This analysis is in support of defining the complexity that lies within the difficulty in AGI programming to fully capture human Social Theory, today, in the past, and in the future.
The current direction for GenAI in applied AI provides the best determination both now and for many years. Interestingly there are few companies (Palantir, Koat) forking into Applied AI Software as a methodology. The most pragmatic approach currently that we can view and lever is in Military and Intellligence, where scale, speed, growth, and agility are critical success factors. There is no space to await “transformer” moments but rather grow with the superintelligence framework that GenAI and talented data scientists bring.
In “The Dark Side of Modernity,” Jeffrey C. Alexander critically examines modernity’s contradictory character, depicting it as both a historical period embodying Enlightenment ideals and a social condition marred by suffering and destructive impulses. He discusses how key theorists like Weber, Simmel, Eisenstadt, and Parsons tackled modernity’s dual nature, emphasizing that contradictions should not be resolved but accepted. Civil inclusion and anti-civil exclusion are intertwined, highlighting modernity’s endemic frictions. Alexander advocates for social amelioration through emotional repair and cultural performance, maintaining that acknowledging modernity’s duality fosters realistic approaches to social justice and improvement.
Table of Contents
1 Zygmunt Bauman’s critique of modernity centers on several key themes: 5
2 Weber and Simmel offer distinct perspectives on modernity, though they share some common ground in analyzing its impact: 7
3 Simmel’s concept of “the stranger” serves as a crucial metaphor for understanding modernity’s social dynamics: 10
4 Simmel’s concept of the stranger has evolved significantly in contemporary sociological thought: 12
5 Here are the most significant quotes from Jeffrey Alexander about modernity’s dual nature: 14
6 Alexander defines modernity through multiple interconnected dimensions: 16
7 Alexander points to several key historical events to demonstrate modernity’s dark aspects: 18
8 Based on Alexander’s critiques, here are the key issues he identifies with postmodernism: 20
9 Alexander’s understanding of modernity’s Janus-faced nature directly shapes his approach to social improvement: 22
10 Alexander proposes a nuanced approach to addressing modernity’s dangerous frictions: 24
11 Alexander’s view of modernity’s Janus-faced nature directly shapes his perspective on social justice in several key ways: 26
Introduction
Jeffrey C. Alexander
In this book, one of the world’s leading social theorists presents a critical, alarmed, but also nuanced understanding of the post-traditional world we inhabit today. Jeffrey Alexander writes about modernity as historical time and social condition, but also as ideology and utopia. The idea of modernity embodies the Enlightenment’s noble hopes for progress and rationality, but its reality brings great suffering and exposes the destructive impulses that continue to motivate humankind.
Alexander examines how twentieth-century theorists struggled to comprehend the Janus-faced character of modernity, which looks backward and forward at the same time. Weber linked the triumph of worldly asceticism to liberating autonomy but also ruthless domination, describing flights from rationalization as systemic and dangerous. Simmel pointed to the otherness haunting modernity, even as he normalized the stranger. Eisenstadt celebrated Axial Age transcendence, but acknowledged its increasing capacity for barbarity. Parsons heralded American community, but ignored modernity’s fragmentations.
Rather than seeking to resolve modernity’s contradictions, Alexander argues that social theory should accept its Janus-faced character. It is a dangerous delusion to think that modernity can eliminate evil. Civil inclusion and anti-civil exclusion are intertwined. Alexander enumerates dangerous frictions endemic to modernity, but he also suggests new lines of social amelioration and emotional repair.
The Dark Side of Modernity has been analyzed by several key social theorists who highlight its dual nature and contradictions:
Major Theoretical Perspectives
Max Weber
• Era: Early 20th century
• View: Connected worldly asceticism to both liberating autonomy and ruthless domination[1]
• Key insight: Identified rationalization as both systemic and dangerous
Georg Simmel
• Era: Early 20th century
• View: Explored the concept of “otherness” in modern society while normalizing the stranger[1]
Shmuel Eisenstadt
• Era: Mid-20th century
• View: Celebrated progress while acknowledging modernity’s capacity for barbarity[1]
Talcott Parsons
• Era: Mid-20th century
• View: Praised American community while overlooking modernity’s fragmentations[1]
Jeffrey Alexander
• Era: Contemporary
• View: Argues that modernity’s contradictions should be accepted rather than resolved[1]
• Key insight: Civil inclusion and anti-civil exclusion are inherently intertwined
Zygmunt Bauman
• Era: Late 20th century
• View: Critiqued how consumption has dominated Western life, showing persistent pessimism about modernity[3]
The common thread among these theorists is their recognition of modernity’s Janus-faced character, simultaneously promising progress while bringing suffering[1].
Sources
[1] The Dark Side of Modernity – Yale Sociology https://sociology.yale.edu/publications/dark-side-modernity
[2] [PDF] the meaning of modernity – John Dwyer https://jdwyer.info.yorku.ca/files/2015/10/DWYER_MODERN_AGE_LECTURES.pdf
[3] [PDF] Bauman and contemporary sociology https://www.asau.ru/files/pdf/1632927.pdf
[4] The Dark Side of Modernity | Wiley https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Dark+Side+of+Modernity-p-9780745665061
[5] The Dark Side of Modernity Theme in Beyond Good and Evil https://www.litcharts.com/lit/beyond-good-and-evil/themes/the-dark-side-of-modernity
[6] [PDF] Kara Abdolmaleki – ERA – University of Alberta https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/b380ff3b-c1ca-45f3-a841-b7900ea06390/view/759baca4-a7ef-4cd2-b2d6-55e7344a071d/Abdolmaleki_Kara_201808_PhD.pdf
[7] The Dark Side of Modernity – Document – Gale Academic OneFile https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA451310124&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=0277335X&p=AONE&sw=w
[8] Beyond Good and Evil Quotes | Explanations with Page Numbers https://www.litcharts.com/lit/beyond-good-and-evil/quotes
[9] The Dark Side of Modernity by Jeffrey C. Alexander – Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16692081-the-dark-side-of-modernity
————————
Zygmunt Bauman’s critique of modernity centers on several key themes:
The Holocaust and Modernity
Modern rationality and bureaucratic efficiency enabled the Holocaust, not as a deviation from modernity but as its direct product[1]. The systematic categorization, procedural rationality, and division of labor – all hallmarks of modernity – facilitated this tragedy[1].
