Modernity, Postmodernity and Social Theory
Chapter 19 Summary

The chapter begins by explaining the need for sociological theory to constantly renew itself in order to change social circumstances. From this basis the idea of a postmodern society is explored, establishing the broad thrust of its critique of modernity, in its rejection of totalising theory and emphasis on difference. The emergence of postmodern thinking is then linked to social and economic developments, especially technological changes affecting communication and production.

The chapter moves on to the language-centred theorising of post-structuralism and to the relativism at the heart of postmodernism. The focus here is on the nature of language as discourse. Since languages cannot be true or false, neither can discourses. So, the 'project of modernity' - the Enlightenment-inspired search for 'the Truth' about human experience - is seen as unrealisable and should be abandoned in favour of the postmodernist view that because all forms of human knowledge are always discursive, they are, therefore, also always relative.

We then turn to an examination of feminist theory and the way that it too has responded to the postmodern challenge. In conclusion, put forward by theorists such as Habermas and Beck is explored, so that we come full circle in a defence of the sociological project. Theories of the self and identity reinstate a belief in reflexive social action, in opposition to the postmodern 'death of the subject'.