Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization

by Arjun Appadurai

The world is growing smaller. Every day we hear this idea expressed and witness its reality in our lives-through the people we meet, the products we buy, the foods we eat, and the movies we watch. In this bold look at the cultural effects of a shrinking world, leading cultural theorist Arjun Appadurai places these challenges and pleasures of contemporary life in a broad global perspective.
Offering a new framework for the cultural study of globalization, Modernity at Large shows how the imagination works as a social force in today's world, providing new resources for identity and energies for creating alternatives to the nation-state, whose era some see as coming to an end. Appadurai examines the current epoch of globalization, which is characterized by the twin forces of mass migration and electronic mediation, and provides fresh ways of looking at popular consumption patterns, debates about multiculturalism, and ethnic violence. He considers the way images-of lifestyles, popular culture, and self-representation-circulate internationally through the media and are often borrowed in surprising (to their originators) and inventive fashions.
Appadurai simultaneously explores and explodes boundaries-between how we imagine the world and how that imagination influences our self-understanding, between social institutions and their effects on the people who participate in them, between nations and peoples that seem to be ever more homogeneous and yet ever more filled with differences. Modernity at Large offers a path to move beyond traditional oppositions between culture and power, tradition and modernity, global and local, pointing out the vital role imagination plays in our construction of the world of today-and tomorrow.

Genres: Anthropology, Theory, Nonfiction, Sociology, Cultural Studies, Academic, Politics

229 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Arjun Appadurai is an Indian-American anthropologist recognized as a major theorist in globalization studies. In his anthropological work, he discusses the importance of the modernity of nation states and globalization

Reviews

[Rozinul Aqli · Rating 5 out of 5]

His non-deterministic and non-reductive understanding of globalization is arguably a brilliant breakthrough in the study of globalization. Using his "scapes" framework, unlike many other theorists, Appadurai shows that globalization is not a monolithic phenomena but more of a multidimensional one. Globalization, in Appadurai's view, is not a linear wave that homogenizes different societies into single identity, but a multidirectional wave that stimulates localities to respond the growing global trends. If you want to understand how globalization works, "Modernity At Large" is definitely the book you should read.

[Victoria Hawco · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title purposefully reads like a wanted poster and I do love that.

[Arda · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the Culture Studies notes:

Appadurai (1996):
- Reflects on the sense of nostalgia that is part and partial of what makes identity identity. The sense of longing for what we think we are and for how we would like to think of ourselves, makes identity appear elsewhere. We, in other words, are elsewhere. This absence is not only what shapes the relations between south vs. north, but also amongst ourselves: Our identity vs. how we would like to define our identity. It is not necessarily in land but also in what is made up in our memory of how we would like to see ourselves, and define ourselves.

- Globalization has been treated as linear, but it is not. It is multidimensional. The missing component is imagination. He comes up with the term “Imagined worlds,” that is, “the multiple worlds that are constituted by the historically situated imaginations of persons and groups spread around the globe” (Appadurai, 1996, p.33). The imagination has the potential to shape interpretations rather than get stuck on one viewpoint.

- The fear that comes up about one taking over the other: The discussion has been limited about western influence over eastern, but there is little attention given to the fact that it is not necessarily Americanization, but other societies taking over others, which creates the threat – particularly in language. The relations have mostly to do with power and domination.

- Ethnicity has “now become a global force” because of the “disjunctive and unstable interplay of commerce, media, national policies, and consumer fantasies” (Appadurai, 1996, p.41). Ethnicity is not linear or stuck; he argues that it changes. You cannot put a finger on what ethnicity is anymore. There is a generation of those who do not know where they come from anymore – set in no place and no time. He calls for a rethinking of the definition of cultures, regions, and nations, and he invents a theoretical framework: Ethnoscape, technoscape, financescape, mediscape, ideoscape.

- Discusses notions of nationhood and the power of reading: of receiving the information, and of the construction of ethnicity.

- The viewpoint of the West, which sets the discourse in Cultural Studies, is outdated and over-studied.

- Disjuncture and difference. Moreover, there is bombardment of information. Even though there is much more access to information now, one would expect for the worlds to connect together, but they connect on the same ideals and boundaries.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps a perfect encapsulation of 1990s theory on globalization, modernity, and the nation-state. Appadurai is maybe a little too certain that the n-s is on its last legs, but his concepts of the various "scapes" that heavily influence cultural formations around the world and his sense that imagination is a social fact are incredibly valuable. He also has a fantastic chapter on why consumerism is not the end of the capitalist cycle but instead is a contemporary form of labor that creates and shapes time.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another formative book in my career as a grad student. Appadurai is often vague, and this is problematic to understanding the nuances of transnational identity, but his creation of the 'scapes' is an immensely useful set of concepts and travel outside anthropological literature quite well.

