Abstract
“Individualization” has long been closely connected with “Modernization.” But there seems to be resurgences of the discourses of “Individualization” recently. In what sense and to what degree is this “Individualization” different from the one in classical modernity ? This paper is a tentative trial to give an answer to this question through examining recent trends in medicine.
To this end, this paper tries, firstly, to trace the meaning of “Individualization, ” then secondly, to illustrate the processes in medicine by delineating a brief history of the institutionalization of the principle of “informed consent” and the possible impact of recent genetics, and thirdly, to present the two aspects of “Individualization.” Finally, the sociological implication of the “Individualization” in medicine will be discussed.