Liquid Modern Society
Bauman identifies a transition from “solid” to “liquid” modernity, characterized by:
Unstable Social Relations
• Relationships have become temporary and commodified
• Human bonds are reduced to transactional exchanges[6]
• Social connections lack permanence and depth[2]
Individual Identity Crisis
• People face constant mobility and change in relationships and identities
• There’s an emphasis on “lightness” and “weightlessness” in social life[2]
• Individuals bear the burden of confronting systemic contradictions alone[4]
Structural Problems
Loss of Community
• Modern society promotes individualization at the expense of solidarity
• People are forced into individualism without adequate resources for self-assertion[4]
• The capacity for authentic self-assertion falls short of what’s needed[4]
Critical Omissions
The theory has been criticized for:
• Insufficient engagement with racism and gender issues
• Eurocentric analysis of modernity
• Overlooking persistent inequalities[3]
Methodological Style
Bauman’s critique itself reflects liquid modernity:
• His writing is intentionally fluid and hard to pin down
• Ideas are fragmented and interconnected
• The style makes his arguments both transformative and difficult to challenge[7]
Sources
[1] Modernity and the Holocaust – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernity_and_the_Holocaust
[2] Is Bauman’s “liquid modernity” influencing the way we are doing … https://rupress.org/jgp/article/153/5/e202012803/211879/Is-Bauman-s-liquid-modernity-influencing-the-way
[3] Review: Ali Rattansi, ‘Bauman and Contemporary Sociology’ https://www.theoryculturesociety.org/blog/review-ali-rattansi-bauman-and-contemporary-sociology
[4] Sociological Theorists: Zygmunt Bauman – Graham Scambler https://www.grahamscambler.com/sociological-theorists-zygmunt-bauman/
[5] A Critique of Bauman on Individualization and Class in Liquid … https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-954X.2008.00774.x
[6] Liquid modernity and the paradox of declining female happiness https://doctored.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2017/10/06/liquid-modernity-and-the-paradox-of-declining-female-happiness/
[7] Liquid Modernity – discussion in first comment. : r/sociology – Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/sociology/comments/kfz38b/liquid_modernity_discussion_in_first_comment/
[8] A Critique of Bauman on Individualization and Class in Liquid … https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227892983_Not_all_that_was_Solid_has_Melted_into_Air_or_Liquid_A_Critique_of_Bauman_on_Individualization_and_Class_in_Liquid_Modernity
[9] Living in Liquid Modernity – Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/age-of-discovery/201801/living-in-liquid-modernity
[10] [PDF] Moral Blindness: The Loss of Sensitivity in Liquid Modernity is the https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/cjs/index.php/CJS/article/download/21972/16486/54981
[11] Modernity and Ambivalence. By Zygmunt Bauman. Ithaca, NY – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/2781447
[12] A Critique of Zygmunt Bauman’s Modernity and the Holocaust https://thesocietypages.org/holocaust-genocide/multiple-modernities-and-the-nazi-genocide-a-critique-of-zygmunt-baumans-modernity-and-the-holocaust/
[13] Full article: Bauman and Heller: Two Views of Modernity and Culture https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/25723618.2017.1339505
[14] Bauman and contemporary sociology: A critical analysis on JSTOR https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvnb7p1x
[15] Bauman, Liquid Modernity and Dilemmas of Development https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0725513605057137
[16] Zygmunt Bauman – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygmunt_Bauman
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Weber and Simmel offer distinct perspectives on modernity, though they share some common ground in analyzing its impact:
Weber’s Perspective
• Focuses on rationalization as the key feature of modernity
• Emphasizes the shift from traditional to rational thinking patterns
• Views bureaucracy and methodical procedures as defining characteristics
• Concerned with calculability, methodical behavior, and reflexivity[1]
• Traces modernity’s origins to religious changes, particularly the Protestant Reformation[1]
Simmel’s Perspective
• Centers on the psychological and cultural impacts of modern life
• Examines the relationship between individual autonomy and social forces
• Focuses on urban experience and its effects on human psychology[5]
• Analyzes the tension between objective and subjective culture[4]
• Studies specific modern phenomena like fashion, gender roles, and urbanization[4]
Key Differences
Analytical Approach
• Weber examines institutional and structural changes
• Simmel explores experiential and psychological dimensions
Core Concerns
• Weber worries about the “iron cage” of rationality
• Simmel focuses on the “tragedy of culture” and individual adaptation[4]
Social Impact
• Weber emphasizes organizational efficiency and bureaucratization
• Simmel stresses psychological adaptation to urban stimuli and social differentiation[5]
The contrast shows Weber’s macro-level analysis of systematic rationalization versus Simmel’s micro-level examination of modern life’s psychological and cultural dimensions.
