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Contemporary society

About: Contemporary society is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3991 publications have been published within this topic receiving 91755 citations.


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TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the intellectual and conceptual shifts that have occurred in information society theories (and also policies) in the previous four decades and examine the topic by focusing on the work of Daniel Bell and Manuel Castells, arguably two of the most important information society theorists.
Abstract: This article critically discusses the intellectual and conceptual shifts that have occurred in information society theories (and also policies) in the previous four decades. We will examine the topic by focusing on the work of Daniel Bell and Manuel Castells, arguably two of the most important information society theorists. A key element in the academic shift from “post-industrial” (Bell) thinking to the discourse on “network society” (Castells) is that it has brought forward a different way of understanding the role of the state vis-a-vis the development of new information and communication technologies, as well as a new assessment of the role of the state in the economy and society at large. Against the Keynesian undertones of Bell’s ideas, Castells’ network society theory represents a neoliberally restructured version of “information society” that is associated with the rise of flexibility, individuality and a new culture of innovation. We argue that these changing discourses on the information society have served a definite hegemonic function for political elites, offering useful ideals and conceptions for forming politics and political compromises in different historical conjunctures. We conclude the article by looking at how the on-going global economic crisis and neoliberalism’s weakening hegemonic potential and turn to austerity and authoritarian solutions challenges existing information society theories.

35 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Sarah Irwin1
TL;DR: This article developed an alternative, moral economy, perspective with the aim of furthering analysis of the social organisation of life course-related rights, claims and obligations and their relationship to lifetime inequalities across the population.
Abstract: A central concern of many theorists of later life has been to elucidate the processes which shape the marginalisation and relative disadvantage of older people in contemporary society. This concern parallels a current argument within sociological theorising: that life course stage and generational location constitute increasingly important dimensions of social difference and inequality. It is an argument of the paper that many current approaches operate with metaphors of society which ultimately locate those in later life at the margins by virtue of the theoretical terms being used. Too much has been claimed for life course-based divisions and too little has been claimed in respect of life course-related processes. The paper develops an alternative, moral economy, perspective with the aim of furthering analysis of the social organisation of life course-related rights, claims and obligations and their relationship to lifetime inequalities across the population. Such an approach offers a resourceful framework both for interrogating the diverse circumstances and experiences of those in later life, and for conceptualising social inequality and its reproduction.

35 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a case study of Latin American migrant workers' political engagement in London is presented, focusing on the collective political practices observed among Latin American migrants in London, aiming to contribute to the "new sociology of class" which has begun to explore the identity and cultural dimension of class.
Abstract: This article addresses issues of class-based collective action. Through an ethnographic case study examining migrant workers’ political engagements, the article discusses the current relevance of class politics and the role that culture, identity and intersectionality seem to play in it. By focusing on the collective political practices observed among Latin American migrant workers in London, it seeks to contribute to the ‘new sociology of class’, an emerging strand within the discipline which has begun to explore the identity and cultural dimension of class. In particular, it aims to broaden the scope of this strand beyond the individual so as to include the collective and contentious dimension of class and to enhance its sensitivity to new migrants and to the ‘super-diverse’ nature of contemporary society.

35 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, three perspectives from contemporary social theory are suggested as providing a better way of relating languages to politics: a sociological, cultural and discourse perspective that takes seriously language and discourse on it, identifying the relative autonomy of language issues, rather than attempting to reduce language attitudes to supposedly more basic ethnic or structural factors.
Abstract: It is difficult for political theory to understand the issue of language policy in contemporary societies; likewise, theoriesof language planning and policy struggle to come to grips with political issues. Many political theories are limited by two perspectives. For theories concerned with ethnicity, language is often reduced to ethnicity, which is often seen as synonymous with ethnic conflict, while theories concerned with modernization appear to have such a strong attachment to its imperatives that aspects of language that appear to be retarding modernization present insuperable problems. A critique ofthese theories is advanced, based on the issue oflanguages in the former Soviet Union; the conflict between local and former colonial languages in third-world countries; and the searchfor appropriate language models in an increasingly integrated Europe. Three perspectives from contemporary social theory are suggested as providing a better way of relating languages to politics: a sociological perspective that looks at actual language use and attitudes rather than officialpronouncements; a culturalperspective that analyzes the significance of language in cultural terms, particularly in relation to changing concepts of ethnicity; and a discourse perspective that takes seriously language and discourse on it, identifying the relative autonomy of language issues, rather than attempting to reduce language attitudes to supposedly more basic ethnic or structural factors.

35 citations

DOI
01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: In this paper, a way beyond modern secular disability discourses is shown by going to the sources to discover what the discourse is all about, and it aims at proposing how to deal with disability in contemporary societies.
Abstract: This publication aims at showing “a way beyond modern secular disability discourses” (p. 19) by going to the sources to discover what the discourse is all about, and it aims at proposing how to deal with disability in contemporary societies.

35 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202317
202230
2021116
2020161
2019155
2018192