Postmodernism

• What is postmodernism?


  • Post modernism is the belief that we have transitioned to a new period where the old theories don’t apply to describe society effectively because things have changed so much. Things are no longer predictable or structured with things being laid out for us.
• What are the postmodernist theorists views of postmodernism?

  • (Lyotard)- science has helped to destroy the meta narratives of religion- they’re too simplistic to explain life properly, knowledge is also no longer a tool of the authorities, we have choice/freedom to believe what we want.
  • (Boudrillard)- ‘We are constantly surrounded my an Ecstasy of communication and that communication is sickening’. We are not just customers whose desires are created by the media, We pursue the images attached to the media.
• What are the key features of postmodernism?

  • Truth is relative - opinion based
  • Consumerism is all - we construct our identity through clothes, music etc.
  • Transformation of the self - (pick ‘n’ mix) - we build our image from the media.
  • Disillusionment with the idea of progress - people are turning to nature again
  • Uncertainty - trends shift a lot, what will the future be like?
  • Globalisation - The world is more interconnected than ever before.
  • Constant choices - products, careers etc.
  • The impact of ICT on social life - Social networking, email, internet etc.
• What are the strengths of postmodernism?

  • Highlights important cultural changes, particularly in the area of the media and identity.
  • Challenging meta-narratives have also helped and encouraged sociologists to rethink their concepts.
• What are the weaknesses of Post-Modernism?

  • It often overemphasises the influence of the media
  • Some sociologists believe we never left the era of modernity.
• What is Globalisation?


  • Globalisation is the increasing interconnectedness of the world and has been a contributing factor into our move to a post-modern society.
• What factors have led to globalisation?

  • Technological Changes - The internet & global television networks have helped create time-space compressions (Shrinking of our world due to technology).

  -(Beck) - We are now living in a ‘risk society’ where increasingly, the threat to our wellbeing comes from human-made technology rather than things like natural disasters.

  • Economic Changes - Economic factors play a huge role in globalisation, we can shop online and make transactions 24 hours a day For example.
• What did modern society look like?

  Modern society was made up of 4 factors:

  • Nation state - Society ruled by a central state, organising people’s social lives.
  • Capitalism - Modern societies & economies are capitalist, the main division in society is social class.
  • Rationality, science & technology - Science & technology have become dominant in society - rationality has meant religion has declined.
  • Individualism - Tradition and ascribed status have become less important and we enjoy greater personal freedoms.
• Compare the Modern Age vs Post-Modern Age

  Modern Age:

  -Production

  -Community Life

  -Social Life

  -Family

  -A belief in continuity and situation

  -A role of education

  -A one-way media

  -Clear social control

  -Nationhood

  -Science aided progress and finding the truth.

  Post-modern Age:

  -Consumption- replace instead of repair

  Fragmentation (individualism)

  Sense of identity from other sources

  Families (many options)

  Breaking with the past/tradition

  Education for what?

  Duality of the media

  Covert control (CCTV)

  Global

  Science is only one source of knowledge- plurality of truths now