Late-modernity

From Geography

Late modernity is a reaction on 'modernity'. Theorists divided 'modernity' into radical/high modernity and late modernity. 'Radical modernity' refers to the epoch of the classical theorists (Marx, Weber and Durkheim)(modernsocieties.com , 2007). Anthony Giddens, David Harvey and Jürgen Habermas are the founders of late-modernity. They did not agree with the ideas of postmodernists. The critique on postmodernism is that is does not see a break with the past modern world. Instead the postmodernism sees that the traditional, modern and postmodern worlds all live alongside each other (Macionis & Plummer, 2008, p.115). Late modernity is a approach which rejects the claims of grand theories or metanarratives. Instead it recognizes that all knowledge is partial, fluid and contingent and emphasizes a sensivity to difference and openness to a range of voices ( Aitiken & Valentine, 2006, p. 341). 'Post-modern theorists argue that ‘modernity’ or the processes that made up such a stage have been surpassed, we live beyond the old ‘meta-narratives’ and the certainties of the past and the grand claims of ‘modernity’. Instead what we have is the ‘decentered subject’ (modernsocieties.com, 2007).

Giddens on late-modernity

Giddens is saying that ‘late-modern life forms’ are the basis and expression of the globalization process. He is comparing late-modernity in globalized societies with traditional life forms of regional societies.

In regional life forms tradition is the central reference for action, orientation and legitimization in daily praxis. Tradition connects the past with the future. Social relations are ruled by rank-relations. Depending on age, sex or birth. These aspects clarify directly the social position of a person. The communication is almost all the time through face-to-face communication. Thereby is there a small amount of interregional communication.

In late-modern life forms traditions are no longer the centre of the life-form. People constantly need to justify and legitimize their actions. Social positions are determined through production and valued work. Money, writing and technical artifacts are important mechanisms. Also a high level of mobility is required to participate in the globalized life from. There is worldwide communication and the village where life takes place is no longer a local village but global with anonymous context of experience.

Literature

• Aitken, S. & Valentine, G. (2006). Approaches to human geography. SAGE publications Ldt, London.

• Seminar Two: Classical modernity & late modernity. (2007). Founded on 19 september 2012, on

http://modernsocieties.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/seminar-two-classical-modernity-late-modernity/

• B. Werlen, structurationist Geography (2009) Elsevier

• Macionis, J. & Plummer, K. (2008). Sociology. A global introduction. 4th edition, Pearson Education LTD

Contributors

Published by Lotte den Boogert, 19 september 2012

• Enchanged by Jesper Remmen--JesperRemmen 00:00, 22 October 2012 (CEST)
• Page edited by --MichielVanRijn 00:39, 26 October 2012 (CEST)