Modernity and Postmodernity

1. Modernity and Postmodernity Draw as many differences as you can think of between the early 20th century and now. Think of work/spirituality/crimes/science/change/diversity What kind of things do you think make our society what they are at the moment?

2. Modernity and Postmodernity Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain the differences between modernity and postmodernity

3. Exam Questions Evaluate the view that ‘society has now entered a new, postmodern age and we need new theories to understand it’ (20 marks)

4. What are the features of a modern society? Urbanisation: more people moving to the cities and the rural culture now seen as ‘stuck in the past’ Industrialisation: production is industrial, economic relationships are capitalist (private ownership) so social class is an important source of difference and identity Individualism – tradition, custom and ascribed status become less important. Greater personal freedom – can define our own identity. Rational scientific thinking: tradition, religion and superstition no longer determined. The belief in science to improve society is the new ‘norm’ In pairs – discuss what these images tell us about modernity

5. Globalisation • The increasing connectedness of people across national boundaries has had a number of impacts on society and the way we live our lives… TASK - Move around the room and answer the 5 questions into your booklet

6. What’s the consequence…..?? • Society has changed in such a way through globalisation that previous theories of society are no longer able to provide and adequate explanations of society. • Traditional sources of identity, such as class, gender, ethnicity, were becoming irrelevant to people’s lives and structures like family and work were disintegrating • Social change meant people’s lives were becoming more insecure and unpredictable. • Therefore new approaches and theories were needed to understand the changing world… The move to postmodernism…..

7. Postmodernism: • Postmodernists argue that we are now living in a new era of postmodernity. • Postmodernity is an unstable, fragmented, media-saturated global village, where image and reality are indistinguishable. • In a postmodern world, we define ourselves by what we consume. • It is a break from modernity – not a continuation from it (modernist theorists no longer apply now)

8. Postmodernism: The nature of work has changed dramatically Theories like Marxism are ‘meta-narratives’ (big stories) have lost their power as they are just someone’s version of the truth We should recognise and celebrate diversity of views rather than seek to impose one version of the truth on everyone. Consumption of consumer goods – part of personal identify What key things distinguish the postmodern world? Social class is no longer the major source of identity due to economical changes Globalisation is a norm Media is central to our lives Relativist position – all views are true for those who hold them – all accounts of reality are valid. • The Enlightenment project on achieving progress through true, scientific knowledge is dead. If we cannot guarantee our knowledge is correct, we cannot us it to improve society.

9. Modernity or postmodernity • Exam Tip!!!! • The main debate in your essays for this question is whether society is in a period of modernity, postmodernity or late modernity. • If we have moved away from modernity – then sociologists state that theories of modernity: functionalism, Marxism and feminism are now outdated and do not explain our rapid contemporary society What do you think??

10. Present new information: • There are 4 postmodernists: • Lyotard • Baudrillard • Foucault • Harvey

11. 1. Lyotard • In a postmodern society, knowledge is a series of ‘language games’ or ways of seeing the world. • Lyotard rejected ‘metanarratives’ – all views are true for those who hold them. • Because society is changing so rapidly, societies can no longer be understood through the application of general theories or metanarratives. • Metanarratives are one more version of the truth • Metanarratives only brought comfort to people who felt powerless to economic and scientific expansion.

12. 1. Lyotard • Lyotard believes science is a myth – there is no objective truth or criteria that we can prove whether a theory is correct or not. • The Enlightenment project – to bring about progress through knowledge – is therefore incorrect and flawed. • Contemporary society consists of isolated individuals linked by few social bonds

13. 2. Baudrillard • People are isolated and dehumanised. • Lack in social solidarity – so fragmented and unstable that there are no fixed set of values shared by all members of society. • Baudrillard (2001) says society has become ‘media saturated’ • The media now dominates and distorts the way we see the world. • Society is no longer based on the production of material goods, but rather on buying and selling knowledge in the form of images and signs. • The media presents a ‘simulacra’ – signs which appear to reflect events in the real world but have no basis in reality, and which are viewed across the globe • Even images of real events are so distorted and distanced from reality they actually replace reality.

