modernity and globalisation

modernity and globalisation

• Most of the theories we examine can be placed under the heading of 'modernism'.

• Modernist theories are part of the E____ project - the idea that society can p____ through the use of h____ r____.

• R____ and s____ will enable us to discover t___ k_____ about the world. With this knowledge, we can p____ to a future of f____ and p___

• Modernist theories therefore set out to explain the what?and to identify what?

• Most of the theories we examine can be placed under the heading of 'modernism'.

• Modernist theories are part of the Enlightenment project - the idea that society can progress through the use of human reason.

• Rationality and science will enable us to discover true knowledge about the world. With this knowledge, we can orogress to a future of freedom and prosperity.

• Modernist theories therefore set out to explain the workings of modern society and to identify the direction it should take if it is to progress.

Modern society

Modern society first emerged in W____ E____ from about the late 18th century.

It has a number of characteristics that distinguish it from previous traditional societies - what are 4 of these?

1. The nation-state

2. Capitalism

3. Rationality, science and technology

4. Individualism

Modern society

Modern society first emerged in Western Europe from about the late 18th century.

It has a number of characteristics that distinguish it from previous traditional societies:

1. The nation-state

2. Capitalism

3. Rationality, science and technology

4. Individualism

Modern society → The nation-state

• The nation-state is the key political unit in modern society - what is it?

• what was there before modern society and its nation states?

• We tend to think of the modern Earth as made up of a series of separate nation state each with its own state.

• The state is the focal point of modern society, o____ s____ l_____ on a national basis.

• Modern states have created large a____ b___ and e_____, w____ and l____ i____ to r___ their citizens' lives.

• The nation-state is also an important source of i____ for citizens, who identify with its s____ such as the f___.

Modern society → The nation-state

• The nation-state is the key political unit in modern society - a bounded territory ruled by a powerful centralised state, whose population usually shares the same language and culture. ( basically a country)

• Before modern society, political units were kingdoms, empires, or city-states, which often ruled over diverse populations without clear borders or shared national identity, unlike the modern nation-state.

• We tend to think of the modern Earth as made up of a series of separate nation state each with its own state.

• The state is the focal point of modern society, organising social life on a national basis.

• Modern states have created large administrative bureaucracies and educational, welfare and legal institutions to regulate their citizens' lives.

• The nation-state is also an important source of identity for citizens, who identify with its symbols such as the flag.

Modern society → Capitalism

• The economy of modern societies is capitalist - what does this mean?

• Before modern society, how was the economy structured?

• Capitalism brought about the i____ of modern society, with huge increases in w___.

• However, wealth distribution is u___, resulting in c___ c___

• The nation-state becomes important in doing what? L____ and U&&&& (1987; 1994) describe this as 'o____ c____'.

• In modern industry, production is organised on Fordist principles (after the Ford Motor Company's system): _ what is this?

Modern society → Capitalism

• The economy of modern societies is capitalist - based on private ownership of the means of production and the use of wage labourers.

• Before modern society, economies were mostly feudal , where peasants depended on lords or nobles for access to land, concentrating wealth and power at the top, unlike modern capitalism where any one can privately own property and businesses with hard work

• Capitalism brought about the industrialisation of modern society, with huge increases in wealth.

• However, wealth distribution is unequal, resulting in class conflict.

• The nation-state becomes important in regulating capitalism and maintaining the conditions under which it operates. Lash and Urry (1987; 1994) describe this as 'organised capitalism'.

• In modern industry, production is organised on Fordist principles (after the Ford Motor Company's system): the mass production of standardised products in large factories, using low skilled labour. Cheap, mass produced consumer goods lead to a rising standard of living.

Modern society → Rationality, science and technology

• what dominates? and what declines? declines.

• Technically efficient forms of organisation, such as b____ and f____, dominate s___ and e___ life.

• S____ increasingly important in industry, medicine and communications.

Modern society → Rationality, science and technology

• Rational, secular, scientific ways of thinking dominate and the influence of magico-religious explanations of the world which was before modern society declines.

• Technically efficient forms of organisation, such as bureaucracies and factories, dominate social and economic life.

• Science becomes increasingly important in industry, medicine and communications.

Modern society → Individualism

• what becomes less important as the basis for our actions?

• We experience greater personal f____ and can increasingly choose our own c____ in life and define our own identity.

• However, s___ i___ such as c____ remain important in shaping people's i___ and restricting their ____.

Modern society → Individualism

• Tradition, custom and ascribed status become less important as the basis for our actions.

• We experience greater personal freedom and can increasingly choose our own course in life and define our own identity.

• However, structural inequalities such as class remain important in shaping people's identity and restricting their choices.

Globalisation

• Until recently, the nation-state provided the basic f____ for most people's lives.

• However, many sociologists argue that we are now increasingly affected by globalisation - the increasing i____ of people across n____ b___.

• We live in one i_____ 'g____ village' and our lives are shaped by a g____ f____.

Four related changes have helped bring this about - what are these changes?

Globalisation

• Until recently, the nation-state provided the basic framework for most people's lives.

• However, many sociologists argue that we are now increasingly affected by globalisation - the increasing interconnectedness of people across national boundaries.

• We live in one interdependent 'global village' and our lives are shaped by a global framework.

Four related changes have helped bring this about.

1. technological changes

2. economic changes

3. political changes

4. changes in culture and identity

Globalisation→technological changes

• We can now cross entire c_____ in a matter of h____, or e____ information across the globe with the c____ of a mouse.

• s_____ c____, the i____ and g___ t____ networks have helped to create time-space compression, c____ the d____ between people.

