Download Modernity post- modernity debate

The modernity postmodernity debate
Key assumptions
Postmodernists claim that contemporary western societies have moved from the modern (which replaced traditional societies) to the postmodern. To understand this shift requires an understanding of modernity first. Some leading sociologists question the claim that we have
moved as far as postmodernity, although they accept major social change has occurred in the developed world.
Modernity 18th - 1970s
Postmodernity 1970s onwards (fragmentation of societies)
Applications of postmodernism
Evaluation
1. Industrialisation - said to have given rise to
Postmodernism should be seen as a completely separate from Modernism
Education
modern societies. Economies based on mass
1.
Decline of the metanarratives - Lyotard points to the relativity of knowledge. He
1. Due to the economy shifting towards
production produced by full-time, manual
claims that there is no such thing as the truth (scientific or otherwise) and that all
‘flexible specialisation’ education needs
workers in lifetime jobs, (often ‘Fordist’ in
knowledge is uncertain. He concludes that we are left with competing
to produce a skilled, adaptable
nature) generating immense wealth,
metanarratives, each as equally as valid as the other. We should celebrate these
workforce that is transferable.
Postmodernists have raised new and important questions about cultural change,
opportunities and urbanisation.
differences, not try to impose one on the
Education must encourage selfparticularly in the areas of the media, culture and identity.
other.
motivation and creativity.
2. Social class - an important economic
2.
Hyperreality - Baudrillard claims in
2. Eduation has become more diverse.
Postmodernists provide insight into most contemporary social changes, such as
structure that shapes life chances. Identity is
postmodern times we can no longer tell the
Fragmentation and choice has been
‘uncertainty’, globalisation and the growing power of the media.
predictable and stable formed by structures
difference between reality and fiction. For
created: specialist schools, CTCs and
like family life and work.
example, the media creates images, covers
Grammar schools.
Postmodern theories highlight how modernist theories are out of date. For
news, creates soap opera story lines, which
example, many of the founders of sociology (Durkheim & Marx) focused on social
Shift from ascribed status (position fixed at
become more real and significant than events we actually experience.
Family
class to the neglect of gender and ethnicity. Postmodernism offers us a theory
birth) to achieved status (position based on
3.
Post industrialisation – Rapid introduction of new goods and services with much
1. There is no longer
which recognises the complexity of contemporary societies.
merit). Opportunities for social mobility
wider consumer choice. Manual work replaced by the service economy e.g.
one family type that is
increase. (NB - this is very much functionalist
finance, telecommunication. Flexible work practices are common (part-time,
dominant. Family
Postmodernists are right to suggest that knowledge and many aspects of social life
thinking).
temporary contracts, job sharing etc.), jobs for life have disappeared.
structures are
are socially constructed/relative. For example, what counts as the truth, crime or
4.
Death of social class - postmodernists claim that social class is no longer a major
fragmented and
health does vary from time to time and place to place.
3. Enlightenment (age of reason) - scientific
factor shaping social life. They claim life chances and cultural identities are now
individuals have far
reason replaces religious beliefs. Knowledge
also shaped by other structures such as ethnicity, gender, age. Heaton claims we
more choice in
gained through rational discussion, reasoning
now lead “fragmentary lives”.
lifestyle and the type
and rigorous empirical study. Development of
5.
Globalisation - postmodernists claim we now live in a global world where the
of relationships they choose. E.g.
philosophical movements such as positivism
world is strongly interconnected. Thus production is carried out in multinational
Women as ‘breadwinners’, same sex
Postmodernists contradict themselves They claim there is no such thing as the truth,
and major sociological theories such as
plants, nation states have become less powerful, and communication transcends
couples.
yet they make their own truth claims. Why should we accept their own
functionalism and Marxism. Such movements
space and time, e.g. the internet, satellite tv, e-mail.
metanarrative over other grand theories?
claimed to be able to offer a complete or true
6.
Pick and mix culture - traditional cultural boundaries have become blurred and
Religion
explanation of human societies.
people form their identity from a range of structures - class, ethnicity, sexuality,
1. Religion has become consumerist and
Postmodernism perhaps exaggerates the amount of social change that has
age, gender. Cultural forms such as conceptual art and many new music genres
individuals are choosing different beliefs
happened. For example, nation states are still strong, mass production still takes
4. Politics – Political parties focus policy
are based on mixing the old with the new. Cultural diversity and pluralism exists
and shaping them into personal
place, and social class remains a major determinant of life chances, culture and
around social structural class interests.
in a range of social contexts, religion, family, youth culture.
philosophies. E.g. the rise in
consumption.
7.
Enlightenment – We cannot accept any theory (metanarrative) that claims how to
Scientology.
create a better society because we cannot know it to be true.
Postmodernist thinking provides a pessimistic future for sociology, maybe the death
8.
Consumption - consumption of goods and services increasing becomes important:
Crime
of the subject. If sociological knowledge is no more valid than any other knowledge
consumption is global, emphasises style and is conspicuous, is influenced by
