Modernity and Globalisation, Postmodernism and Late Modernity

Question 1

What are modernist theories?

Answer 1

they are part of the enlightenment project - the idea that society can progress through use of human reason

Question 2

what is a nation state?

Answer 2

a bounded territory ruled by powerful centralised state whose population usually share the same language and culture

Question 3

the nation state becomes important in regulating capitalism, what do Lash and Urry call this?

Answer 3

‘organised capitalism’

Question 4

in modern industry what principles is production based on?

Answer 4

Fordist principles - the mass production of standardised products in large factories using low skilled labour. cheap mass produced consumer goods leading to a rising standard of living

Question 5

what is individualism?

Answer 5

tradition, custom and ascribed status become less important and we experience greater personal freedom and can increasingly choose our own course in life and define our own identity

Question 6

we are now increasingly affected by globalisation and live in one ‘global village’, what technological and cultural changes has this brought about?

Answer 6

• we can exchange information around the world due to time-space compression
• globalisation makes it harder for cultures to live in isolation due to ICT since we now now live in a global culture in which western owned media companies spread western culture to the rest of the world
• economic integration encourages a global culture by transnational companies selling the same consumer goods across the world which promotes similar tastes as well as the increased movement of people

Question 7

we are now increasingly affected by globalisation and live in one ‘global village’, what economic changes has this brought about? give examples and theorists

Answer 7

the economy now takes place within a set of global networks, global economy is increeasingly electric and much activity now involves the production of music, TV, information etc - these commodities are produced, distributed and consumed through global economic networks which transfer funds around the whole work which contributes to risk society (Beck)
e.g. the world financial crisis in 2008 brought the economy of iceland which was heavily dependent on banking to the brink of ruin.
transnational companies operate across frontiers, organising production on a global scale.
Sklair argues the small elite who control these companies are so powerful they now form a separate global capitalist class

Question 8

what political changes has globalisation brought according to Ohmae

Answer 8

Ohmae argues that globalisation has undermined the power of the nation state since we now live in a borderless world in which transnational companies have more economic power than national governments who cannot regulate their activities

Question 9

Foucault believed in anti-foundationalism, what does this mean?

Answer 9

that there are no sure foundations to knowledge and no objective criteria we can use to prove a theory

Question 10

Postmodernists reject metanarratives on the ground that they have helped to create oppressive totalitarian states that impose their version of the truth on people, give an example

Answer 10

the former soviet union where the state attempted to mould society on marxist principles which led to political recession and slave labour camps

Question 11

postmodernists take a relativist position, explain this

Answer 11

all views are true for those who hold them, no one has special access to the truth

Question 12

what does Lyotard argue about knowledge?

Answer 12

that it is just a series of different ways of seeing the world

Question 13

what does baudrillard say about production in society?

Answer 13

it is no longer base on the production of material goods but on buying and selling knowledge in the form of images and signs however these signs bear no relation to reality and stand for nothing but themselves. he describes this situation as hyperreality - where signs appear more real than reality itself.

Question 14

media produces constant stream of ever changing images, how does this lead to culture becoming fragmented and unstable?

Answer 14

because there is then no longer a coherent or fixed set of values shared by members of society.

Question 15

How does identity become destabilised in post modern society ?

Answer 15

instead of fixed identity ascribed by class, we now construct our own from a wide range of images and lifestyles on offer in the media so we can easily change our identity

Question 16

how does hyperreality leave us according to Baudrillard?

Answer 16

unable to distinguish image from reality so have lost the power to improve society since if we cannot grasp reality we don’t have the power to change it

Question 17

how do Philo and Miller criticise post modernism?

Answer 17

it ignores power and inequality and the idea that media images are unconnected with reality ignores ruling class use of media as a tool of domination, the claim that we freely construct our identities overlooks the effect of poverty restricting consumption

Question 18

why is postmodernism self-defeating?

Answer 18

why would we believe a theory that claims no theory as truth?

Question 19

how does Harvey criticise postmodernism?

Answer 19

it is too pessimistic that nothing can be done to improve society - political decisions make real differences and knowledge can be used to solve human problems. even if theories can’t guarantee truth they are the best guide to improving the world

Question 20

what does late modernity propose?

Answer 20

that rapid changes aren’t a new postmodern era but a continuation of modernity, features of modernity have become intensified

Question 21

why does Giddens argue rapid social change on a global scale has occurred?

Answer 21

• due to disembedding - ‘the lifting out of social relations from local contexts of interaction’ we no longer need face to face context to interact and interaction is more impersonal
• tradition and custom no longer guide how we should act so we become more individualistic and reflective - constantly having to monitor, reflect and modify our actions. reflexivity means we are constantly re evaluating ideas and theories so culture becomes increasingly subject to stage

Question 22

who suggests we now live in a risk society and what is this? explain the theory

Answer 22

Beck
in the past dangers were a result of nature but now risks are man made so risk consciousness becomes central to our culture, this is becoming more aware of risks and seeking to avoid them

Question 23

give an example of how people use risk consciousness

Answer 23

reading benefits/dangers of certain food and changing eating habits accordingly

Question 24

why does Baudrillard reject the enlightenment project with its belief in the possibility of progress through action based on rational knowledge?

Answer 24

he is skeptical of science because of the risks it has caused but he still believes that our rationality can overcome them because we are capable of reflexivity and can evaluate risks rationally and take political action to reduce them.

Question 25

how does Rustin criticise Beck?

Answer 25

he argues capitalism with its pursuit of profit at all cost is the source of risk not technology

Question 26

what does Harvey argue about capitalism and postmodernity?

Answer 26

capitalism constantly develops new technologies and ways of organising production to crisis of 1970’s which led to new regime of accumulation - new way of achieving profitability,flexible accumulation replaced the fordist mass production system. it involves ICT, the requirement for workers to be flexible to fit employers needs and job insecurity - these changes brought postmodern characteristics of diversity choice and instability

Question 27

flexible accumulation turned leisure, culture and identities into commodities for example fashion and music, what doe Jameson argue about this in relation to capitalism?

Answer 27

postmodernity represents a more developed form of capitalism because it commodifies virtually all aspects of life including our identities

Question 28

what doe Best and Kellner say about the goal of the enlightenment project?

Answer 28

the goal of the enlightenment project to change society for the better can still be achieved.