Solidifying modernity: Theorising the contemporary condition

The aim of this article is to introduce a new way of theorising the contemporary condition, which is defined as ‘solidifying modernity.’ This notion references the process of solidification to describe an intermediate state between ‘solid’ and ‘liquid’ and evokes the manner in which Zygmunt Bauman theorised the transformations of modernity. The paper emphasises that from the very beginning of his reflections on the process of’ ‘liquefaction,’ Bauman also highlighted the increasing significance of opposite phenomena. His analyses culminated in the concept of retrotopia. Continuing these reflections in relation to the present day, I highlight the various and intensifying influences of retrotopia on today's politics, social life and culture. I argue that this process is most conspicuously expressed in the increasing criticism of cultural pluralism and the concomitant reinforcement of strong national identities. My primary focus is on the implications of these changes for the theorisation of contemporaneity.