Post Modernism

• Socioeconomic background, race, and gender have less influence over us than before and are less likely to determine our life outcomes and choices
• Postmodern society

  • Fragmented, according to postmodernists
• As a result of globalisation and fragmentation, postmodernity has resulted in increased cultural diversity
• Many Western societies are very culturally diverse and are melting pots of different ethnicities, languages, food, and music
• It is not uncommon to find popularised foreign cultures as part of another country's culture
• Through this diversity, individuals can identify with and adopt aspects of other cultures into their own identity
• Metanarratives

  Broad ideas and generalisations about how society works
• Postmodernist theorists contend that metanarratives are less relevant in today's society because it is too complex to be explained entirely with metanarratives that claim to contain all objective truths
• Lyotard argues that there is no such thing as truth and that all knowledge and realities are relative
• Social constructionism

  Suggests that all meanings are socially constructed in light of the social context
• Ideas of race, culture, gender etc. are socially constructed and do not actually reflect reality, although they may seem real to us
• Hyperreality


  The merging of media and reality
• Jean Baudrillard coined the term hyperreality to denote the merging of reality and representation in the media
• Baudrillard states that the media, such as news channels, represents issues or events to us that we usually consider reality, but to a certain extent, representation replaces reality and becomes more important than reality itself
• Baudrillard uses the example of war footage - namely that we take curated, edited war footage to be the reality when it isn't
• Strengths of postmodernism

  • Recognises the fluidity of current society and the changing relevance of the media, power structures, globalisation, and other social changes
  • Challenges some assumptions we make as a society
• Criticisms of postmodernism

  • Some sociologists claim we are not in a postmodern era but simply in an extension of modernity
  • Lyotard's claim about how metanarratives do not make sense is in itself a metanarrative, which is self-defeating
  • It is incorrect to claim that social structures do not dictate our life choices; many people are still constrained by socioeconomic status, gender, and race
  • Marxist theorists assert that postmodernism ignores the fact that the media is controlled by the bourgeoisie and is therefore not separate from reality
• Postmodernism


  A sociological theory and intellectual movement that arose after the period of modernity
• Modernity


  The time period or era of humanity that was defined by scientific, technological, and socioeconomic changes that started in Europe around the year 1650 and ended in around 1950
• Characteristics of postmodernism in sociology

  • Globalisation
  • Consumerism
  • Fragmentation
  • Cultural diversity
  • Decreasing relevance of metanarratives
  • Hyperreality
• Globalisation

  The interconnectedness of society due to the development of telecommunication networks, leading to decreased importance of geographical barriers and time zones
• Globalisation

  • Endless options for international travel
  • Ability to work remotely for a company based overseas
  • Placing orders for products in other countries
  • Collaborating online to publish work or projects
• Globalisation has brought advantages for organisations and affected numerous processes
• Risk society

  The increased threat of terrorism, cybercrime, surveillance, and environmental damage due to globalising systems
• Jean François Lyotard: 'The only credible goal of scientific advancements today is power, not truth'
• Consumerism


  The ability to construct our own lives and identities through the same processes used when shopping
• In modernity, it was common for individuals to stay in one job 'for life'
• Consumerism in postmodernism

  • An individual with a marketing degree moving to sales and developing a sustainable clothing line
• Fragmentation

  The breaking down of shared norms and values, leading to individuals adopting more personalised and complex identities and lifestyles
• Fragmentation

  • An individual with a marketing and sales background, as well as a business
  • An English-speaking British citizen adopting Italian culture and marrying a Singaporean national
• Structural factors like socioeconomic background, race, and gender have less influence over life outcomes and choices in postmodern society
• Cultural diversity

  The increased diversity of ethnicities, languages, food, and music in Western societies due to globalisation and fragmentation
• Cultural diversity

  • The global popularity of K-pop (Korean pop music)
• Postmodern theorists believe that we are now in a postmodern era due to fundamental differences from the modernity period
• Globalisation

  • The interconnectedness of society due to the development of telecommunication networks
• Fragmentation

  The breaking down of shared norms and values in society
• Fragmentation leads to more personalised and complex identities and lifestyles
• Metanarratives are less relevant in postmodern society
• Hyperreality

  The merging of media and reality, where representation replaces reality and becomes more important than reality itself
• Postmodernism

  Recognises the changing nature of society and social structures/processes, and challenges our assumptions