Late high modernity

• Late high modernity :

  • See society as adapting rather than completely changing
  • 1980s theorists combine the two perspectives - structural + social action
• Giddens -

  • Structuration theory
  • Late / high modernist
  • Society is created + recreated by every single person as participants in every encounter
  • Rejects the idea that there is something that determines behaviour
  • Eg - language : only exists as we use it even though we don't know all the words/rules  
• Why does the structure of society exist?

  • As of rules and resources
• Rules :

  • Informal/formal procedures we follow that may change overtime
  • People have different resources so may use rules differently
• Resources:

  • Might be material
  • Symbolic (job prestige)
  • Biological (attractiveness)
  • Cognitive (intelligence)
  • Guides individuals + their actions create society
• What is the relationship between people and their rules/resources called?

  • Duality of structure
• Late/high modernity:

  • Sometimes people do seek social change
  • People monitor their situation + their idea of self (reflexive monitoring) 
  • If unhappy with self, seek change (transformative capacity)
• Link to Willis:

  • Learning to labour - the boys reflected on their situation + made choices based on their resources
  • Criticism - more of a collection of ideas rather than a new theory. Theories have not applied to new research
• Beck :

  • Sociology of risk
  • Late/high modernist
  • Argues that the central concern of society is risk + this permeates everyday life for all
• Sociology of risk:

  • 3 elements :
  • Risk society
  • Reflexive modernisation
  • Individualisation
• Risk society :

  • Historical risks - Eg - famine seen as out of control of people
  • Modern risks - minimised by public services + insurance
  • Some current risks - spiralling out of control, Eg - global warming
• Reflexive modernisation :

  • People are aware of risks + want to control
  • Eg - parental control, stranger danger
  • Demands on governments to reduce risk
  • Emphasis on avoiding rather than dealing
  • Some recognition that some risks are uncontrollable
• Individualisation:

  • Everyone has the power to make personal decisons
  • People are not controlled by social position, gender roles etc
• Turner - criticism :

  • People have always faced risk + tried to minimize it
  • Assumptions that risk is individual
  • Movements have formed to tackle Eg - global warming
  • fails to recognise differences in power