Post-Modernity versus Modernism
Post-modernity/Modernism
•
It is another
intellectual movement in the later part of the twentieth
century.
It marks a point of
distinct departure from the modernist
project both in terms of their intellectual foundation and
institutional set-up.
The modernist’s claim of ‘the continuous
progress’ through scientific and technological revolution is also
challenged by post-modernism.
•
Modernism implies that truth, beauty and morality exist as objective
realities that can be discovered, known and understood through
rational and scientific means. On the contrary, post-modernists argue
that
truth, beauty and morality do not have an objective existence
beyond how we think, write or talk about them.
•
Social life or social institutions have no fixed forms.
They only
represent an
ongoing stream of conversations,
abstract models,
narratives and various forms of social interaction.
•
The prominent proponents of post-modernity are:
Jacques Derrida,
Jean Bernard, Leon Foucault, J. Habermas
and others.
Post-modern Analysis of Power
•
Post-modernism holds that the
structure of ‘privilege’ and ‘power’
pervades the entire social system.
It operates in the
field of our
language as well as our social life.
Post-modernity has its own view
on art, literature, architecture and criticism including literary
criticism.
•
Its implications in our language have been brought out by Jacques
Derrida,
a French philosopher wherein he has outlined his concept
of
‘Deconstruction’
. Its functioning in our social life has been amply
demonstrated by
Michel Foucault,
another French philosopher.
•
Foucault has argued that political theory and discourse continue to
assume
a paradigm of power derived from pre-modern
experience
. People are now
ruled through social institutions
which
rise up from the ground and reach out to people through various
social channels. These institutions
set up disciplinary norms and
make people conform to the prevailing standards of reason, order
and good taste.
Rejection of the Grand
Narratives/Grand Theories/ Ideologies
•
The post-modernists expressed their
rejection of
‘grand theory' designed to establish wide-ranging,
coherent, definitive theories and interpretations
which ideally answer all our questions. Thus, post-
modernity is characterized by the rejection of ‘grand
narratives’, i.e.
the major systems of religious, political
and cultural ideas
(such as Christianity, emancipation,
capitalism, socialism and technological progress).
•
In the past these ideas had been
used to underpin
social and political institutions and practices and
intellectual styles.
The various forms of discourse
about these ideas had proved to be
incommensurable.
Consequently,
a consensus which could serve as an
objective basis for conceptions of justice and truth
was
not even ideally attainable.
Tall Claims of Modernity Challenged by
Post-modernism
•
It asserts that the
modernist project
of raising intellectual
and institutional set-up have, despite their contrary claims,
only resulted in
reinforcing inequality, inequity,
exploitation and domination of common people.
•
Post-modernists also
view the power of human rationality
and its concomitant scientific and technological revolution
with a lot of suspicion.
•
Similarly, champions of
post-modern feminism have
argued that feminist movement should not make identical
demands for all categories of women.
They have pleaded
for
due recognition of the diversity of women’s
movements in different parts of the world.
For example,
this diversity may arise from awareness of the
radical
difference between the conditions
of a white professional
woman in a Western country and a poverty-stricken
woman in a different socio-cultural set-up.
Epistemological Tool of Proponents of
Modernity Questioned
•
Questioning the epistemological tool of the proponents of
modernity, the post-modernists
challenge
the modernist assertion
that only scientific thinking could yield objective knowledge and
universal truth.
Instead, they repose their
faith in the contigental,
contextual and situational nature of truth.
•
The post-modernist perspective on political theory regards the
prevalent norms of truth, beauty and morality as unacceptable
because they simply reflect the mode of thinking of power-
holders in society.
Thus, there can be
no objective criteria of
determining the nature of truth, beauty and morality
.
•
It also follows from this that there
can not be a singular notion of
modernity or it can not be confined to a particular time scale.
There are
pluralist conceptions of the processes of modernity
in
society and the
concept of ‘modernity’ has been constantly
changing. No particular description of the real can be treated as
finally true.
Concluding Observations
•
The
running thread that binds modernity and its
discourses-
its meaning, philosophical postulates and
its critical analysis as well- together is a
multi-causal
explanation
identifying its crucial impacts on diverse
aspects of social life.
•
In consonance with this perspective it
defies any
singular account and explanation of modernity.
Similarly the beginning of modernity is also not
attributed to a single historical time.
•
This fact is recognized by many social theorists who
lend
credence to unevenness and difference.
This has
given rise to
a more plural conception of the historical
process of formation of modern societies.
Concluding Observations (contd.)
•
This plural conception lays
more stress on varied paths to
development, diverse outcomes, ideas of difference,
unevenness, contradiction and contingency.
•
However, it
does not mean that historical accounts are the
results of purely random events.
But it does imply that in
history everything does
not seamlessly unfold according to
some internal logic or inevitable laws.
•
Modernity is not monolithic, and it contains many
competing strands.
In fact dissatisfaction and alienation
from modernity
is itself a characteristically modern pose
.
Yet it is
not directed against its wholesale rejection.
•
The
idea of modernity
has
immense potentiality to cope
with ever emerging challenges.