• Technology also brings risks on a global scale. _ west is an example?

• U____ B___ (1992) argues that we are now living in 'r___ s____', where increasingly the threats to our wellbeing come from h___-m___ technology rather than n___ d___.

Globalisation→technological changes

• We can now cross entire continents in a matter of hours, or exchange information across the globe with the click of a mouse.

• Satellite communications, the internet and global television networks have helped to create time-space compression, closing the distances between people.

• Technology also brings risks on a global scale. For example, greenhouse gases produced in one place contribute to global climate change that leads to a rise in sea levels and flooding in low-lying countries.

• Ulrich Beck (1992) argues that we are now living in 'risk society', where increasingly the threats to our wellbeing come from human-made technology rather than natural disasters.

Globalisation→Economic changes

• Economic factors play a huge part in globalisation. Economic activity now takes place within a set of global networks that are creating e___-g___5 i____.

• The global economy is increasingly a 'w____' or e____ economy. Instead of producing p____ goods, much activity now involves the production of information, such as m____, T____ p____ and d____ p___.

• These commodities are p____, d____ and c____ through g___ e___ n____.

• In the electronic economy, money never sleeps, what does this mean? This too contributes to the 'r___ s___'.

• Another major economic force pushing globalisation forward is t___-n___ c____ (TNCs). These companies operate across c___ , organising p___ on a g___ s__.

• Most TNCs are W____-based. Some, such as Coca-Cola, are colossal enterprises, and the largest 500 together account for half the total value of the commodities produced in the whole world.

• So p____ are the s____ elite who control these companies, that S____ (2003) argues they now form a s____ global c__ class.

Globalisation→Economic changes

• Economic factors play a huge part in globalisation. Economic activity now takes place within a set of global networks that are creating ever-greater interconnectedness.

• The global economy is increasingly a 'weightless' or electronic economy. Instead of producing physical goods, much activity now involves the production of information, such as music, TV programmes and data processing.

• These commodities are produced, distributed and consumed through global electronic networks.

• In the electronic economy, money never sleeps, Global 24-hour financial transactions permit the instantaneous transfer of funds around the world in pursuit of profit We don’t have to wait for a bank to open up in the morning This too contributes to the 'risk society'.

• Another major economic force pushing globalisation forward is trans-national companies (TNCs). These companies operate across countries , organising production on a global scale.

• Most TNCs are Western-based. Some, such as Coca-Cola, are colossal enterprises, and the largest 500 together account for half the total value of the commodities produced in the whole world.

• So powerful are the small elite who control these companies, that Sklair (2003) argues they now form a separate global capitalist class.

Globalisation→Political changes

• Some sociologists claim that globalisation has undermined what?

• For example, O____ (1994) argues that we now live in a 'b____ w____' in which TNCs and consumers have more economic power than who?

• States are now less able to r___ the activities of l____ c____ enterprises, a situation L___ and U____ describe as 'd____ c___

Globalisation→Political changes

• Some sociologists claim that globalisation has undermined the power of the nation-state.

• For example, Ohmae (1994) argues that we now live in a 'borderless world' in which TNCs and consumers have more economic power than national governments.

• States are now less able to regulate the activities of large capitalist enterprises, a situation Lash and Urry describe as 'disorganised capitalism'.

Globalisation→Changes in culture and identity

• Globalisation makes it much harder for cultures to exist in i____ from one another. A major reason for this is the role of i____ and c____ t___ (ICT), especially the m____ m____.

• Today we find ourselves living in a global culture in which W____-o___ m____ companies spread W____ c___ to the rest of the world.

• E____ i___ also encourages a global culture. For example, TNCs such as Nike, selling the s____ c___ goods in many countries, help to p____ s___ tastes across n___ borders.

• In addition, the increased movement of people such as as who? helps to create globalised culture.

• Globalisation also undermines t____ sources of i___ such as C____. For example, the shift of manufacturing from the West to developing countries has led to the f____ and decline of w____-c___ communities that previously gave people their class identity.

Globalisation→Changes in culture and identity

• Globalisation makes it much harder for cultures to exist in isolation from one another. A major reason for this is the role of information and communications technology (ICT), especially the mass media.

• Today we find ourselves living in a global culture in which Western-owned media companies spread Western culture to the rest of the world.

• Economic integration also encourages a global culture. For example, TNCs such as Nike, selling the same consumer goods in many countries, help to promote similar tastes across national borders.

• In addition, the increased movement of people as tourists, economic migrants, refugees and asylum seekers helps to create globalised culture

• Globalisation also undermines traditional sources of identity such as Class. For example, the shift of manufacturing from the West to developing countries has led to the fragmentation and decline of working-class communities that previously gave people their class identity.

Explaining the changes

These changes into a modern society raise some important questions:

• Do they mean we are no longer living in modernity - are
  we now in a new, postmodern society?

• Do we need new theories to understand society as we now find it, or can we use our existing modernist theories to explain it?

• Is the Enlightenment project still viable - can we still hope to achieve objective knowiedge and use it to improve society? Or have rapid changes made society too chaotic for us to understand and control?

We can identify three theories that offer answers to these questions: what are these three theories?

Explaining the changes

These changes into a modern society raise some important questions:

• Do they mean we are no longer living in modernity - are
  we now in a new, postmodern society?

• Do we need new theories to understand society as we now find it, or can we use our existing modernist theories to explain it?

• Is the Enlightenment project still viable - can we still hope to achieve objective knowiedge and use it to improve society? Or have rapid changes made society too chaotic for us to understand and control?

We can identify three theories that offer answers to these questions: postmodernism, theories of late modernity and Marxist theories of postmodernity