Abstract
This paper discusses the transformation of reflexivity and ways to study reflexivity in the future. Reflexivity refers to the concept of reflecting oneself in the presence of others, and discovering oneself by other's reflections. By repeating this process, we change who we are. In self-reflexivity agent reflects on itself. Institutional reflexivity refers to social conditions upon which agent reflects. Giddens relates sociological methods and modern society closely with this key word: reflexivity.
Lash criticizes reflexivity as described by Beck and Giddens, as they presuppose that reflexivity is essentially cognitive and institutional. Lash draws attention to the aesthetic dimension of reflexivity, rather than the cognitive. His next key themes are hermeneutic reflexivity and reflexive community. In the global information society, reflexivity changes through the reflexive tying together of knowledge and action, which Lash terms as phenomenological reflexivity.
The character of reflexivity changes according to social change. It changes from cognitive and institutional reflexivity affected by rational modernization, to aesthetic and hermeneutic reflexivity affected by the modernization of aesthetics. It again changes to phenomenological reflexivity in the global information society. The senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch are changed by markets and, globalized by Western commodification. However they also change markets in a process I refer to as, market-sense reflexivity. Including senses, emotions, and brand, among others, new reflexivities can be born, and they transform themselves according to markets. I call this phenomenon market reflexivity.
I conclude that in the global information society, market reflexivity will change us more radically and quickly than at present. Reflexive modernization, with the transformation of reflexivities in the global market (including the virtual space), automatically transforms by itself. This is a process that has already begun without our realizing it. I think it is important for us to be conscious of market reflexivity in order to predict more accurately its future effects and other reflexivities that may arise.
