Topic 9: Globalisation, modernity and postmodernity Flashcards
what are the characteristics of modern society?
- capitalism
- nation state
- scientific thinking
- technology
- individualism
- decline of tradition
what is the nation state ?
is the key political unit in the modern state. each modern country has it own state- shared culture and language. organises social life e.g. education, policies, taxes etc
what is capitalism?
economy of modern societies based on private ownership of the means of production and use of wage labourers- results in class divide and therefore the nation state needs to regulate and control the conditions in which it operates
what is individualism?
ascribed status and transition and custom become less important. choosing our own life and our own identity become more of an influence
what four changes have brought about an independent “global village”?
- technological changes.
- economic changes
- political changes
- changes in culture and identity
what are technological changes in society?
- the internet has meant we can have cross entire nations with the click of the mouth.
- satellite communication- internet TV have created time and space compression.
- technology also bring risks on a global scale for example, green house gases
what is a risk society?
Beck believes that we live in a risk society more risks are due to man made technology rather than natural disasters.
what are economic changes in society?
- economic factors and globalisation
- originally physical Goodes have now become weightless electric economy.
- vinyl co-download
- global electronic goodes
- money never sleeps
what are political changes in society?
- Ohmae- we live in a borderless world.
- TNCs consumers have more power than nations state
- state are now less able to regulate companies disorganised capitalism
what are changes in culture and identity in society?
ICT and mass media have made it harder for countries to exist in isolation. today we have global culture similar tastes and promoted and found across the globe
Briefly outline the features of postmodernity?
intellectual movement since the 1970s. They believe that we live in an unstable, fragmented, media saturated global village. image and reality are indistinguishable. we define ourselves by what we consume.
what does Foucault argue about anti-foundationalism?
there is no sure foundation to knowledge. There is no objective criteria to prove whether something is right/wrong
outline the two consequences of anti-foundationalism?
- true scientific knowledge is dead.
- a theory such as Marxism is wrong as there is no absolute truth it is a big story or meta narrative someone’s version of the truth. We cannot make society better with the above
Briefly explain what is meant by a relativist position?
PM argue that all views are true for those who hold them no one has special access to the truth. All accounts of reality are valid.
According to Lyotard, what form does knowledge take in postmodern society?
in PM society, knowledge is just a series of different “language games” or ways of seeing the world. in his view PM society with competing views is preferable to modern society where meta narratives claim a monopoly of truth. PM allows minority groups to be heard.
