Modernity as a Classical Problem in Sociological Theory

This chapter examines the concept of modernity in the history of sociology as a key problem for classical theory that is of continued relevance today. The conceptual history of modernity can be seen as the biography of classical sociological theory, since classical theorists were living through the very changes that formed the basis of their theorizing. We examine the ambivalent visions of modernity and its constituent factors in the works of classical theorists, including the concept of the social, the relationship between economy and society, urbanization, subjectivism, and individualization. We also consider classical theorists beyond the conventional canon, the rise and fall of modernization theory, and subsequent revisions to the concept of modernity that demonstrate its continued relevance for sociology—especially for the discipline’s self-understanding and its social significance.