Sociology / Unit 10 Soc 1827 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Ethnocentric Bias in Measuring Modernization
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The idea
Modernization is typically measured against core-nation tech sophistication, an ethnocentric bias assuming peripheral societies should resemble the core.
In practice
Judging a nation's progress by how closely its infrastructure resembles a core nation's overlooks whether that reflects the judged society's own goals.
Where people slip
This process (ch. 21.3) differs from Soc 0872's modernization theory of global inequality; the bias doesn't mean modernization never benefits any society.
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