[Radina · Rating 3 out of 5]

"One man's imagined community is another man's political prison."

[Steve]

Professor Appadurai relies heavily on the work of Benedict Anderson in this volume, specifically Imagined Communities (reviewed at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). Modernity at Large additionally considers the effects of migration and technology to broaden the discussion of identity that now confronts nation-states. Transnational and nostalgic imaginings can extend for generations and produce significant lasting social consequences. Modern media facilities, charges, and then accelerates these imaginings, as any observer of current politics can easily note.

Dwelling at length upon the imagination got me thinking about where reality begins and where it ends for us humans. I suppose a Darwinist might point out that truth is whatever allows our species to thrive. Thus considered, acknowledgement of reality may prove contrary to nature’s design, for it may be possible that the survival of the fittest proves the survival of the deceived. In this sense, defense of the truth may be a tall order since Mother Nature would have a conflicting agenda.

Though Professor Appadurai wanders into specialized, academic language, I thought that much of his commentary and observations successfully captured my interest. And how wonderful the small measure of petty giddiness experienced as I recognized the references to Trobriand culture, having previously read Bronisław Malinowski's Argonauts of the Western Pacific (reviewed at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). This book is a collection of seven journal articles presented in nine chapters that are edited into a common theme. I’ve read academic books similarly constructed, and am usually left feeling that I’ve driven my car over successively different road surfaces, as I felt here. Nevertheless, Modernity at Large is an important read.

[Lisajean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid I liked it less and less the more I read. The central idea about the connection between imagination and globalization is fascinating and, I think, convincing, but the chapters that provided case studies on smaller elements of Appadurai's argument didn't add much. I'm also getting sick of the painful academic writing style that seems so common in sociology, particularly the tendency to coin new words rather than work with existing concepts. He must have introduced ten new terms here, which just makes it harder to fit his theories in with existing schemas. I have a high tolerance for complex and academic language, but not for bloated, jargon-heavy discourse with incessant references to other theorists. Particularly when other scholar's names are dropped in, as if everyone is familiar with the key elements of their ideas -- if this is followed by no real engagement with their ideas, what was the purpose of bringing them up in the first place? To be fair, I'm just generally grumpy about this, not mad at Appadurai specifically. I actually think his writing style is better than that of the average sociologist, but, in this case, that's damning with very faint praise.

[Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really compelling account that attempts to theorize - while still asserting the essential dependence on specific context - the function of the persistence of the local in a global society, attentive to the ways in which the former imaginatively construct the latter, the latter delimits and shapes the former. Its insights include how the global facilitates connections which are themselves local (or at least experienced as such) and how global conditions/events double back to intensify local ones.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for a Globalization class in grad school. Honestly, I didn't understand what he was talking about most of the time. The main theme is his idea of scapes. Umm, yeah.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great work of anthropology that provides a novel framework for envisioning the post-nation, while assessing how localities become transnational in an interconnected world of 'disorganised' capitalism.

The concept of 'scapes'; ideoscapes, mediascapes, ethnoscapes - is something that Appadurai introduces as lenses for recognising and following the formulation of identity and 'culture' but isn't something he refers back to often throughout the work, for better or worse.

If the project of the nation-state is to collapse under the ever mobile, ever fluctuating migration of competing localised identities, ethnicities, polities, then I believe Appadurai's work here will become an increasingly useful reference point for understanding the world as it appears today.

[giuneitesti ❆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Studiato per un esame universitario, mi sono pentita della scelta fin dalla prima lettura. Il linguaggio usato da Appadurai non è semplice neanche per chi mastica da anni testi antropologici e sociologici, e i concetti non sono spiegati molto bene. Dopo averci sbattuto la testa, però, e aver estrapolato dal marasma quello che voleva dire, trovo la sua analisi della modernità un approccio imprescindibile per chiunque si trovi a fare ricerca in ambito sociale.

Appadurai, potevi farci penare un po' di meno, però dai, ne è valsa la pena.

