more FLEXIBLE
this has also turned leisure, culture and identity into commodities. Music, fashion, gaiming, etc, are all sources of profit.
Jameson x
- commodities define virtually all aspects of life, including identity.
Bauman x
- lives now gain meaning through consumption choice.
This has brought
Political Changes
- weakened the W/C and socialist movements, as they have been replaced with New Social Movements
this more developed capitalism has led to the compression of time and space.
Space and time have been compressed.
Because of this capitalism has been able to shrink the globe
Ohmare x
- 'borderless world', where TNCs have more power than national governments
Sklair x
- new separate global capitalist state
evaluation x
accepts that class identities have declined - makes collective political change more difficult
achnowledges the growth of the New Social Movement
Offers a sociological explaination of social change
offers an analysis for change that individualised postmodern perspectives fail to do.
Weakness
once proposed a revolution where by the W/C would overthrow the R/C, yet if they claim there has been political changes and a weakening between the W/C and the socialist movements, Marxist theories of postmodernity tend to abandon this revolutionary ideology.