Sources
[1] Max Weber & Modernity: Crash Course Sociology #9 https://nerdfighteria.info/v/69VF7mT4nRU/
[2] Max Weber’s Rationalization Theory: The Evolution of … – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0cT2OqvQsU
[3] [PDF] The Difference between Weber and Marx’s Modernity Thoughts … https://francis-press.com/uploads/papers/MaUVyNsKKt2E7fLoirj3CoDcQJ8eo4BBY53rWpzE.pdf
[4] Gregor Fitzi, The Challenge of Modernity. Simmel’s Sociological … https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/sst/2020-v24-n1-sst05830/1075243ar.pdf
[5] GEORG SIMMEL – THE PSYCHOLOGY OF URBANISM http://www.yorku.ca/lfoster/2006-07/sosi3830/lectures/GEORGSIMMEL_THESOCIALPSYCHOLOGYOF%20URBANISM.html
[6] Introduction: Georg Simmel – Timothy Quigley http://timothyquigley.net/vcs/simmel.html
[7] Max Weber’s Theory of Modernity: The Endless Pursuit of Meaning https://www.routledge.com/Max-Webers-Theory-of-Modernity-The-Endless-Pursuit-of-Meaning/Symonds/p/book/9780367598518
[8] Max Weber | Life, Theory & Rationalization – Lesson – Study.com https://study.com/academy/lesson/weber-and-formal-rationality-lesson-quiz.html
[9] Rationalization (sociology) – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalization_(sociology)
[10] Sociology 250 – Notes on Max Weber – University of Regina https://uregina.ca/~gingrich/o14f99.htm
[11] Max Weber’s Theory of Modernity: The Endless Pursuit of Meaning https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0094306117692573mm?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.2
[12] Max Weber – Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/weber/
[13] Max Weber: Readings And Commentary On Modernity – Wiley https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Max+Weber:+Readings+And+Commentary+On+Modernity-p-9780631214892
[14] Modernity, Meaning, and Cultural Pessimism in Max Weber – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/3711610
[15] Max Weber’s Theory of Modernity: The Endless Pursuit of Meaning https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0094306117692573mm?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.3
[16] CHAPTER 2 – The Weberian Theory of Rationalization and the … https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/50655_Chapter_2.pdf
[17] Max Weber & Modernity: Crash Course Sociology #9 – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69VF7mT4nRU
[18] [PDF] Max Weber’s Types of Rationality – Boston University https://www.bu.edu/sociology/files/2010/03/Weberstypes.pdf
[19] Video: Max Weber’s Beliefs on Modernity – Study.com https://study.com/academy/lesson/video/max-webers-analysis-of-modernity.html
[20] Max Weber, Rationality and Modernity – 1st Edition – Sam Whimster https://www.routledge.com/Max-Weber-Rationality-and-Modernity/Whimster-Lash/p/book/9780415489546
[21] Modernity, Meaning, and Cultural Pessimism in Max Weber https://academic.oup.com/socrel/article-pdf/44/4/267/4571134/44-4-267.pdf
[22] The Challenge of Modernity: Simmel’s Sociological Theory https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0094306119889962k?icid=int.sj-full-text.similar-articles.8
[23] 17.4A: Sociological Perspectives on Urban Life – Social Sci LibreTexts https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Sociology/Introduction_to_Sociology/Sociology_(Boundless)/17:_Population_and_Urbanization/17.04:_Urban_Life/17.4A:_Sociological_Perspectives_on_Urban_Life
[24] Georg Simmel – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Simmel
[25] 14.1.4: Urban Life – Social Sci LibreTexts https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Courses/Cosumnes_River_College/SOC_301:_Social_Problems_(Lugo)/14:_Cities_and_Suburbs/14.01:_Population_and_Urbanization/14.1.04:_Urban_Life
[26] [PDF] From Theory to Critique of Modernity The Development of Simmel’s … https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/modernlanguages/applying/undergraduate/germanmodules/ge211ps/resources/fuchs_s_-_from_theory_to_critique_of_modernity.pdf
[27] From Theory to Critique of Modernity The Development of Simmel’s … https://www.jstor.org/stable/40968948
[28] The Metropolis and Mental Life – Modernism Lab – Yale University https://campuspress.yale.edu/modernismlab/the-metropolis-and-mental-life/
[29] Georg Simmel’s Reflections on Modern Science and Technology – Brill https://brill.com/downloadpdf/journals/pgdt/4/1/article-p45_3.xml
[30] Notes on Georg Simmel https://uregina.ca/~gingrich/simmel.htm
[31] ‘The metropolis and the life of spirit’ by Georg Simmel – Sage Journals https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1468795X20980638
[32] [PDF] Georg Simmel’s “The Philosophy of Money” and the Modernization … https://polish-sociological-review.eu/pdf-119061-47825?filename=Georg+Simmel_s+The.pdf
[33] Space, Relation and Simmel’s Modernity – Yongxuan Fu, 2022 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00380385211047366
[34] How Georg Simmel diagnosed what makes city life distinctly modern https://aeon.co/essays/how-georg-simmel-diagnosed-what-makes-city-life-distinctly-modern
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Simmel’s concept of “the stranger” serves as a crucial metaphor for understanding modernity’s social dynamics:
Spatial and Social Position
The stranger occupies a unique position of simultaneous nearness and distance in modern society:
• Present in the group but not fully of it
• Close enough to interact but far enough to maintain objectivity
• Brings new elements to the group while remaining distinct
Characteristics of Modern Life
Urban Experience
• The stranger exemplifies metropolitan life’s psychological impact
• Represents the tension between distance and proximity in cities
• Demonstrates how modern life creates new forms of social relationships
Social Relations
• Embodies the modern individual’s struggle between autonomy and social forces
• Illustrates the paradox of being simultaneously connected and disconnected
• Shows how monetary economy creates objective relationships[1]
Role in Modern Society
Economic Function
• Often involved in trade activities
• Represents mobility and financial transactions
• Demonstrates how modern commerce creates new social positions[1]
Social Function
• Acts as arbitrator due to objective position
• Brings innovation and new perspectives to established groups
• Serves as a bridge between different social circles[3]
Contemporary Relevance
Modern Identity
• Reflects the individualization process in modern society
• Shows how modernity makes “strangers of us all”
• Demonstrates the transition from traditional to modern solidarity[3]
The concept remains particularly relevant today, as globalization and social media continue to reshape how we understand proximity, distance, and social relationships in modern life[6].
Sources
[1] The Stranger (essay) – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stranger_(essay)
[2] Notes on Georg Simmel https://uregina.ca/~gingrich/simmel.htm
[3] Georg Simmel: Explaining what Goes on in Society Today – Érudit https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/sst/2019-v23-n2-sst05827/1075213ar.pdf
[4] Space, Relation and Simmel’s Modernity – Yongxuan Fu, 2022 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00380385211047366
[5] How Georg Simmel diagnosed what makes city life distinctly modern https://aeon.co/essays/how-georg-simmel-diagnosed-what-makes-city-life-distinctly-modern
[6] Reading the stranger in the age of social media https://culturalpolicyjournal.wordpress.com/past-issues/issue-no-5/reading-the-stranger/
[7] Simmel’s ‘Stranger’: A Critique of the Concept – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/1388311
[8] Georg Simmel’s Concept of the Stranger and Intercultural … https://academic.oup.com/ct/article/9/1/58/4201777
[9] Georg Simmel’s “The Stranger”: examples of individuals who fill this … https://www.reddit.com/r/sociology/comments/2nzhmx/georg_simmels_the_stranger_examples_of/
[10] Simmel: The Stranger & “Group expansion and the development of … https://people.duke.edu/~jmoody77/TheoryNotes/Simmel_strangerIndividuality.htm
[11] Simmel’s stranger: in theory and in practice – TSpace https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/items/17c8662e-7220-4282-b75d-9326ef5102ef
[12] SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE STRANGER – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/41177870
[13] Distance, proximity and the representation of identity in domain … https://journals.openedition.org/asp/315?lang=en
[14] Georg Simmel, the Stranger and the Sociology of Knowledge https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07256868.2012.739136
[15] Simmel at a Distance – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/20831024
[16] The Stranger | Georg Simmel, translated by Ramona Mosse https://thebaffler.com/ancestors/stranger
[17] (PDF) The Stranger and Social Theory – ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249715910_The_Stranger_and_Social_Theory
————————
Simmel’s concept of the stranger has evolved significantly in contemporary sociological thought:
Classical Conception
Simmel’s original theory positioned the stranger as:
• A paradoxical figure who is simultaneously near and far
• Someone who comes today and stays tomorrow
• An objective observer due to their unique position[1]
• A trader or intermediary in pre-modern societies[3]
Contemporary Developments
Digital Age Transformation
The mediated stranger has emerged through social media and digital technologies, characterized by:
• Ambivalence and objectivity in online spaces
• New forms of mobility through virtual presence
• Coexistence of belonging and exclusion in digital communities[4]
Multicultural Context
Modern interpretations emphasize:
• The stranger’s role in global migration and refugee dynamics
• Cross-cultural interactions in increasingly diverse societies
• Identity politics and cultural hybridity[8]
Theoretical Extensions
Bauman’s Perspective
• Links the stranger to liquid modernity
• Emphasizes consumer society’s impact on social relations
• Connects the concept to modern anxieties and fears[5]
Cybernetic Evolution
• The emergence of the “cyborg stranger”
• New forms of technological mediation
• Virtual communities and digital identity formation[4]
Contemporary Applications
Modern sociology uses the concept to understand:
• Immigration and refugee experiences
• Digital social networks
• Cross-cultural communication
• Identity formation in globalized contexts[8]
The concept has maintained its relevance while adapting to new social conditions and technological developments, demonstrating its continued utility in understanding modern social relations.
