The Global Age: State and Society Beyond ModernityJohn Wiley & Sons, 2013 M06 28 - 256 pages Many authors who discuss the idea of globalization see it as continuing pre-established paths of development of modern societies. Post-modernist writers, by contrast, have lost sight of the importance of historical narrative altogether. Martin Albrow argues that neither group is able to recognize the new era which stares us in the face. A history of the present needs an explicit epochal theory to understand the transition to the Global Age. When globality displaces modernity there is a general decentering of state, government, economy, culture, and community. Albrow calls for a recasting of the theory of such institutions and the relations between them. He finds an open potential for society to recover its abiding significance in the face of the declining nation state. At the same time a new kind of citizenship is emerging. This important book will provoke both radicals and conservatives. Its scholarship ranges widely across the social sciences and humanities. It is bound to promote wide cross-disciplinary debate. |
Contents
The Decay of the Modern Project | |
Theorizing the Transition | |
Globalization | |
Historical Narrative for the New | |
Systems | |
People | |
The Future State and Society | |
The Global Age Hypothesis | |
Notes | |
References | |
Index | |
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Common terms and phrases
abstract activities Albrow alternative analytical arise become boundaries capitalism capitalist central century challenge citizens citizenship Cold War concepts configuration contemporary counterculture culture democracy depends discourse dominant economic effectively environment epoch epochal change equally European expansion experience extent factors forces forms frame Global Age Global City global warming globalist globe groups historical period human idea identify identity individual inherent institutions intellectual involved John Eade late modern lives London managerial class Marx Marxist Max Weber’s means Modern Age modern period Modern Project movements narrative nation-state society nature old modern outcome people’s phenomenology political possible postmodern principles problem production reality recognize reference reflexive reflexive modernization relations relationships representative democracy requirements seek sense shift sociology sphere state’s structure territorial theoretical theory Toronto Blessing transformation transnational universal values Weber Western world society worldwide