Szabó Árpád (szerk.): Isten és ember szolgálatában. Erdő János emlékezete (Kolozsvár, 2007)
Paul Rasor: Postmodernity, Globalization, and the Challenge of Identity in Liberal Theology
Yet globalization seems to contain a paradox: While things are coming together, they are simultaneously pulling apart. Where some people see their cultural horizons expanded, others see their cultural identities threatened. Increased internationalism seems to spur increased tribalism. In a sense, we might say that both the forces of modernity and the forces of postmodernity are spreading on a worldwide level in complex and interconnected ways. Globalization is a huge topic, and there is much we cannot talk about here. I want simply to highlight a few of its features that have particular relevance for liberal theology and the question of identity. One important feature of globalization is the way social space is being reshaped by the emergence of the so-called network society. In both the pre modern world and the modern world, social space was largely connected to physical space. Our social structures affect our identities. Identity is shaped by the cultural resources available to us - our families, our social and religious organizations, our class, race, gender, and so on. When social space is primarily territorial, we will come to identify with those to whom we are physically close - those who belong to our local social groups or who live in our region or our village. These sorts of traditional social structures tend to be fairly stable, and this contributes to a sense of belonging. Associations of this type are still important in our lives. Most of our social groups continue to be formed with those we meet, those who live and work near us. A related factor is the concept of nationality and citizenship. In modernity, this became one of the most important marks of collective identity. People came to think of themselves as German, or English, or Brazilian, or Indian, or American. (I wish the English language had an adjective like„Unitedstatesian,", something like the Spanish word estadounidense; the term „American” always strikes me as a bit grandiose.) Nationality still exerts a powerful influence on identity. We can see how strong this is during times of international crisis, such as war, and during events such as the World Cup. Globalization disconnects the traditional link between social space and physical space, and this has a destabilizing effect on identity. British political scientist Jan Schölte says that „globalization has tended to increase the sense of a fluid and fragmented self...In more globalized lives, identity is less easily taken for granted; self-definitions and associated group loyalties are much more up for grabs."4 Or, as David Lyon puts it, the globalized „network society cannot provide stable meanings and sources of identity, which once were 4 Jan Aart Schölte, Globalization. A Critical Introduction. New York 22005. 253. 191