14. 2. Baudrillard • For example, the reality of a missile hitting its target is not shown to a viewer, but a simulacrum of the real event. Laser technology and video reporting removes the blood, the suffering and corpses from the war, and the TV news presents a sanitized version of conflicts. Wars become media-constructed which have an air of unreality ad unable to distinguish them from Hollywood movies of video games.

15. 2. Baudrillard Coronation Street (1998): Deirdre Barlow was sent to prison in the show for a crime she didn’t commit. A media fuelled campaign began, pleading with Granada Television to ‘free the Wetherfield one’ • Our world is a make-belief universe in which we are responding to media images rather than to real persons or places, as shown by people who write to characters in television soaps, imagining they are real. • Tabloid articles on fictitious characters are ‘signs about signs’ rather than bout the underlying reality.

16. 2. Baudrillard • Baudrillard calls this distorted view of the world as hyperreality, where the signs appear more real than reality itself and substitute themselves for reality. • Media image becoming more real than the reality • This hyperreality has affected our identities • Our identity is not fixed, but a product of the media and what we consume. • We cannot distinguish between image and reality.

17. Foucoult • Post structuralism • No sure foundations to knowledge – no objective criteria we can use to prove if a theory is true or false. • A discourse is a set of ideas (knowledge/power) that have become established as knowledge or a way of thinking and speaking about something. • E.g. just because a psychiatric discourse has replaced a religious discourse it doesn’t make it any truer. • Truth is relative – true for those who believe it….

18. Evaluation (AO3): Lyotard’s view is self-defeating: Why should we believe theory that claims that no theory has the truth? Best and Kellner (1991) point out that postmodernism is a weak theory: while it identifies some important features of our society today (the importance of media and consumption), it fails to explain how they came about. Postmodernists are criticised for their pessimism about the Enlightenment Project – the view that objective knowledge is impossible and nothing can be done to improve society. Harvey (1989) rejects this saying that political decisions do make real differences to people’s lives and knowledge can be used to solve human problems. How can we evaluate this??? Philo and Miller (2011) state postmodern explanations ignores power and inequality e.g. the ruling class use the media as a tool for domination (media not unconnected with reality). Also, they claim we freely construct our identities through consumption but overlooks the effect of poverty in restricting opportunities.

19. Apply • Make your own trading card like this. One for: • Postmodernism

20. Quick fire Quiz! How has globalisation effected the economy?

21. Quick fire Quiz! What are two key features of a postmodern society??

22. Quick fire Quiz! What is the term given for the ‘signs’

23. Quick fire Quiz! Why does Lyotard dislike meta-narratives?

24. Quick fire Quiz! Give one example of how the media creates a hyper-reality?

25. Quick fire Quiz! Explain what implications Baudrillard’s theories of the media have on the Enlightenment project?

26. Quick fire Quiz! Define the term discourse?

27. Quick fire Quiz! What implications does Foucault’s theory have for the Enlightenment project?

28. Exam Questions Evaluate the view that ‘society has now entered a new, postmodern age and we need new theories to understand it’ (20 marks) How would you go about answering this? (add this information to your revision sheet)

29. Add the evaluation of postmodernism – using page 256 in the textbook

30. 3. Marxism and Postmodernity • Harvey, criticises postmodernism for being overly pessimistic. • He argues that knowledge can be used to improve people’s lives and believes in the Enlightenment project – they believe we can discover objective knowledge and use it to improve society e.g. Marx believed that a working-class revolution can overthrow capitalism and bring an end to exploitation. • Harvey agrees that today’s society has moved from modernity to postmodernity.

31. 3. Harvey, Marxism and Postmodernity • However, Harvey does see postmodernity as a break with the past, but rather the product of the most recent stage of capitalism. To understand postmodernism, we must examine its relationship to capitalism. • Capitalism is constantly developing new technologies and ways of organising production to make profits. • Harvey states that changes in globalisation, rapid cultural change, the growth of consumerism and the individualisation of identity reflect capitalism opening up new markets and new sources of profits in a global economy.

32. 3. Harvey, Marxism and Postmodernity • This crisis gave rise to a new regime of accumulation – a new way of achieving profitability – flexible accumulation. • Involves the use of ICT, an expanded service and finance sector, job insecurity and the requirement for workers to be ‘flexible’ to fit their employer’s needs. The production of customised products for ‘niche’ markets promotes cultural diversity and easy switching of production from one product to another encourages constant shifts in fashion. Changes in consumption: it turned leisure, culture and identify into commodities. Cultural products like fashion, music, sports and games are an important source of profit. Link to Jameson.

