Session: #905

Content:

Modernity is a very tricky concept. While considered by many as one of the defining features of the emergence of the contemporary world (Giddens, Habermas…), others have harshly, and fairly, criticized its colonial roots (Bhambra, Butler, Quijano, the Comaroffs…) and its ontological limitations (Latour, Bauman…). All in all, it is still a widespread notion and, moreover, one increasingly used by reactionary movements, which use the emergence of modernity and its inherent characteristics, such as industrialization, as key elements for the expansion of “Western” ideas to the rest of the world. Still, we argue that the concept of modernity nonetheless remains a highly useful and critical theoretical tool. It constitutes a worthy analytical tool not only to understand the current state of things, but also to delve into the complex historical process by which pre-modern and pre-industrial societies have been integrated into external dynamics coming from the western economic and political centres in a long, complex and non-linear process. Thus, we propose an understanding of modernity as a colonial process, one whose introduction different ontologies and communities have reacted against, adapted to and often resisted, alongside those other characteristically modern elements such as capitalism, surveillance, imperialism or racism. Furthermore, we consider that industrialization was one of the most relevant vehicles for the development of this dialectical process, and that it had a deep material impact on both past societies and landscapes which can therefore be successfully tackled through archaeology. In this session, we would like to discuss the validity (or invalidity) of modernity as a theoretical concept through the analysis of case studies addressing the impact of processes of industrialization on prior local societies from the 16th century onwards, hoping to invite further reflexive and theoretical contributions.

Session: #905

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