Theory: Globalisation, Modernity, And Postmodernity

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4 characteristics of modern society

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The nation State - rules by a centralised state, population share the same language, and culture - A series of separate societies with one state. Organise society- education, health, welfare.

Capitalism - Private ownership and the use of wage labourers. Wealth distribution is unequal= class conflict. The nation state is important in regulating capitalism and maintaining the conditions it operates under.

Fordist principle - Mass production of standardised products in large factories using low skilled labour.

Rationality, Science and Technology: Increasingly secular society where rational thinking dominates.

Individualism: Tradition, custom, and ascribed status becomes less important as the basis of our actions. Greater choice, freedom, and identity. Structural inequalities still remain.

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4 changes bringing about globalisation

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1. Technological changes - traveling is quicker and information is exchanged easily and quickly.

Technology brings risk - greenhouse emissions have effects globally.

2. Economic Changes - Economy has changed as its not only produced goods but also electronic. Global 24 hour financial transactions can take place and the economy of the world is linked to each other, eg. economic recession.

TNCs push globalisation. Extremely large where the largest 500 produce 50% of the total value of all commodities worldwide. Sklair argues they now from a separate global capitalist class.

3. Political Changes - Globalisation has undermined the power of the nation state.

4. Changes in culture and identity - undermined traditional sources of identity and cultures, Many cultures where its harder for them to live in isolation of one another - diversity. TNCS a big part of this.

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What does Ulrick Beck argue?

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We are living in a risk society where increasingly the threats to our well being are human made rather than natural disasters.

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What does Ohmae argue?

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we live in a borderless world in which TNCs and consumers have more economic power than national governments. States are now less able to regulate activities of large capitalists enterprises.

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The ideas of postmodernism

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We live in an era of postmodernity which is unstable, fragmented, media saturated and where image and reality is indistinguishable.

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Postmodernists argument of anti foundationalism

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There is no sure foundations to knowledge and there is no objective criteria to proving if a theory is true or false and this (anti foundationalism) has 2 conseuqences:

1. The achieving of progress through true scientific knowledge is dead - if we do not know if the knowledge is correct, how can we use it to improve society?

2. All embracing theories such as Marxists Meta narratives is just someone's version of reality, not truth.

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What approach do postmodernists take?

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They take a relative approach instead which argues that all views are true for those who hold them and so all accounts of reality are equally valid and so we should not go about it changing this but celebrating the diversity.

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What do postmodernists argue with how culture identity and politics changing society

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Culture, identity differ from modern society a lot as the role of media has created a hyper reality - it has produced endless stream of ever changing images and versions of truth that culture has become fragmented and unstable. Many versions of truth= people cease to believe whole heartedly in on version.

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How has identity become destabilised according to postmodernists?

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Instead of a fix identity ascribed by class, we now construct our own identity from a wide range of images and lifestyles on offer in the media. Change consumption patterns - culturally good and media produced images to define ourselves.

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What does Baudrillard argue? (postmodernists)

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That the media has created a hyper reality making it difficult for us to distinguish between reality and image and therefore we have lost the power to change society as if we cannot grasp reality, how can we change it?

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Phillo and Miller criticisms of postmodernism?

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It ignores power and inequality, For example, the idea that the media is a tool of a domination.

We freely constructing our identities through consumption, overlooks the effect of poverty in restricting such opportunities.

Simply wrong to claim people cannot distinguish between reality and image.

By assuming all views are true, its just as valid to deny the same points.

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Postmodernism criticisms

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Theory is self defeating as why should we believe a theory that claims no theory has the truth.

Best and Kellner - its a weak theory as it fails to identify the causes of postmodern society.

Postmodernism is criticised for its pessimism as Harvey argues that political differences do make a real difference to people's lives and so society can still be improved.

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How does Best and Kellner criticise postmodernism.

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its a weak theory as it fails to identify the causes of postmodern society.

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Harvey criticise postmodernism.

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Postmodernism is criticised for its pessimism as Harvey argues that political differences do make a real difference to people's lives and so society can still be improved.

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How do late modernity society differ from postmodern society.

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Late modernity is rapid change of a continuation of modernity itself rather than a new era of postmodern.

Late modernity theorists still believe in the enlightment project and therefore still believe we can discover objective knowledge and improve society.

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What is the enlightment project>

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If we can discover objective knowledge and improve society

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What does Gidden argue?

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We are now at a stage of late modernity experience rapid change - often on a global scale. This is because of two key features of modernity; disembedding and reflexivity.

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What is disembedding and reflexivity and its effect on society

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Disembedding is the fact we no longer need face to face interactions and breaks down geographical barriers and makes interactions more impersonal.

Gidden argues that in late modernity, tradition is less important and so no longer serve as a guide on how to act and therefore reflexivity of continually revaluating your actions, ideas and theory becomes important. Nothing is fixed or permanent and so these conditions make society unstable and subject to change.

Together, create rapid social change and help to drive globalisation.

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Giddens views on modernity and risk? Also an evaluation of postmodernism

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We face many risks, global warming, nuclear war, recession etc. but he rejects the postmodernist view that we cannot do anything about it. He believes we can make rational plans to reduce these risks and create a better society.

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What does Ulrick Beck argue?

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He has a similar argument to Giddens: He beleieves we have the power to create a better world.

He believes we live in a risk society with new dangers.

He also believes society has become reflexive as tradition no longer governs how we act. This creates a risk consciousness which has become important to society's culture. More risks and we seek to avoid or minimise them. However, a lot of our knowledge comes from a distorted source; mass media.

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How does Beck believe society can face risks?

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With political actions and movements such as environmentalism to challenge the direction of technological and industrial development.

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Evaluation of Late modernity

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the concept of reflexivity suggest we can reshape our lives accordingly to reduce the risks is inadequate as not everyone has the option. For example, the poor are exposed to more environmental risks (populated area) but unable to move.

+They do show that the rational analysis of society remains possible and while our knowledge may not be perfect, it can still shape society in a better way.

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How Mike Rustin criticise Late Modernity

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Mike Rustin argues that it is capitalism and its drive for profit which creates risk - not technology as such.

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How does Paul Hirst criticise late modernity

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rejects Bruce's view that movements such as environmentalism will bring about change since they are too fragmented to challenge capitalism.

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Jameson and Harvey argue?

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They believe that today's society has moved from modernity to postmodernity. They agree with postmodernists that there has been majo change in society and they describe postmodern culture in similar terms; emphasising the importance of media images, diversity and instability

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What is flexible accumulation?

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Marxists idea:

out of the capitalists crisis in 1970s where gave rise to a new regime of accumulation.

Involves the user of ICT, expanded service, job insecurity and flexible workers to fit needs of workers.

Flexible accumulation permitted the production of customised goods for small niche markets and therefore promoted cultural diversity and easy switching of trends and fashion.

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What does Jameson argue?

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That postmodernity represents a more developed form of capitalism because it commodifies all aspects of life.

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How has politics and progress changed according to Marxists

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Harvey and jameson argue that flexible accumulation has changed politics; its weakened the working class and socialist movements which other oppositional movements have emerged; environmentalists, anti-racism and they are hopeful that it will create a rainbow alliance to bring change.

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Evaluation of Marxism

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Marxists original view of overthrowing capitalism was by a working class revolution and by accepting the political opposition, Marxists theories of postmodernity appear to abandon the possibility.

They are able to offer an explanation of cause and effect by linking it to the capitalists crisis.