The sociology of reflexive modernization and its limits

Authors

  • Sérgio Costa Universidade Livre de Berlim

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-20702004000200004

Keywords:

Reflexive modernization, Cosmopolitization, Anthony Giddens, Ulrich Beck

Abstract

Received in the 90s as an important renewal of the social sciences, reflexive modernity sociology, developed specially by A. Giddens and U. Beck, already shows evident signs of weakness. From a theoretical point of view, this approach is unable to avoid the evolutionism found within the first modernization sociology. If in the later it were the institutions and social structures of the North Atlantic societies that represented History's end of the line, yet to be achieved by all the other societies, reflexive modernization theory establishes reflexive subjectivity as a reference to its teleology. On the other hand, the conception of a "third way", beyond the left and right wings, is upheld by an idealized view of politics, which puts this sphere above power relations and interests. Therefore, reflexive modernization is deprived of any analytical resource capable of favoring a critical understanding of the recent developments in world politics.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

BECK, Ulrich. (1986), Risikogesellschaft. Auf dem Weg in eine andere Moderne. Frankfurt/M, Suhrkamp.

BECK, Ulrich. (1993), Die Erfindung des Politischen. Frankfurt/M, Suhrkamp.

BECK, Ulrich. (1997a), Was ist Globalisierung? Irrtümer des Globalismus. Antworten auf Globalisierung. Frankfurt/M, Suhrkamp.

BECK, Ulrich. (1997b), Weltrisikogesellschaft, Weltöffentlichkeit und globale Subpolitik. Viena, Picus.

BECK, Ulrich. (1999), “Globalisierung als Unterscheidungsmerkmal der Zweiten Moderne”.

SCHMIDT, G. & TRINCZEK, R. (eds.). Soziale Welt, 13 (número especial).

SCHMIDT, G. & TRINCZEK, R. (2000), “The cosmopolitan perspective: sociology of the second age of modernity”. British Journal of Sociology, 50 (1).

SCHMIDT, G. & TRINCZEK, R. (2004), Der Kosmopolitische Blick oder: Krieg ist Frieden. Frankfurt/M, Suhrkamp.

BECK, Ulrich & BECK-GERNSHEIM, Elizabeth. (1990), Das ganz normale Chaos der Liebe. Frankfurt/M, Suhrkamp.

BERNSTEIN, Richard. (1989), “Social theory as critique”. In: HELD, David & THOMPSON, John B. Social theory of modern societies. Anthony Giddens and his critics. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, pp. 19-33.

BLAIR, Tony & SCHRÖDER, Gerhard. (1999), “Europe: The third way/Die Neue Mitte”. In: http:www.spd.de/politik/perspektiven/index.htm.

COSTA, Sérgio. (2001), “Teoria social, cosmopolitismo e a constelação pós-nacional”. Novos Estudos Cebrap, 59.

COSTA, Sérgio. (2002), As cores de Ercília. Belo Horizonte, Ed. UFMG.

DOMINGUES, José Maurício. (2002), Interpretando a modernidade: imaginário e instituições. Rio de Janeiro, FGV.

FULLER, Timothy. (1996), “Book review of beyond left and right: The future of radical politics”. America Political Science Review, 90 (1).

GIDDENS, Anthony. (1984), The constitution of society: outline of the theory of structuration. Cambridge, Polity Press.

GIDDENS, Anthony. (1990), The consequences of modernity. Stanford, Stanford University Press.

GIDDENS, Anthony. (1991), Modernity and self-identity. Cambridge, Polity Press.

GIDDENS, Anthony. (1992), The transformation of intimacy: sexuality, love and eroticism in modern societies. Cambridge, Polity Press.

GIDDENS, Anthony. (1994), Beyond left and right: the future of radical politics. Cambridge, Polity Press.

GIDDENS, Anthony. (1996), In defence of sociology: essays, interpretations and rejoinders. Cambridge, Polity Press.

GIDDENS, Anthony. (1998a), Conversations with Anthony Giddens: making sense of modernity.

PIERSON, Christopher (ed.). Cambridge, Polity Press.

PIERSON, Christopher (ed.). (1998b), The third way. Cambridge, Polity Press.

PIERSON, Christopher (ed.). (2001a), Die Frage der Sozialen Ungleichheit [orig. ingl., The third way and its critics, 1998]. Frankfurt/M, Suhrkamp.

PIERSON, Christopher (ed.). (2001b), Entfesselte Welt. Wie die Globalisierung unser Leben verändert [orig. ingl., Runaway world: how globalization is reshaping our lives, 1999]. Frankfurt/M, Suhrkamp.

HITZLER, R. (2000), “Die Wiederentdeckung der Handlungspotentiale – Problemstellungen politischer Soziologie unter den Bedingungen reflexiver Modernisierung”. Zeitschrift für Politik, 2: 183-200.

JOAS, Hans. (1995), “Einführung. Eine soziologische Transformation der Praxisphilosophie – Giddens’ Theorie der Strukturierung”. In: GIDDENS, A. Die Konstitution der Gesellschaft. 3. ed. Frankfurt/M, Campus.

KASPERSEN, Lars Bo. (2000), Anthony Giddens: an introduction to a social theorist. Oxford, Blackwell Publishers.

LASH, Scott. (1994), “Reflexivity and its doubles: structure, aesthetics, community”. In: BECK, U. et al. Reflexive modernization: politics, tradition and aesthetics in the modern social order. Cambridge, Polity Press, pp. 110-173.

LASH, Scott. (1999), Another modernity: an different rationality. Oxford, Blackwell.

LASH, Scott & URRY, J. (1994), Economies of signs and space. Londres, Sage.

LEIS, Héctor & COSTA, Sérgio. (2000), “Dormindo com uma desconhecida: a teoria social contemporânea visita a intimidade”. In: AVRITZER, L. & DOMINGUES, L. (orgs.). Teoria social e modernidade no Brasil. Belo Horizonte, Ed. da UFMG.

O’BRIEN, Martin. (1999), Theorizing modernity: reflexivity, environment and identity in Giddens’ social theory. Londres, Longman.

RANDERIA, S. (2000), “Jenseits von Soziologie und soziokultureller Anthropologie: Zur Ortbestimmung der nichtwestlichen Welt in einer zukünftigen Sozialtheorie”. In: BECK, U. & KIESERLING, A. (orgs.). Ortsbestimmung der Soziologie: Wie die kommenden Generation Gesellschaftswissenschaften betreiben will. Baden-Baden, Nomos.

Published

2004-11-01

Issue

Section

Debates

How to Cite

Costa, S. (2004). The sociology of reflexive modernization and its limits . Tempo Social, 16(2), 73-100. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-20702004000200004