The Logic of Compressed Modernity

Winner of the 24th Korean Sociological Association Book Award

Most theories of modernity are based, explicitly or implicitly, on the development of Western societies since the late medieval period, but these theories are of limited value for understanding the development of societies in Asia and other parts of the world, where the process of modernization took place under different circumstances and often in a rapid and highly compressed fashion – not over centuries but in decades. Asian societies have been propelled into modernity too, but theirs is a compressed modernity, which displays very different traits.

In this important book, Chang Kyung-Sup provides a systematic account of this compressed modernity and uses it to analyse the extreme social changes, complexities and imbalances found in South Korea and other East Asian societies. While these changes enabled South Korea to modernize very quickly and achieve high levels of economic growth, they also created a society that is haunted by various developmental and civilizational costs, such as endemic generational conflicts, overloaded family responsibilities and exceptionally high suicide rates. As with other societies that have experienced compressed modernity, the South Korean “miracle” is replete with extreme and contradictory social traits.

This pioneering work of the nature and consequences of compressed modernity will be of great interest to students and scholars of sociology, politics and development studies, as well as anyone interested in South Korea, Asia and postcolonial societies.

List of Figures, Tables and Illustrations

Preface

Part I. Compressed Modernity in Perspective

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Compressed Modernity: Constitutive Dimensions and Manifesting Units

Chapter 3. Compressed Modernity in the Universalist Perspective

Part II. Structural Properties of Compressed Modernity

Chapter 4. Internal Multiple Modernities: South Korea as Multiplex Theater Society

Chapter 5. Transformative Contributory Rights: Citizen(ship) in Compressed Modernity

Chapter 6. Complex-Culturalism vs. Multiculturalism

Chapter 7. Productive Maximization, Reproductive Meltdown

Chapter 8. Social Institutional Deficits and Infrastructural Familialism

Chapter 9. The Demographic Configuration of Compressed Modernity

Part III. After Compressed Modernity

Chapter 10. The Post-Compressed Modern Condition

Notes

References

Index

“An original and fascinating work by a distinguished and globally versed Korean sociologist, critically reflecting on the societies of the multi-faceted ‘compressed modernity’ coming out of the extraordinary rise and transformation of South Korea and of East Asia.”
Göran Therborn, University of Cambridge

“An important view from the dynamic East Asia, this book is an excellent presentation of compressed modernity theory as a surpassing of classical modernization theory. A must-read for scholars of development and of South Korea and Asia in general.”
Paget Henry, Brown University

“The Logic of Compressed Modernity provides a stimulating discussion of the particularly relevant historical case of South Korea, from which Chang articulates key principles that help explain the past and orient the possible futures of “compressed” societies. I recommend brushing up on South Korea history first so that you are prepared to appreciate Chang’s eloquent theorizing from this case: the theoretical payoff is well worth it.”
Social Forces

“An original and fascinating work by a distinguished and globally versed Korean sociologist, critically reflecting on the societies of the multi-faceted ‘compressed modernity’ coming out of the extraordinary rise and transformation of South Korea and of East Asia.”
Göran Therborn, University of Cambridge

“An important view from the dynamic East Asia, this book is an excellent presentation of compressed modernity theory as a surpassing of classical modernization theory. A must-read for scholars of development and of South Korea and Asia in general.”
Paget Henry, Brown University

“The Logic of Compressed Modernity provides a stimulating discussion of the particularly relevant historical case of South Korea, from which Chang articulates key principles that help explain the past and orient the possible futures of “compressed” societies. I recommend brushing up on South Korea history first so that you are prepared to appreciate Chang’s eloquent theorizing from this case: the theoretical payoff is well worth it.”
Social Forces

“The Logic of Compressed Modernity is a culmination of Chang’s arduous effort since the last three decades to understand the phenomena of social, cultural, political and economic changes in South Korean society as seen through the lens of compressed modernity…The book will definitely be useful for anyone who wishes to understand contemporary South Korean society but also to the students and teachers of social sciences who wish to make sense of complexity of lived experiences of modernity in non-Western societies.”
Millennial Asia

Chang Kyung-Sup is a Professor of Sociology at Seoul National University.