Modernity and Postmodernity Sociology 250 November 26, 2013 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Modernity and Postmodernity Sociology 250 November 26, 2013 Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 1 / 46

Slouching Toward Postmodernity Fundamental Insight of Postmodernism Modernism and Postmodernism Postmodernism: Architectural Origins and Practice A Manifesto for Postmodernism? Postmodernist Principles Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 2 / 46

The Theory Arc Philosophy/Thought (Enlightenment) Modernism Postmodernism Modernity Postmodernity History/Social Organization Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 3 / 46

Remember the Modernist Paradigm Epistemological Hubris ⇒ Faith in Technology Mistrust of Religion, Myth, and Honor ⇒ Formal political equality Regimentation and Rationalization of Life Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 4 / 46

A Manifesto for Modernity All fixed, fast-frozen relations, with their train of ancient and venerable prejudices and opinions, are swept away, all new-formed ones become antiquated before they can ossify. All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind. Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 5 / 46

Modernity and Postmodernity Modernity Postmodernity We can know the Truth Truth is partial and contextual Big systems work well Small, local, interconnected systems Information generates power Power generates information Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 6 / 46

What is the postmodern world like? Fragility of big systems Fragmented experiences “Where you stand depends on where you sit” All the parts are moving at once Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 7 / 46

Fundamental Insight of Postmodernism Postmodernism is the first intellectual movement to assume its own historicity Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 8 / 46

Postmodernism n. genre of art and literature and especially architecture in reaction against principles and practices of established modernism Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 9 / 46

Postmodernism and Modernism Irony in the term itself Dialectical relationship Arising in reaction to modernism means including many of its innovations Hypermodernism? Postmodernism builds on a modernist base Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 10 / 46

Postmodernism: Architectural Origins Term originally coined in architecture Architectural modernism was particularly grandiose Function over Form “A Machine for Living In” (Le Corbusier) Aesthetics of technical supremacy Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 11 / 46

Modernist Architecture: Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, 1961 Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 12 / 46

Modernist Architecture: Apartment Building, East Berlin, 1956–58 (Le Corbusier) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 13 / 46

Modernist Architecture: City Plan for 3 Million (Le Corbusier) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 14 / 46

Modernist Architecture: Unit´ e , Marseille (Le Corbusier) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 15 / 46

Tom Wolfe, From Bauhaus to Our House Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 16 / 46

Real Hubris: Brasilia, Brazil, 1957–60 Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 17 / 46

Modernist Architecture: French Embassy, Brasilia (Le Corbusier) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 18 / 46

Mid-Modern Architecture: Mangum Hall, UNC (1922) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 19 / 46

Modernist Architecture: Mary Ellen Jones Building, UNC (1978) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 20 / 46

Modernist Architecture: Greenlaw Hall, UNC (1970) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 21 / 46

Modernist Architecture: Hamilton Hall, UNC (1965–72) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 22 / 46

Modernist Architecture: Hamilton Hall, UNC (1965–72) Indoor view Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 23 / 46

Postmodernist Principles Doubt in claims to truth, objectivity, altruism Emphasis on representation as a creative process Pastiche - amalgam - Gemisch Society as a web of interconnected signs, signifying nothing Simulacrum Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 24 / 46

Postmodern Architecture: Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain, 1993–97 Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 25 / 46

Postmodern Architecture: Canadian Embassy, Washington, 1986–89 Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 26 / 46

Postmodern Architecture: Walter R. Davis Library, 1984 Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 27 / 46

Postmodern Architecture: UNC Bioinformatics Building (2002) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 28 / 46

Postmodern Architecture: UNC School of Government (1999–2002) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 29 / 46

Postmodern Architecture: Hooker Research Center (2005) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 30 / 46

Postmodern Architecture: Hooker Research Center (2005) Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 31 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 32 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism: Simulacrum and Simulation Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 33 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism: Imaginary Industry Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 34 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism: Enjoy Your Symptom! Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 35 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism: Shared Illusory Nostalgia Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 36 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism: Mixing Styles Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 37 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism: Mixing Styles Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 38 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism: Mechanical Aesthetics Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 39 / 46

Everyday Postmodernism: Playing with History Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 40 / 46

A Manifesto for Postmodernism? The image class has played a most revolutionary part. All proud, technical relations, with their train of arrogant, timeless, and powerful forces, are swept away, all new-formed ones become antiquated before they can ossify. All that they tried so desperately to make solid melts ever faster into air. In place of technological hubris, it has brought dystopia; in place of celebrated order, chaos; in place of objective truth, politicized partiality. Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 41 / 46

Jean Baudrillard: Simulacrum Under modernity, we get simulation : symbolic production that tries to be similar to something we know to be real Under postmodernity, we get simulacrum : a simulation of an imagined real The truth of the situation is in its representation—its simulacral moment One step beyond Foucault: not just knowledge but all ideas and representations (might) create their own subjects! Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 42 / 46

Example: Postmodern Electoral Crises Systems designed for extraordinary circumstances (impeachment, quorum, recall, filibuster) In postmodernity, everything is (just) about symbols, and nothing is fixed Therefore all tools are available for any reason Examples: Clinton impeachment, 1998 1 Davis recall (California), 2000 2 Texas and Wisconsin Democrats’ refusal of quorum 3 Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 43 / 46

Example: Postmodern Electoral Crises The Filibuster Source: Ezra Klein, Washington Post Wonkblog, 5/5/12 Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 44 / 46

December 3 Everyone in Wilson 128 Please bring laptops Final exam preparation Course Evaluations Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 45 / 46

Happy Thanksgiving! Sociology 250 Modernity and Postmodernity November 26, 2013 46 / 46