MODULE CODE: SSR400
ASSIGNMENT TOPIC: Social Theory: Critical theory, modernity, postmodernity and feminist theory.
1. Background and introduction
In the history of humanity, there has always been a desire to understand what, how and most importantly why certain things do exist? Urry argues that “Sociology is made up of a multiplicity of perspectives that are not unified by a common idea of what society is” (2002: 223). The study of social theory wants to address and explore more on some of these ever existing questions. In the history of humans there has been great contest of ideas and how the society should look like or be shaped. Others believed that certain ideas were determining the future of society, whilst …show more content…
Social theory as a discipline in its own has sub-theories that will be discussed later. With this understanding, that society is forever changing, it is very important to use social theories as a tool of analyses and diagnose to understand societal issues much better. Social changes has transformed the natural conditions of human beings. Changes in the society have changed how things were in the pre-industrial period. Times are new and they require new thinking and new approach. Social theories helps to understand this situation much better. Turner notes “Modern industrial society was not a natural community in the sense that it dealt with needs and the satisfaction of wants in a wholly revolutionary and unique” (1996: 3). Modern society is defined by certain characteristics and its different from traditional societies. It is more industrialized and social structure is very different from those of traditional society. It is through this society that society experiencing the classification of people others regarded as the middle-class, bourgeois and working class. Through the stratified structure these class differences were …show more content…
The traditional society was not governed based on democratic principles, nor the economy was a capitalist one, these societies were traditional meaning they were natural and had kings and queens to make governance. Their economy was a simple economy based on subsistence farming and according to critical theorists this created less problems for the society. The introduction of democracy saw emergence of freedom and individualistic type of society. In contrast traditional society was communal in nature, community came first before an individual but the introduction of democracy which is the mother of capitalism saw these changing the individuals became more important than a community. It is during this stage that private property rights were established and this resulted in high levels of inequality. Modernity has been well received by modern theorists due to its accomplishments of establishing industrialization and changed economy entirely. It has received enormous support and got support from different