Globalisation, Modernity and Postmodernity

• In a nutshell


  The nation-state is the focal point of modern society, but globalisation undermines this. Technological, cultural, economic and political changes are creating a ‘global village’. Postmodernists argue that these changes indicate the arrival of a postmodern society, which leaves society as unstable, fragmented and media-saturated. They reject meta-narratives such as Marxism because there is no objective criteria to prove whether a theory is true. However, Giddens believe such changes are the result of a late-modern society, not a postmodern society.
• MODERNITY AND GLOBALISATION


  Characteristics of a modern society: The nation-state, capitalism, mass production, scientific thinking and technology
• MODERNITY AND GLOBALISATION - Globalisation (the increasing interconnectedness of societies) is occurring because:

  Economic changes - global networks encourage economic activity. The growth in transnational companies drives globalisation forward

  Technological changes - the internet and air travel collapse time and space barriers

  Political changes - the fall of communism and the rise in transnational bodies have created opportunities global capitalism

  Changes in culture and identity - westernised global culture makes it harder for cultures to exist in isolation.
• POSTMODERNISM - KNOWLEDGE


  There is no objective criteria to prove whether a theory is true:

  ​

  Any theories claiming to have the truth about how to create a better society, therefore they reject meta-narratives (e.g. Marxism) that merely reflect someone's version of society

  We should celebrate a diversity of views rather than seek to impose one version of the truth
• POSTMODERNISM - THE ENLIGHTENMENT PROJECT


  In a post-modern society, the media create a hyper-reality - the media’s signs appear more real than reality itself, leaving us unable to distinguish between reality and image

  If we cannot grasp reality, we lose the power to improve society - undermining the enlightenment project
• LATE MODERNITY 


  GIDDENS

  Disembedding - lifting out of social relations from local contexts of interaction. Factors such as credit break down geographical barriers and make interaction more personal.

  ​

  Reflexivity - tradition and custom no longer serve as guides to how we should act. We are forced to become reflective (reflect on and modify our actions in light of information about risks) which means that we are continually re-evaluating our ideas. This means culture becomes unstable.
• The Enlightenment Project 


  Modernist theories are part of the 'enlightenment project' which is the idea that society can progress through human reason, science and rationality enable us to discover cause and effect and patterns in our society and using those we can improve society. Marxism, Functionalism, Feminism all tried to do this.