In your own words, what constitutes “the modern?” Does the attempt to bring conceptual clarity to the notion of “modernity” necessarily suggest the existence of modernity’s “other,” namely the (potentially problematic) categories of “the traditional,” or pre-modern? What is your first cut read of the rabbit that we’re pursuing here…?
Once you’ve answered the above, apply your definition critically to Daniel Lerner’s seminal piece, “The Grocer and the Chief.” How might this essay, warts and all, help us to better understand what it means to “be modern?”
Please keep your answers short (no more than 250 words, if you can!). Post your reply using the “New Post” feature (but title it using your own creativity). Make sure to tag it as “We Moderns?” Remember to post a reply to a reply by Monday. Simply scroll through the entries and reply to whichever one catches your eye! Let me know if you have any questions.
Modernity, but How? | Iran, Islam, and the Last Great Revolution Fall 2018