SOCIOL 2 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Cultural Globalization, Individualism, Ethnocentrism
Document Summary
Modernity is characterized by assumption that the individual human person is the focal point for both rights and agency. Belief that rights and responsibilities inhere in individual persons rather. Belief that individuals act as individual agents rather than collectives. We assume things are owned individually rather than collectively (remember private property!) Finally, modernity is characterized by the assumption that principles of individualism and rationalism hold universally, i. e. reason/rights/agency are the same for everyone everywhere. Reason/science is assumed to work the same everywhere. In principle, individual rights are thought to be universal. In principle, laws are assumed apply the same to everyone. The modern era set in motion the global diffusion of these cultural ideals of modernity. Imperial expansion carried ideals of modernity into colonies. Principles of modernity claimed to be universally true. Despite emerging from particularity of european experience. Helps us understand the particular form that contemporary cultural globalization has taken.
