Past, Present and Possible Future for Theories of Modernity

The concept of modernity has faced significant criticism. Once central to macrosociological analyses of contemporary societies, it is now often regarded as a purely ideological construct. Two major recent debates have produced distinct approaches: the post- or decolonial perspective and the “multiple modernities” framework. The latter attributes the diversity of modern societies to factors originating in the so-called Axial Age, thereby obscuring the defining features of modernity itself. In contrast, the former rejects the concept of modernity entirely, viewing it as a fundamentally Eurocentric construct. Beyond these, additional theories describe their analyses as “late modernity,” but tend to focus on specific conditions. For example, Hartmut Rosa links late-modern societies to particular temporal experiences, while Andreas Reckwitz identifies a general trend toward culturalization in late modernity.

This overview demonstrates that the concept of modernity has largely lost its diagnostic and, to an even greater extent, its normative capacities. In an era lacking comprehensive macrosociological theories capable of adequately addressing global trends and developments, this loss is particularly concerning.

This panel will revisit the debates that have shaped the concept of modernity in recent decades. It will address whether alternatives to the concept of modernity exist that could unify diagnostic efforts to understand contemporary society. Contributions examining the relationship between capitalism and modernity, or between Enlightenment, humanism, and modernity, are also encouraged. Additionally, the panel seeks analyses of debates about modernity that have emerged outside Europe and the United States, as well as the forms of critical thinking these debates have generated.