The challenges
that
surfaced in the last decade of the twentieth century
(post-
modernity)
are also theorized within the broader
framework of modernity.
Post-modernity challenges the foundational ideals of modernism, rejecting the notion of objective truth, beauty, and morality in favor of a more fluid and subjective view. Post-modernism emphasizes the pervasiveness of power dynamics in social structures, critiques grand narratives and ideologies, and questions the achievements and implications of modernity. Proponents like Derrida and Foucault offer insights into deconstruction, power analysis, and societal norms.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Post-modernity/Modernism It is another intellectual movement in the later part of the twentieth century. It marks a point of distinct departure from the modernist project both in terms of their intellectual foundation and institutional set-up. The modernist s claim of the continuous progress through scientific and technological revolution is also challenged by post-modernism. Modernism implies that truth, beauty and morality exist as objective realities that can be discovered, known and understood through rational and scientific means. On the contrary, post-modernists argue that truth, beauty and morality do not have an objective existence beyond how we think, write or talk about them. Social life or social institutions have no fixed forms. They only represent an ongoing stream of conversations, abstract models, narratives and various forms of social interaction. The prominent proponents of post-modernity are: Jacques Derrida, Jean Bernard, Leon Foucault, J. Habermas and others.
Post-modern Analysis of Power Post-modernism holds that the structure of privilege and power pervades the entire social system. It operates in the field of our language as well as our social life. Post-modernity has its own view on art, literature, architecture and criticism including literary criticism. Its implications in our language have been brought out by Jacques Derrida, a French philosopher wherein he has outlined his concept of Deconstruction . Its functioning in our social life has been amply demonstrated by Michel Foucault, another French philosopher. Foucault has argued that political theory and discourse continue to assume a paradigm of power derived from pre-modern experience. People are now ruled through social institutions which rise up from the ground and reach out to people through various social channels. These institutions set up disciplinary norms and make people conform to the prevailing standards of reason, order and good taste.
Rejection of the Grand Narratives/Grand Theories/ Ideologies The post-modernists expressed their rejection of grand theory' designed to establish wide-ranging, coherent, definitive theories and interpretations which ideally answer all our questions. Thus, post- modernity is characterized by the rejection of grand narratives , i.e. the major systems of religious, political and cultural ideas (such as Christianity, emancipation, capitalism, socialism and technological progress). In the past these ideas had been used to underpin social and political institutions and practices and intellectual styles. The various forms of discourse about these ideas had proved to be incommensurable. Consequently, a consensus which could serve as an objective basis for conceptions of justice and truth was not even ideally attainable.
Tall Claims of Modernity Challenged by Post-modernism It asserts that the modernist project of raising intellectual and institutional set-up have, despite their contrary claims, only resulted in reinforcing inequality, inequity, exploitation and domination of common people. Post-modernists also view the power of human rationality and its concomitant scientific and technological revolution with a lot of suspicion. Similarly, champions of post-modern feminism have argued that feminist movement should not make identical demands for all categories of women. They have pleaded for due recognition of the diversity of women s movements in different parts of the world. For example, this diversity may arise from awareness of the radical difference between the conditions of a white professional woman in a Western country and a poverty-stricken woman in a different socio-cultural set-up.
Epistemological Tool of Proponents of Modernity Questioned Questioning the epistemological tool of the proponents of modernity, the post-modernists challenge the modernist assertion that only scientific thinking could yield objective knowledge and universal truth. Instead, they repose their faith in the contigental, contextual and situational nature of truth. The post-modernist perspective on political theory regards the prevalent norms of truth, beauty and morality as unacceptable because they simply reflect the mode of thinking of power- holders in society. Thus, there can be no objective criteria of determining the nature of truth, beauty and morality. It also follows from this that there can not be a singular notion of modernity or it can not be confined to a particular time scale. There are pluralist conceptions of the processes of modernity in society and the concept of modernity has been constantly changing. No particular description of the real can be treated as finally true.
Concluding Observations The running thread that binds modernity and its discourses- its meaning, philosophical postulates and its critical analysis as well- together is a multi-causal explanation identifying its crucial impacts on diverse aspects of social life. In consonance with this perspective it defies any singular account and explanation of modernity. Similarly the beginning of modernity is also not attributed to a single historical time. This fact is recognized by many social theorists who lend credence to unevenness and difference. This has given rise to a more plural conception of the historical process of formation of modern societies.
Concluding Observations (contd.) This plural conception lays more stress on varied paths to development, diverse outcomes, ideas of difference, unevenness, contradiction and contingency. However, it does not mean that historical accounts are the results of purely random events. But it does imply that in history everything does not seamlessly unfold according to some internal logic or inevitable laws. Modernity is not monolithic, and it contains many competing strands. In fact dissatisfaction and alienation from modernity is itself a characteristically modern pose. Yet it is not directed against its wholesale rejection. The idea of modernity has immense potentiality to cope with ever emerging challenges. The challenges that surfaced in the last decade of the twentieth century (post- modernity) are also theorized within the broader framework of modernity.