33. 3. Harvey, Marxism and Postmodernity Compression of time and space: the commodification of culture (e.g. Foreign holidays), the creation of worldwide financial markets, ICT, all shrink the globe. Brought about political changes: weakened the working class and socialist movements. Lots of oppositional movements have emerged e.g. Environmentalism, women’s liberation and anti-racism etc. This links to Marxism as they believe capitalism has brought about changes in society and argue that the goal of the Enlightenment project – to change society for the better – can still be achieved. New social movements can bring about a ‘rainbow alliance’ to bring about change.

34. Marxism and Postmodernity (AO3) • By relating the recent changes in society to the nature of capitalism, these theories are able to offer a sociological explanation of them – something that postmodernists fail to do. • On the other hand, Marxists say that capitalism will be overthrown with a proletariat revolution, whereas these theories accept that political opposition to capitalism has fragmented into many different social movements such as feminism and environmentalism and has weakened the class and socialist movements?

35. Add the evaluation of Marxism and postmodernism

36. Or have we just entered a late modern era? • Some sociologists disagree that we have entered a new postmodern era, we are actually experiencing a continuation of modernity: late modernity. • Maybe modernity has become more intensified – social change in late modernity is happening more rapidly. • If this is the case, then theories of modernity: functionalism, feminism and Marxism are still relevant to understand society today… • And the Enlightenment project still exists……

37. 1. Giddens: late modernity and reflexivity • Giddens believes in the Enlightenment project • Society experiences rapid social change on a global scale • This is because of disembedding: ‘lifting out of the social relations from local contexts of interaction’. We no longer need face-to-face contact to interact. This disembedding breaks down geographical barriers and makes interaction more impersonal. • Another reason is reflexivity: now tradition and custom is less important and people are more individualistic (e.g. Status achieved not ascribed). We are forced to be reflexive, where we constantly monitor, reflect on and modify our actions in the light of information about possible risks and opportunities they involve. • Reflexivity focuses on personal freedom and fulfilment to act and plan rationally to change and improve the world.

38. 1. Giddens: late modernity and reflexivity • We are continually re-evaluating our ideas and theories – nothing is fixed or permanent, everything is up for challenge. • Culture therefore becomes increasingly unstable and subject to change. • Giddens said in high modernity we face a number of high consequence risks – threats to human society: • Military risks – nuclear war • Economic risks – instability of the capitalist economy • Environmental risks – global warming • All these are manufactures ‘man made’ risks rather than natural risks. • He believes we can make rational plans to reduce these risks and achieve progress to a better society.

39. 2. Beck: ‘risk society’ and reflexive modernity • Also believes in the Enlightenment project • Beck sees society as a ‘risk society’: in the past people struggled to control natural risks e.g. Drought; but now we face manufactured risks such as pollution and global warming – these risks have higher chances of spinning out of control e.g. Climate change – caused by a wasteful throwaway society. • We are becoming more ‘risk conscious’ • We are more individualistic and therefore more reflexive – people, institutions and governments need to think and reflect more about risks today work out how to resolve problems, and therefore change society. • Beck called this reflexive modernisation.

40. Late modernity (AO3) • These theories offer an alternative to postmodernism – they show that rational analysis of society remains possible. They also recognise we can use knowledge to improve society. • Reflexivity suggests we reflect on our actions and are free to re-shape our lives accordingly to reduce risks. However, not everyone has this option e.g. The poor are generally exposed to more environmental risks because they are more likely to live in heavily polluted areas, but may be unable to afford to move to a healthier one. • Rustin (1994) argues that it is capitalism, with its pursuit for profit, that is the source of risk. • Hirst (1993) rejects Beck’s views that movements like environmentalism will bring significant change because they are too fragmented.

41. Add the evaluation of Late Modernity – using page 257-8 in the textbook

42. Exam Questions Evaluate the view that ‘society has now entered a new, postmodern age and we need new theories to understand it’ (20 marks) How would you go about answering this?