Sources
[1] The Stranger (essay) – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stranger_(essay)
[2] Simmel’s Stranger vs. DuBois’ Double Consciousness – StudyCorgi https://studycorgi.com/simmels-stranger-vs-dubois-double-consciousness/
[3] The Stranger – Simmel https://home.uevora.pt/~eje/stranger.html
[4] Reading the stranger in the age of social media https://culturalpolicyjournal.wordpress.com/past-issues/issue-no-5/reading-the-stranger/
[5] The Sociological Significance of ‘The Stranger’ – Posen Library https://www.posenlibrary.com/entry/sociological-significance-stranger
[6] A Revisit to Georg Simmel’s Stranger Theory https://www.society.shu.edu.cn/EN/Y2023/V43/I6/125
[7] Georg Simmel, Strangeness, and the Stranger – Postcolonial Web https://www.postcolonialweb.org/australia/malouf/jh2.html
[8] Theories of the Stranger: Debates on Cosmopolitanism, Identity and … https://www.routledge.com/Theories-of-the-Stranger-Debates-on-Cosmopolitanism-Identity-and-Cross-Cultural-Encounters/Marotta/p/book/9780367596071
[9] The Stranger | Georg Simmel, translated by Ramona Mosse https://thebaffler.com/ancestors/stranger
[10] The social in social science: 4.2 The perspective of the stranger https://www.open.edu/openlearn/society-politics-law/sociology/the-social-social-science/content-section-4.2
[11] Simmel’s stranger: in theory and in practice – TSpace https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/items/17c8662e-7220-4282-b75d-9326ef5102ef
[12] Explaining Georg Simmel’s “The Stranger” in Five Minute Sociology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDmOLQLg4To
[13] The Stranger as a Social Type (1908) -Georg Simmel – Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/sociology/comments/2nbthg/the_stranger_as_a_social_type_1908_georg_simmel/
[14] Distance, proximity and the representation of identity in domain … https://journals.openedition.org/asp/315?lang=en
[15] Simmel: The Stranger & “Group expansion and the development of … https://people.duke.edu/~jmoody77/TheoryNotes/Simmel_strangerIndividuality.htm
[16] Georg Simmel, the Stranger and the Sociology of Knowledge https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07256868.2012.739136
[17] Simmel’s ‘Stranger’: A Critique of the Concept – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/1388311
[18] Georg Simmel’s Concept of the Stranger and Intercultural … https://academic.oup.com/ct/article/9/1/58/4201777
[19] [PDF] Rethinking concepts of the strange and the stranger https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3004173/1/rethinking%20concepts%20of%20the%20strange%20and%20the%20stranger%20FINAL%20ACCEPTED.pdf
[20] (PDF) Georg Simmel, the Stranger and the Sociology of Knowledge https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271822314_Georg_Simmel_the_Stranger_and_the_Sociology_of_Knowledge
[21] [PDF] The Future of the Stranger (final-revised) – Roskilde University https://forskning.ruc.dk/files/76937586/The_Future_of_the_Stranger_final_revised_.pdf
[22] WHAT IT MEANS TO BECOME A STRANGER – Brill https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789087904623/BP000003.pdf
[23] (PDF) The Stranger and Social Theory – ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249715910_The_Stranger_and_Social_Theory
[24] SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE STRANGER – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/41177870
[25] the sociological concept of the stranger and its methodological use … https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366504124_THE_SOCIOLOGICAL_CONCEPT_OF_THE_STRANGER_AND_ITS_METHODOLOGICAL_USE_IN_LITERATURE
[26] The Stranger – on the Sociology of the Indifference – Rudolf Stichweh … https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0725513697051000002
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Here are the most significant quotes from Jeffrey Alexander about modernity’s dual nature:
On Modernity’s Character
“The idea of modernity embodies the Enlightenment’s noble hopes for progress and rationality, but its reality brings great suffering and exposes the destructive impulses that continue to motivate humankind”[1].
On Social Theory’s Role
“Rather than seeking to resolve modernity’s contradictions, social theory should accept its Janus-faced character”[1].
On Modern Society’s Illusions
“It is a dangerous delusion to think that modernity can eliminate evil. Civil inclusion and anti-civil exclusion are intertwined”[1].
On Social Complexity
“When society becomes more complex, culture more critical, and authority less ascriptive, rather than responding to authoritative commands and prescriptions, social processes become more contingent, more subject to conflict and argumentation”[7].
These quotes reflect Alexander’s nuanced understanding of modernity as simultaneously promising progress while harboring destructive potential, emphasizing the need to acknowledge both aspects rather than attempting to resolve this fundamental tension.
