Modernity, postmodernity and globalisation / late modernity

Key differences between modernity and postmodernity? Examples? Link to topics?

Modernity = similar culture led by a nation state. Capitalism and jobs often manufacturing being permanent, and meta narratives did dominate

Postmodernism = nation state is more fragmented and culture and identity is less structured due to migration etc. Traditional occupations declined due to globalisation and no one way of thinking dominates and all info is relative and meta narratives lost influence.

AO2 = Biohacking and wellness: more and more people are discovering health and wellness techniques for themselves eg fitbits, influencers, yoga and new age etc

Also have the gig economy: short term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs. Like ubers, uber eats, tesco woosh, petcare and freelancing in things like video editing and graphic design.

Synoptic links with family (more diversity and more choice) and beliefs (rationality changing to pick and mix)

Evaluation of these key differences?

• wider structural still constrain us eg marxists still see how capitalism still oppresses the w/c and keeps them subordinate - poverty still affects millions in the world. Patriarchy similarly limits choices eg gender pay gap. There are also 0 hr contracts in gig economy.

• Postmodernists can be seen to exaggerate economic and social change: industrialisation remains in foundations of the economy and it is only more efficient. Meta narratives haven’t declined everywhere therefore seen as ethnocentric.

• AI exacerbates the change - replacing lots of traditional jobs i.e. robots = radical difference

• too pessimistic as ignores that we can still make progress - science and tech are still relied on to improve society eg war, climate change and structural theories help highlight need for change eg marxism and feminism can still help

Reasons for postmodern ideas - globalisation? 4 factors? Examples?

1. Technological changes

2. Economic changes - factories now mostly in poorer countries and cheap labour

3. Political changes - multination treaties like NATO

4. Changes in culture and identity - shared interest in similar fashion, food, sport etc (McDonald’s)

One that shows all of these factors is the Iranian War 2026 = oil being impacted across countries in the globe. Science helps develop military tech and media incites fear. Human rights were breached and defensive leagues with Trump and Israel.

Reasons for postmodernist ideas: media saturated society? Key sociologist? Examples? What does simulacra?

Baudrillard - the world no longer looks real and is only a world of signs and media saturated imagery. Simulacra - images that appear to reflect reality but in fact have no basis in reality. AO2- Disneyland - fake streets and buildings that distort reality of old America etc

The media presents us with simulacra eg instagram showing a highlight reel of edited perfected images and this distorted view is called hyperreality - the image becomes more real than the image it is representing. TV does this with shows like soaps, Traitors and Reality TV as you feel connected and attached to characters, these shows knowingly getting people to tune in with techniques such as archetypes etc. Use example of Deirdre in Corrie who had petitions signed for her release from prison, even Tony Blair joined in. A woman called Caroline 30, said when Take That broke up she was unable to work

Evaluations for a media saturated society?

• The world around us is real and has real effects still: neglected physical world too much eg labelling theory → people do develop master status and SFP, there is an increase in divorce rates and crimes still happened even if it is sensationalised.

• Marxists and Feminists - social systems such as capitalism and patriarchy is real and is an oppressive force. People do deal with FCC as a result of real manipulation - deprivation and how it effects education, domestic violence.

• Poses problems for progress and improving society - how can we improve something if we don’t know what’s real. We are not easily duped and are critical about what we see

• theory is ethnocentric as some places have no or limited access to media. Traditional culture does still remain strong i.e. Mecca as a pilgrimage

What is late modernity? Key sociologists? Its differences to modernity and postmodernity?

Giddens and Beck. not postmodern it is simply a continuation of modernity itself, its only more intensified. Modern processes such as industrialisation and rationalisation have not disappeared but have become more complex, producing new risks, globalisation and reflexivity and we can still use science to understand this. A defining feature of late modernity from Giddens is rapid social change on a global scale. He says disembedding has broken down geographical barriers and means there is less face to face interaction. Tradition has declined and no longer tells us how we should act. We are reflexive about who we are.

Its diff to postmodernity = late modernity say key features are still there and to be fully postmodern society should in no way resemble anything of the past.

Its diff to modernity = it agrees that like modernity industrialisation still exists eg factories but sees disembeddedment and how it now operates globally - has declined but market also shifted. people are reflexive towards family - in modern society there is more opportunity due to tech and choice to be diverse but despite this nuclear is still the dominant norm eg people often cohabitate before marriage. For example the risk society is also a continuation of modernity as high consequences are possible as a result of things like climate change but we are rational and this culture is central => it can be seen as modernity becoming so successful that science and rational thinking can create issues and solutions i.e science caused risks and also helps mitigate these risks.

Evaluation for the ideas of late modernity? What theory has agreements with late modernity?

• Not everyone has the opportunity to be reflexive and modern theorists forget how social structures are still limiting - not everyone has choices for what they do for work, family life and for example in poor countries they don’t mitigate risks of climate change because can’t afford green energy and also feel effects the most

• too optimistic about progress - not a consensus on climate action and disembedding has actually made it easier to exploit poorer countries / consume unethically.

• Marxists say that postmodernism isn’t a break from the past but a most recent stage of capitalism - everything from leisure to culture and identity is now a commodity - in more agreement with this theory