1. Growing underclass who commits
then perhaps sociology has little to offer, e.g. in terms of social policy making.
popular culture, defines individual identity.
crime due to feelings of resentment and
revenge.
Postmodernism is ‘simply an exhausting, intellectual game using obscure ideas and
2. Postmodern feminists account for the
complicated language to disguise nonsensical ideas’. (Ollocks 2008)
growth in female crime in terms of
shifting gender roles and the poverty
experienced by women.
3. Control of crime has become
invasive. Postmodernists claim we now
live in a surveillance society - e.g. CCTV,
5. Nation states - each country is an
electronic tagging.
independent nation which determines its own
political and economic decision making.
Identity is nationalistic. Usually have a shared
culture - based on nationality and social class.
Links to methods – The debate between positivism and interpretivism is generally dismissed by postmodernists as a pointless waste of time. They take the view that:
1.
Sociological Research is a social construction created by sociological researchers. Concepts like gender and ethnicity are just frameworks imposed on the world by sociologists and have no meanings to separate them.
2.
It is pointless to try and find causes of behaviour through Social Research. There is no longer ‘a society’ or any social structure; there is only a mass of individuals making separate choices about their lifestyles. There is no point in carrying out research unless you
specifically target every single individual as their behaviour and construction of their meanings will be totally different.
3.
Postmodernists say little on specific research methods as they theorise about society rather than study it empirically.
Critical Views of Postmodernism
These can be used to criticise Postmodernity (compare and contrast).
1. Giddens: late modernity
Giddens (2006) Agrees with the postmodernist view that changes in society have occurred and that we live in a ‘runaway world’ characterised by growing diversity, risk and
uncertainty. However the problem is that they have exaggerated the amount and nature of social change. He believes we have moved some where in between modern and
postmodern societies, namely late modernity. He believes the defining changes in late modernity are: globalisation; cosmopolitanism (diversity of cultures, ethnic groups and
social movements); reflexivity (individuals and institutions think and reflect on their actions); and individual freedom.
2. Beck - risk society
Beck also questions the shift to postmodernity. He claims we live in a new phase called ‘the second modernity’ where we face risk and uncertainty. For example, jobs are no
longer permanent; marriage often ends up in divorce; ecological risks exist due to the greenhouse effect, GM crops etc. A new sub-based politics emerges (which is not class
based) including the green movement, anti-globalisation protestors, animal right activists etc.
Beck believes that individuals and societies are capable of reflexivity so that they can learn, assess and question the risks faced by modern technological societies.
Beck also believes contemporary societies are characterised by individualisation (people seeing themselves as individuals). He believes this is because of the declining structural influences of social class and gender.
3. Castells - informational capitalism & new social identities
Castells believes that information technology has transformed institutions, social relationships and identities in contemporary capitalist societies. He claims IT is now used flexibly in a wide range of places, schools,
shops, at home, and the workplace. He believes informational capitalism operates on a global level creating huge global inequalities.
New social identities (groups) structure and shape social institutions. For example, terrorist and environmental groups.
4. Marxist Theories of Postmodernity
Marxists believe in the Enlightenmen project of achieving objective knowledge and using it to improve society. E.g. Marx claimed that his theory showed how a working class revolution could overthrow capitalism and
bring an end to exploitation. Some Marxists such as Harvey (1989) believe that we have moved from a modern to a post modern society with much more emphasis on the media, diversity and instability. However,
instead of seeing postmodernism as completely separate, Harvey (1989) sees it as the product of the most recent stage of capitalism. Harvey (1989) argues this by highlighting the fact that Postmodernism was borne
out of the capitalist crisis of the 1970s, which saw the end of a long economic boom that had lasted since 1945.
Harvey describes the era after the capitalist crisis of 1970, as ‘flexible accumulation’; this brought about a new way to achieve profits. Flexible accumulation involved the use of ICT, expanding the service and finance
sector and job insecurity. It allows the markets to be more flexible in order to create profits.
This change brought about many cultural characteristics of post-modernity (diversity, choice and instability). E.g.:

Production of customised products for niche markets promotes cultural diversity.

Easy switching of production from one product to another encourages constant shifts in fashion.
Critical points

Postmodernists have highlighted many important changes in contemporary western societies, for example globalisation and the potential dangers it creates, e.g. wars. However, postmodernist thinking has
serious weaknesses. For example, choice is not equal in society, as social class, ethnicity etc determine the extent to which choices can be made (e.g. in health care, schooling etc).

The central question contemporary social theorists seem to be engaged in is the degree to which developed societies have shifted from the modern.

However, perhaps debates as to whether we are postmodern or late modern is merely a language/concept game played out by sociologists to enhance their career prospects. There is after all much
common ground in the thinking of postmodernists and Giddens about contemporary societies.