Sources
[1] The Dark Side of Modernity – The Times Bookshop https://timesbookshop.co.uk/the-dark-side-of-modernity-9780745648224/
[2] The Dark Side of Modernity – Document – Gale Academic OneFile https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA451310124&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=0277335X&p=AONE&sw=w
[3] The Dark Side of Modernity by Jeffrey C. Alexander – Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16692081-the-dark-side-of-modernity
[4] [PDF] JEFFREY ALEXANDER AND THE CULTURAL TURN IN SOCIAL … https://is.muni.cz/el/1423/jaro2007/SOC406/um/Jeffrey_Alexander_and_the_Cultural_Turn_in_Social_Theory.pdf
[5] [PDF] The sociology of the sacred: A conversation with Jeffrey Alexander https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2013_Culture%20and%20Religion%20(Lynch%20and%20Sheldon)%20published%20version%20(2).pdf
[6] Jeffrey C. Alexander – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_C._Alexander
[7] [PDF] Quotation, Rhetoric, and the Performance of Politics https://publications.aston.ac.uk/id/eprint/37399/1/Quotations_paper_FINAL_SUBMISSION_June_2014.pdf
[8] Jeffrey Alexander on Weber and Democracy: A Critical Note – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/24579570
[9] How the Holocaust Became Traumatic, Alexander – Traumatheory https://traumatheory.com/how-holocaust-became-traumatic/
[10] [PDF] The Dark Side of Modernity: Tension Relief, Splitting, and Grace. https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2005_The%20Dark%20Side%20of%20Modernity.pdf
[11] Is Civil Society the Good Society? | Prof Jeffrey Alexander – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82XgLHkctcc
[12] Jeffrey C. Alexander Quotes – Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/154443.Jeffrey_C_Alexander
[13] The Dark Side of Modernity | Wiley https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/The+Dark+Side+of+Modernity-p-x000624431
[14] Jeffrey Alexander on Weber and Democracy: A Critical Note https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287460655_Jeffrey_Alexander_on_Weber_and_Democracy_A_Critical_Note
[15] The book “Dark Side of Modernity” – Bankwatch https://bankwatch.ca/2025/02/17/the-book-dark-side-of-modernity/
[16] [PDF] Social Theory and the Dream of Reason in the Twentieth Century. https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/1990_alexander_drmreason.pdf
[17] A Global Civil Sphere Does Not Exist with Jeffrey Alexander – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhstrXUSZBg
[18] (PDF) The Dark Side of Modernity by Jeffrey C. Alexander. Cambridge https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261411195_The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity_by_Jeffrey_C_Alexander_Cambridge_Polity_Press_2013_187pp_1599_ISBN_978_0_7456_4822_4
[19] [PDF] Critical Reflections on “Reflexive Modernization” https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/1996_alexander_reflexmod.pdf
[20] Yale’s Jeffrey Alexander on how today’s crises might shape tomorrow https://news.yale.edu/2020/06/10/yales-jeffrey-alexander-how-todays-crises-might-shape-tomorrow
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Alexander defines modernity through multiple interconnected dimensions:
Historical and Social Dimensions
Modernity represents both a historical time period and a social condition, characterized by post-traditional structures and relationships[1].
Ideological Framework
Modernity embodies dual aspects:
• The Enlightenment’s aspirations for progress and rationality
• The reality of human suffering and destructive impulses[1]
Janus-Faced Character
Alexander emphasizes modernity’s inherently contradictory nature:
• Simultaneously looks backward and forward
• Contains both noble hopes and destructive potential
• Combines civil inclusion with anti-civil exclusion[1]
Structural Elements
The modern condition includes:
• Post-traditional social arrangements
• Complex cultural systems
• Contingent social processes
• Increased conflict and argumentation[2]
Rather than attempting to resolve these contradictions, Alexander argues that we must accept modernity’s fundamentally dual nature. He sees this duality not as a flaw to be corrected but as an essential characteristic of the modern condition[1].
Sources
[1] The Dark Side of Modernity | Wiley https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Dark+Side+of+Modernity-p-9780745665061
[2] The Dark Side of Modernity – Economic Sociology & Political Economy https://economicsociology.org/2025/01/04/the-dark-side-of-modernity/
[3] The Dark Side of Modernity – Wonderbuuk https://www.wonderbuuk.com/view-details/eyJpdiI6IlowMTF5OVJ5Ulg2Mm9MbGlPR24yZXc9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiaHN1Rk5QK0lBWUNtS2dZS2tUb3VtQT09IiwibWFjIjoiZTFlNjJlYWJmZTVjZmM2NTI0ZWViNjU1MDU1YTg4MWMzMWZmOTk0NWMzMjMwOGVkNzZhYWU2MzRkODViMmJmOCIsInRhZyI6IiJ9
[4] The Dark Side of Modernity – Jeffrey C. Alexander – Google Books https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity.html?id=iov5Tkv39ccC
[5] The Dark Side of Modernity by Jeffrey C. Alexander – Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16692081-the-dark-side-of-modernity
[6] (PDF) The Dark Side of Modernity by Jeffrey C. Alexander. Cambridge https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261411195_The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity_by_Jeffrey_C_Alexander_Cambridge_Polity_Press_2013_187pp_1599_ISBN_978_0_7456_4822_4
[7] Book Review: The Dark Side of Modernity. by Jeffrey C. Alexander. https://www.academia.edu/9097023/Book_Review_The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity_by_Jeffrey_C_Alexander
[8] The Dark Side of Modernity – Jeffrey C. Alexander – PhilPapers https://philpapers.org/rec/ALETDS
[9] Dark Side of Modernity, by Jeffrey C. Alexander | Tertulia https://tertulia.com/book/dark-side-of-modernity-jeffrey-c-alexander/9780745648224
[10] [PDF] Social Theory and the Dream of Reason in the Twentieth Century. https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/1990_alexander_drmreason.pdf
[11] Book Review: Political Theory: The Dark Side of Modernity https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1111/1478-9302.12053
[12] [PDF] The Dark Side of Modernity. By Jeffrey C. Alexander. Cambridge http://www.rossjournal.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/RoSS-Vol1-No1-Uysal-156-157.pdf
[13] Jeffrey C. Alexander – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_C._Alexander
[14] The Dark Side of Modernity – Document – Gale Academic OneFile https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA451310124&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=0277335X&p=AONE&sw=w
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Alexander points to several key historical events to demonstrate modernity’s dark aspects:
The Holocaust
• Not immediately interpreted as universal evil
• Required a process of cultural narration to be understood as deeply traumatic
• Demonstrates how modern bureaucratic rationality enabled systematic destruction[8]
Watergate Scandal
• Initially perceived as a minor incident
• Transformed through cultural processes into a major scandal
• Shows how modern events become culturally constructed as traumatic[8]
Egyptian Revolution
• Illustrates modernity’s capacity for both destruction and renewal
• Demonstrates how binary structures in modern society can lead to dramatic social change
• Shows how modern media and protest movements shape historical narratives[8]
Modern Social Structures
Alexander emphasizes that these events reveal modernity’s dual nature:
• Rational bureaucracy enables both progress and destruction
• Modern institutions simultaneously create inclusion and exclusion
• Cultural trauma emerges through collective interpretation rather than inherent properties[1]
The analysis of these events supports Alexander’s central argument that modernity’s dark side is not an aberration but an inherent feature of modern social systems[1].
