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Global Modernity

A Conceptual Sketch

  • Book
  • © 2014

Overview

Authors:
  1. Volker H. Schmidt

    1. National University of Singapore, Singapore

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
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  2. Introduction

    • Volker H. Schmidt
    Pages 1-5

  3. Phases of Modernity

    • Volker H. Schmidt
    Pages 6-10

  4. Epistemological and Methodological Challenges

    • Volker H. Schmidt
    Pages 11-16

  5. A Four-dimensional Scheme of Modernization

    • Volker H. Schmidt
    Pages 17-56

  6. Global Modernization in Context

    • Volker H. Schmidt
    Pages 57-64

  7. Two Aspects of Polycentric Modernity

    • Volker H. Schmidt
    Pages 65-76

  8. Conclusion

    • Volker H. Schmidt
    Pages 77-82

  9. Back Matter

    Pages 83-100
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Keywords

About this book

This book introduces the concept of global modernity as a paradigm for the analysis of the contemporary era. Building on Parson's distinction between social, cultural, personal and organismic systems, it presents a four-dimensional scheme that aims to identify modernity's key structural components.

Reviews

"To say this book is impressive would be an understatement. It gets at the heart of a matter that is central to the social sciences and that has been discussed for a long time. Highly thoughtful and extremely well written, the book combines a wealth of insights from a multitude of sources and disciplines. It thereby makes a major, fascinating contribution to our understanding of the contemporary world. A must read for anyone interested in social theory today." - Zaheer Baber, Professor of Sociology, University of Toronto, Canada

"One of the most rewarding books I've read in years, Global Modernity. A Conceptual Sketch offers a tour de force that can stand as a benchmark for future discussions of the subject. Its ideas are original and authoritative, well-formulated, and wondrously usable. The author treats major contributors to the debate on modernity deftly, respectfully, and creatively thereby manifesting a kind of civilized inquiry that is regrettably rare in academic discourse. Overall, I find Volker Schmidt's book to be one of the very few statements in general sociological theory today worthy engaging with seriously." - Donald N. Levine, Peter B. Ritzma Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Chicago, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  • National University of Singapore, Singapore

    Volker H. Schmidt

About the author

Volker H. Schmidt is Associate Professor of Sociology at the National University of Singapore. He was formerly a Kennedy Memorial Fellow at Harvard University, USA, and he has held several fellowships at the University of Münster, Germany. Most recently, he was a Fellow at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Bielefeld, Germany.

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