Sociological terms like ›modernization‹, ›modern society‹› ›modernity‹, or ›modernities‹ always run into theoretical problems since they all are - in the words of W. B. Gallie - »essentially contested concepts«. Instead of searching for the essence of all these terms, the humanities and the social sciences rather ought to analyse how they have been used as »Kampfbegriffe«, as conceptual tools designed for promoting one’s own political aims.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Wolfgang Knöbl (2012) studied this question.