Sources
[1] The Dark Side of Modernity | Wiley https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Dark+Side+of+Modernity-p-x000624431
[2] [PDF] The Dark Side of Modernity. By Jeffrey C. Alexander. Cambridge http://www.rossjournal.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/RoSS-Vol1-No1-Uysal-156-157.pdf
[3] Power (Chapter 4) – Transitional Justice and the Historical Abuses of … https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/transitional-justice-and-the-historical-abuses-of-church-and-state/power/C3941415D92C83D147B6526619AF845C
[4] The Dark Side of Modernity – Yale Sociology https://sociology.yale.edu/publications/dark-side-modernity
[5] The Dark Side of Modernity – Document – Gale Academic OneFile https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA451310124&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=0277335X&p=AONE&sw=w
[6] The Dark Side of Modernity – Economic Sociology & Political Economy https://economicsociology.org/2025/01/04/the-dark-side-of-modernity/
[7] (PDF) Book Review: “The Dark Side of Modernity” – Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/19837766/Book_Review_The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity_
[8] Jeffrey C. Alexander – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_C._Alexander
[9] [PDF] Social Theory and the Dream of Reason in the Twentieth Century. https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/1990_alexander_drmreason.pdf
[10] [PDF] Toward a Sociology of Evil https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2001_socevil.pdf
[11] (PDF) The Dark Side of Modernity by Jeffrey C. Alexander. Cambridge https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261411195_The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity_by_Jeffrey_C_Alexander_Cambridge_Polity_Press_2013_187pp_1599_ISBN_978_0_7456_4822_4
[12] The Sixties and Me: From Cultural Revolution to Cultural Theory http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0185-19182018000300099
[13] Jeffrey C Alexander, The Dark Side of Modernity, 2014 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0267323114539432c
[14] Book Review: Political Theory: The Dark Side of Modernity https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1111/1478-9302.12053
[15] Passionate politics – Project MUSE – Johns Hopkins University https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/300/edited_volume/chapter/4069455
[16] [PDF] The Dark Side of Modernity: Tension Relief, Splitting, and Grace. https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2005_The%20Dark%20Side%20of%20Modernity.pdf
[17] Honor killing as a dark side of modernity: Prevalence, common … https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0539018421994777
[18] Jeffrey C Alexander, The Dark Side of Modernity – Sage Journals https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0267323114539432c?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.8
[19] Five minutes with Jeffrey C. Alexander: “Southern European … https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2013/04/23/five-minutes-with-jeffrey-c-alexander-europe-dark-side-of-modernity/
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Based on Alexander’s critiques, here are the key issues he identifies with postmodernism:
Theoretical Shortcomings
Ahistorical Approach
• Lacks proper historical understanding of cultural processes
• Presents inadequate institutional frameworks
• Fails to recognize historical continuities
Binary Thinking
• Offers overly simplistic binary critiques of modernity
• Rejects modernity entirely rather than seeking improvements
• “Throws the modernist baby out with the bathwater”[5]
Methodological Problems
Cultural Analysis
• Shows superficial understanding of cultural processes
• Fails to properly analyze institutional frameworks
• Lacks nuanced appreciation of modern systems
Alternative Approach
Alexander argues instead for:
• Accepting modernity’s Janus-faced character
• Recognizing both progress and destructive elements
• Working to ameliorate modernity’s problems from within
• Addressing specific issues like hierarchy, nationalism, and othering through modern frameworks themselves[5]
Rather than rejecting modernity outright as postmodernists do, Alexander advocates for understanding and improving modern systems while acknowledging their inherent contradictions[3].
Sources
[1] [PDF] Performing Cultural Sociology: A Conversation with Jeffrey Alexander. https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2008_Performing%20Cultural%20Sociology_EJST.pdf
[2] Jeffrey C. Alexander – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_C._Alexander
[3] The Dark Side of Modernity | Wiley https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Dark+Side+of+Modernity-p-x000624431
[4] [PDF] Beyond binary thinking: Making sense of modernity as a historical … https://scielo.org.za/pdf/pins/n48/05.pdf
[5] [PDF] The Dark Side of Modernity. By Jeffrey C. Alexander. Cambridge http://www.rossjournal.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/RoSS-Vol1-No1-Uysal-156-157.pdf
[6] Jeffrey C. Alexander, Fin de Siècle Social Theory – PhilPapers https://philpapers.org/rec/ALEFDS
[7] Book Review: Jeffrey Alexander and Cultural Sociology | thesis eleven https://thesiseleven.com/2023/09/27/book-review-jeffrey-alexander-and-cultural-sociology/
[8] Modern, Anti, Post, and Neo: How Social Theories Have Tried to … https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/zfsoz-1994-0301/html?lang=en
[9] A Critique of Alexander’s ‘Strong Program’ in Cultural Sociology https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0725513604046958
[10] Postmodernism and Mainstream Sociological Practice – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/2580624
[11] A review of Jeffrey Alexander’s The dark side of modernity https://progressivegeographies.com/2013/06/12/a-review-of-jeffrey-alexanders-the-dark-side-of-modernity/
[12] Knowledge, Power and the Self – From Modernity to Postmodernity … https://sk.sagepub.com/book/mono/modernity-and-postmodernity/chpt/from-modernity-postmodernity-postdialectics-the-aestheticization
[13] 4 The American Debate on “Postmodernism” – De Gruyter https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9780791478363-006/html?lang=en
[14] Postmodernism One Last Time: A Comment on Seidman et al. – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/201963
[15] What is the difference between modernity and post modernity? https://www.reddit.com/r/askphilosophy/comments/1fed3pb/what_is_the_difference_between_modernity_and_post/
[16] Critical Reflections on `Reflexive Modernization – Sage Journals https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0263276496013004009
[17] Postmodern Anxiety: The Politics of Epistemology – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/202079
[18] Modernity and Postmodernity: Knowledge, Power and the Self https://sk.sagepub.com/book/mono/download/modernity-and-postmodernity/chpt/further-reflections-constructivism-beyond-postmodernity.pdf
[19] A Critique of Alexander’s ‘Strong Program’ in Cultural Sociology https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240706375_Rationalizing_Musicality_A_Critique_of_Alexander’s_’Strong_Program’_in_Cultural_Sociology
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Alexander’s understanding of modernity’s Janus-faced nature directly shapes his approach to social improvement:
Dual Nature Recognition
Alexander argues that accepting modernity’s contradictory character is essential rather than trying to resolve its tensions[1]. This recognition leads to more realistic approaches for social improvement that work within modernity’s constraints rather than attempting to eliminate them.