[Qing Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say that I like this one very much. Finished the Chapter 1 two days ago, and here are some feelings I shared immidietaly on FB after I read it: Is it because that the book was written in 1996, it gives more hope? Or it is caused by disciplinary differences? (Anthropology as the first love in college always maintains its privilege?😳) After so many bitter feelings of reading previous pieces, the power of imagination is highly needed, and I don’t mind adding a bit fantasy 🤣

[Kevo de Trop · Rating 5 out of 5]

El libro que más he leído, y me ha servido mucho hacerlo, especialmente por mi proceso de grado para llegar a ser Licenciado en Antropología Sociocultural. Una propuesta muy interesante para llegar a comprender la globalización cultural partiendo de lo que el autor llama Paisajes Sociales, que son puntos concretos desde los cuales puede verse, analizarse y fragmentar a la globalización en su dimensión cultural. 10/10.

[Mauricio Balta Aguilar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro un poco complejo de leer y de conectar. Desarrolla la idea de un mundo interconectado en el cual las cosas viajan de un sitio a otro y van adquiriendo nuevas identidades según la cultura que lo reciba. La cultura juega un papel fundamental en cómo se movilizan las cosas y en qué hacemos con esas cosas.

[Maria Scetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5 Un po' ostico per lo stile di scrittura e i concetti espressi alla fine potevano essere spiegati senza tanti fronzoli in molte meno pagine, ma sicuramente un libro geniale di un autore che ha saputo descrivere la nostra epoca quando appena era iniziata.
Nota: essendo Indiano, l'autore fa continui riferimenti all'India coloniale e post-coloniale per i suoi esempi.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really excellent work of scholarship. I read this for an understanding of the production of locality, so some of the chapters were not as relevant to me, but I found the text approachable and well done.

[Ron Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel multi-disciplinary (sociological, economic, anthropological, postmodernist) analysis of how capitalism is changing culture with the spread of globalization.

[Gacoca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitelly wondeful.

[Cioran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for any one living in nation-states or city-states. Must read for stateless people.

[Kris Rafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're interested in what is happening in the world and why, this is a great theory book to read.

[Anya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely fun read, very much everywhere.

Read for MMUF Independent Study.

[Silke]

leuk en interessant hoe true dit nog is ook al is het 30 jaar geleden geschreven! Wel heel moeilijk te lezen met veel moeilijke woorden voor no reason

[MARIO BASTOS · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-divis...

[Patrick Sauriol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Political scientist discovers transnational history. The dialectics of globalization has kind of always been a thing

[Rolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true contemporary classic in terms of its impact on the last 30 years of anthropology, though Appadurai’s implicit positivity about globalization was ripe for the critique it received.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished it for the same week and i really enjoyed it. I loved how at first the story lines didn't seem to have anything to do with each other but slowly details were revealed to show how they are all connected.

[Mojidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely cool.

[daniel dillon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second time for the whole book (fifth time if you count excerpts).

[Eitental · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book quite frustrating, as its subject matter is absolutely fascinating but the exact meanings of Appadurai’s arguments are frequently obscured behind social science jargon and casual references to other theorists. If you have a strong background in anthropology or sociology, this may not be an issue. But for laymen and students of other disciplines, this will render large segments impenetrable.

Further reducing this work’s appeal for non-specialists is the fact that many of Appadurai’s ideas are concerned less with the changes in the world itself than in the necessary changes in the way that anthropologists and other social scientists think about and study the world. This is especially true of the second, third and ninth chapters.

Another issue – from my perspective, at least – was the fact that Appadurai’s arguments are mostly based on applying other people’s theories in novel ways. Firstly, this means that the text is drier reading, full of references to scholars both renowned and obscure, but light on real-world examples. Secondly, it means that the reader has to just take Appadurai’s word for it that these borrowed theories are sound (or, alternatively, has to read the works from which they have been taken), as he does not usually take the time to prove them himself.

Moreover, when Appadurai does provide detailed case studies – in chapters five and six – while the writing is much less technical and easier to read than elsewhere, he goes into a greater level of detail than is really necessary for the purpose of this work. I did enjoy reading about the history of cricket in India, but it’s not what I came to this book to learn about!

That said, when Appadurai does make clear, coherent comments about the nature and effects of globalization, they are generally very insightful. In my opinion, the seventh and eighth chapters stands out in this respect. Here he provides a lot of food for thought, making the case that the rise of apparent tribalism (e.g. ethnic nationalism and religious fundamentalism) is not a retreat from or reaction against globalization, but a result of it. Here he also explores the related topics of global diasporas, interethnic violence and the crisis facing the nation-state. In fact, if it weren’t for these two chapters, I would only have given the book two stars. It’s really a shame that the whole work wasn’t this interesting!