Postmodernism

Question 1

What is postmodernism?

Answer 1

• postmodernist theorists argue that class is losing its significance in contemporary society
• they argue that theories of class development by writers such as Marx and Weber in the 19th century to descend modern societies are no longer relevant and that in the 21st century people see themselves much more as individuals than as pert of a social class

Question 2

What did waters et al (1996) say about social class inequality?

Answer 2

• Waters argues that kun advanced capitalist societies people are now stratified by cultural rather than economic differences
• this means that people now group themselves together according to symbolic values

Question 3

What did Beck (1992) say about social class conflicts?

Answer 3

• Beck argues that the class conflicts of early industrial societies concerned the distribution of wealth, reflecting the fact that many people suffered from poverty and lack of job security
• since the 1970s in economically advanced societies, most people have enough to met their material needs such as food and housing
• this has led to a focus on new problems and conflicts in why Beck terms risk society
• by this Beck means that the central problem of society is no longer creating and distributing wealth but of managing the risks created by science and technology, such as nuclear energy or environmental pollution

Question 4

What did Beck (1992) say about peoples awareness of social class?

Answer 4

• beck argues that many such risks affect everyone rich and poor alike and so peoples awareness of social class and willingness to act together based on shared class interests has diminished
• instead people have become individualised and more concerned with their personal interests
• when people do come together to change things politically, it is more likely to be as part of temporary coalitions, as groups who act together because they have concerned about one issue and then break up when they achieve their goals or lose interest
• Beck concludes that class is paling it go insignificant and people are adopting much more individualised identities