Social Amelioration Framework
Accepting Contradictions
• Acknowledges that good and evil are tensely intertwined in modern culture
• Recognizes that eliminating evil is a dangerous delusion
• Understands that new dangers emerge alongside new forms of good[1]
Forward-Looking Approach
Alexander advocates for:
• Theorizing dangerous frictions while developing paths for improvement
• Looking both backward and forward simultaneously
• Creating emotional repair mechanisms within modern frameworks[4]
Practical Implications
Rather than seeking utopian solutions, Alexander’s approach suggests:
• Working within existing modern structures while acknowledging their limitations
• Developing targeted interventions that address specific social problems
• Understanding that any solution will carry both positive and negative consequences[1]
The Janus-faced perspective thus leads to a more nuanced and practical approach to social improvement, one that accepts modernity’s inherent contradictions while still working toward positive change.
Sources
[1] The Dark Side of Modernity – Economic Sociology & Political Economy https://economicsociology.org/2025/01/04/the-dark-side-of-modernity/
[2] [PDF] Social Sustainability and Alexander’s Living Structure Through a … https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/download/6841/3356
[3] Jeffrey C Alexander – Yale University – Academia.edu https://yale.academia.edu/JeffreyAlexander
[4] The Dark Side of Modernity – Yale Sociology https://sociology.yale.edu/publications/dark-side-modernity
[5] [PDF] Introduction: Toward a “Post-Alexandrian” Agenda – Cogitatio Press https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/download/7375/3378
[6] [PDF] Self-criticism in Public Discourse A Device of Modernization? The … https://files.iwm.at/jvfc/34_6_Nowicka.pdf
[7] [PDF] Social Theory and the Dream of Reason in the Twentieth Century. https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/1990_alexander_drmreason.pdf
[8] [PDF] Modernity and Architecture – PhilArchive https://philarchive.org/archive/XHEMAA
[9] The Dark Side of Modernity / Edition 1 – Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dark-side-of-modernity-jeffrey-c-alexander/1124374695
[10] [PDF] Fin De Siecle Social Theory Relativism Reduction And The Problem … https://listserv.hlth.gov.bc.ca/fill-and-sign-pdf-form/uploaded-files/filedownload.ashx/Fin_De_Siecle_Social_Theory_Relativism_Reduction_And_The_Problem_Of_Reason.pdf
[11] Social Change and Modernity “d0e9969” https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft6000078s%3Bchunk.id%3Dd0e9969%3Bdoc.view%3Dprint
[12] part three modernity and general structural and cultural change https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft6000078s&chunk.id=d0e5352&brand=ucpress
[13] “It is a dangerous delusion to think #modernity can eliminate evil … https://www.instagram.com/econsociology/p/DEYhqrXITNo/
[14] Forget Modernity? Remarks on Difference, Social Theory … – Cairn https://shs.cairn.info/revue-internationale-de-philosophie-2017-3-page-331?lang=fr
[15] Benefit from these great academic opportunities: 31 … – Instagram https://www.instagram.com/econsociology/p/DEouIadsUng/
[16] Book Review: The Dark Side of Modernity. by Jeffrey C. Alexander. https://www.academia.edu/9097023/Book_Review_The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity_by_Jeffrey_C_Alexander
[17] [PDF] Because Young People Matter: Report of the Residential Services … https://files.ontario.ca/mccss-because-young-people-matter-report-of-the-residential-services-2016-en-2022-02-14.pdf
[18] [PDF] Strange Dwellings: Inhabiting American Literary Modernism https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/bitstreams/0c8638b0-5a42-45e7-827c-8bc30a698d6a/download
[19] Jeffrey C. Alexander – The Dark Side of Modernity (Bok) Pocket https://www.platekompaniet.no/jeffrey-c-alexander-the-dark-side-of-modernity-bok-pocket
[20] [PDF] The Dark Side of Modernity – Toward an Anthropology of Genocide http://ewa.home.amu.edu.pl/Hinton,%20The%20Dark%20side%20of%20modernity.pdf
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Alexander proposes a nuanced approach to addressing modernity’s dangerous frictions:
Theoretical Framework
Rather than trying to eliminate modernity’s contradictions, Alexander advocates for:
• Accepting the Janus-faced nature of modernity
• Understanding that good and evil are tensely intertwined[1]
• Recognizing that eliminating evil entirely is a dangerous delusion[4]
Practical Approaches
Social Amelioration
• Developing new lines of emotional repair within existing structures[1]
• Working toward civil inclusion while acknowledging its connection to exclusion
• Creating mechanisms for addressing specific social problems
Cultural Reconstruction
• Using cultural performance to address social issues
• Developing narratives that acknowledge both progress and potential dangers
• Employing civil repair mechanisms to address societal fractures
Forward-Looking Strategy
Alexander emphasizes:
• The need to look both backward and forward simultaneously[4]
• Understanding that new forms of good will face new kinds of dangers
• Working within modernity’s framework rather than trying to escape it
The key to Alexander’s approach is accepting modernity’s contradictions while still working toward positive change through cultural and social mechanisms, rather than seeking utopian solutions that deny modernity’s inherent tensions[1].
