Modernity and Its Futures

A textbook derived from the Open University course "Understanding Modern Societies", this work considers the forces which are reshaping modern industrial societies, together with new patterns, structures and relationships which are emerging in a "post-industrial" and increasingly "globalized" world. The key debates and their main protagonists are introduced and critically discussed. The book reassesses the promise and project of Enlightenment social science. In doing so, it examines the character of "modernity" and the relationship between "early modern" and "postmodern" societies, assessing whether the paradigms, models and theories used to explain and analyze "modern societies" are adequate for post-industrial societies.