An Explorative Study Of Scott Lash's Reflexive Modernization Theory

In the late 1980s and the early 1990s,the theory of reflexive modernization had been raised and had a certain impact in the Western social theoretical circles.Specifically,the theory of reflexive modernization was first proposed and illustrated by several influential writings published by Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens during this period.Its background is that the western developed industrial society has entered the "late capitalist society" or"post-industrial society",and its theoretical background is the situation of modernity and post-modernity.Therefore,the reflexive modernization theory is nothing less than two intentions or significance:one is trying to make a more convincing diagnosis about contemporary society,which is so-called "times diagnosis";the second is the intention of the debate between modernity and postmodernity to open up "The Third Way".The work of Beck and Giddens in this field has aroused extensive response in the academic circles,among which Scott Lash,an English scholar,is an important person who actively responds to and actively participates in constructing the theory of reflexive modernization.Lash has affirmed the creative work of Beck and Giddens,but at the same time pointed out the deficiency or omission in their theory,and elucidated his own different understandings in the framework of reflexive modernization theory.However,at home and abroad,especially for domestic Beck and Giddens has caught very high degree of concern.Instead,there is not much research and interpretation of the text on Lash's reflexive modernization theory.Hence the purpose of this paper is to explore Lash's work in the framework of reflexive modernization theory.In this study,Lash's reflexive modernization is explained in three dimensions:aesthetic dimension,community dimension and cognitive dimension.Most of the existing studies focus on the aesthetic dimension,ignoring the other two important dimensions.And we think that these two dimensions are also very important,even more important;only the overall grasp of the three,it is possible to effectively understand the very nature of Lash's reflexive modern.