Sources
[1] The Dark Side of Modernity – Yale Sociology https://sociology.yale.edu/publications/dark-side-modernity
[2] Jeffrey C Alexander – Yale University – Academia.edu https://yale.academia.edu/JeffreyAlexander
[3] [PDF] The sociology of the sacred: A conversation with Jeffrey Alexander https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2013_Culture%20and%20Religion%20(Lynch%20and%20Sheldon)%20published%20version%20(2).pdf
[4] The Dark Side of Modernity – Economic Sociology & Political Economy https://economicsociology.org/2025/01/04/the-dark-side-of-modernity/
[5] [PDF] An interview with Jeffrey C. Alexander – Sociologisk Forskning https://sociologiskforskning.se/sf/article/view/21974/19758
[6] [PDF] Beyond binary thinking: Making sense of modernity as a historical … https://scielo.org.za/pdf/pins/n48/05.pdf
[7] [PDF] The Dark Side of Modernity: Tension Relief, Splitting, and Grace. https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2005_The%20Dark%20Side%20of%20Modernity.pdf
[8] Social Change and Modernity – UC Press E-Books Collection https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft6000078s%3Bquery%3DJerusalem%3Bbrand%3Ducpress
[9] Read Questions Of Modernity Contradictions Of Modernity _ Eddie … https://mrcleaningsupplies.co.uk/+z/book/link?EBOOK=questions+of+modernity+contradictions+of+modernity.pdf
[10] The Dark Side of Modernity | Wiley https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/The+Dark+Side+of+Modernity-p-x000624431
[11] “It is a dangerous delusion to think #modernity can eliminate evil … https://www.instagram.com/econsociology/p/DEYhqrXITNo/
[12] [PDF] Questions Of Modernity Contradictions Of Modernity – Cired http://www2.centre-cired.fr/21239664/account/need/succeed/questions+of+modernity+contradictions+of+modernity.pdf
[13] [PDF] Questions Of Modernity Contradictions Of Modernity – Cired http://www2.centre-cired.fr/13205378/notice/pay/introduce/questions+of+modernity+contradictions+of+modernity.pdf
[14] Jeffrey C. ALEXANDER, What Makes a Social Crisis? The … https://journals.openedition.org/irpp/2310
[15] (PDF) The Dark Side of Modernity by Jeffrey C. Alexander. Cambridge https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261411195_The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity_by_Jeffrey_C_Alexander_Cambridge_Polity_Press_2013_187pp_1599_ISBN_978_0_7456_4822_4
[16] [PDF] Spring Summer 2014 Newsletter A4 – Center for Cultural Sociology https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2014_Darkside.pdf
[17] The Dark Side of Modernity eBook by Jeffrey C. Alexander – EPUB … https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/the-dark-side-of-modernity
[18] The Dark Side of Modernity – Jeffrey C. Alexander – PhilPapers https://philpapers.org/rec/ALETDS
[19] Beyond binary thinking: Making sense of modernity as a historical … https://www.academia.edu/69317291/Beyond_binary_thinking_Making_sense_of_modernity_as_a_historical_phenomenon
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Alexander’s view of modernity’s Janus-faced nature directly shapes his perspective on social justice in several key ways:
Dual Nature of Justice Movements
All political movements for justice inherently contain contradictions:
• Movements for autonomy can become insular and chauvinistic
• Linguistic assertion can turn nativistic
• Demands for freedom can undermine fraternal bonding[1]
Social Justice Framework
Recognition of Contradictions
• Justice and injustice are intertwined in modern societies
• Civil inclusion necessarily creates forms of exclusion
• Progress toward justice brings new forms of potential harm[3]
Practical Approach
Alexander advocates for:
• Working within existing modern structures rather than trying to escape them
• Accepting that perfect justice is impossible while still pursuing improvements
• Developing specific mechanisms for emotional and social repair[2]
Forward-Looking Strategy
Rather than seeking utopian solutions, Alexander suggests:
• Acknowledging both progress and potential dangers in justice movements
• Creating concrete mechanisms for addressing specific injustices
• Understanding that new forms of justice will face new kinds of challenges[3]
The key insight is that accepting modernity’s contradictory nature leads to more realistic and effective approaches to social justice, rather than pursuing impossible ideals of perfect justice that deny modernity’s inherent tensions.
Sources
[1] Passionate politics – Project MUSE – Johns Hopkins University https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/300/edited_volume/chapter/4069455
[2] The Dark Side of Modernity – Yale Sociology https://sociology.yale.edu/publications/dark-side-modernity
[3] The Dark Side of Modernity – Economic Sociology & Political Economy https://economicsociology.org/2025/01/04/the-dark-side-of-modernity/
[4] The Dark Side of Modernity | Wiley https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Dark+Side+of+Modernity-p-x000624431
[5] [PDF] The Dark Side of Modernity – Toward an Anthropology of Genocide https://ewa.home.amu.edu.pl/Hinton,%20The%20Dark%20side%20of%20modernity.pdf
[6] Jeffrey C Alexander – Yale University – Academia.edu https://yale.academia.edu/JeffreyAlexander
[7] The Dark Side of Modernity – Document – Gale Academic OneFile https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA451310124&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=0277335X&p=AONE&sw=w
[8] From Author to Network: The Coming of Age of Civil Sphere Theory https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17499755221140236
[9] DOWNLOAD Free PDF The Dark Side of Modernity BY Jeffrey C … https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/69769561/download-free-pdf-the-dark-side-of-modernity-by-jeffrey-c-alexander
[10] (PDF) The Dark Side of Modernity by Jeffrey C. Alexander. Cambridge https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261411195_The_Dark_Side_of_Modernity_by_Jeffrey_C_Alexander_Cambridge_Polity_Press_2013_187pp_1599_ISBN_978_0_7456_4822_4
[11] The Civil Sphere in Canada – UBC Press https://www.ubcpress.ca/the-civil-sphere-in-canada
[12] Social Change and Modernity – UC Press E-Books Collection https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft6000078s%3Bdoc.view%3Dprint
[13] From Author to Network: The Coming of Age of Civil Sphere Theory https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/17499755221140236?download=true
[14] Reflections on Alexander Rawls’s Desert-Inclusive Justice – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/48647378
[15] Alexander, Jeffrey C. – OpenTrolley Bookstore Indonesia https://opentrolley.co.id/author/alexander-jeffrey-c-
[16] [PDF] Questions Of Modernity Contradictions Of Modernity – Cired http://www2.centre-cired.fr/13205378/notice/pay/introduce/questions+of+modernity+contradictions+of+modernity.pdf
[17] [PDF] Toward a Sociology of Evil https://ccs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Alexander%20Articles/2001_socevil.pdf
[18] “It is a dangerous delusion to think #modernity can eliminate evil … https://www.instagram.com/econsociology/p/DEYhqrXITNo/
[19] (Open Access) The Dark Side of Modernity (2013) – SciSpace https://typeset.io/papers/the-dark-side-of-modernity-q2rt95kvt9
[20] The Dark Side of Modernity – Jeffrey C. Alexander – PhilPapers https://philpapers.org/rec/ALETDS
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