GLOBALISATION Flashcards
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
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. Globalisation undermines traditional sources of identity
POST MODERNISM
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
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
