What Is Modernity Essay

What is Modernity? ‘Modernity typically refers to a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, in particular, one marked by the move from feudalism (or agrarianism) toward capitalism, industrialisation, secularization, rationalization, and the nation-state’ (Barker 2005, 444). Hall (1995) explains how a modern society can be identified by four main characteristics based on cultural, political, social and economical changes. These include an economy based on the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services in exchange for money, the abolition of fixed social hierarchies but instead the formations of new classes after labour is split by an Industrial Revolution, a secular form of political power; essentially a nation-state, and finally, the decline of religion alongside the rise of science, and with it, a secular, rationalist and empirical view towards society (Hall, 1995 1:6). However, this view of modernity can be criticised based on the fact that these assumptions of modernity are based around how Western civilisations developed. (Sachsenmaier et al, 2002). Any other view of modernity from a different society may be valid; for example, a choice to defend tradition, or a contemporary adaptation to what already exists may be conceived as modern in some cultures (Sriwarakuel, 2005). The view of Western modernity can also not be applicable to other cultures where certain features of modernisation are apparent but with no sign of change for other more traditional aspects of society.
Culturally speaking, the Enlightenment led us to developments in art, literature, printing, music, science and religion. According to Hall, ‘in its simplest sense the Enlightenment was the creation of a new framework of ideas about man, society and nature, which challenged existing conceptions rooted in a traditional world view, dominated by Christianity.’ (Hall 2005, 2:24). The main theme of this modernisation is the shift from religion to science, where

Bibliography: Barker, C (2005) Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice, London: Sage 77-79 Barker, C (2005), 444. — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernity (accessed November 1, 2011) Buntrock, D (1996) Without Modernity: Japan’s Challenging Modernization, University of Ilinois Chicago, Architronic p1-6 Hall, S and Gieben, B (2005) Formations of Modernity, Open University, Chapters 1 and 3 Karagiannis, N and Wagner, P (2007) Varieties of World-Making: Beyond Globalization, Liverpool University Press p60-65 Neal, A (2007) Sociological Perspectives on Modernity: Multiple Models and Competing Realities, Peter Lang Publishing Sachsenmaier, D et al (2002) Reflections On Multiple Modernities, Brill Publishing, Chapters 1, 3 and 9 Warayuth Sriwarakuel (2005) Cultural Traditions and Contemporary Challenges in Southeast Asia: Hindu and Buddhist, the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, Washington, Chapter 2 P 49-55