Individualism

Although individualism is at the heart of the social assumptions that are part of many understandings of contemporary globalization, it is nonetheless a contested and sometimes controversial concept in the global age. Individualism refers to all sorts of philosophical, moral, political, ideological, or social systems of thought that focus on the individual. Each of these brings with it a specific perspective: Individualism expresses a cultural value highlighting the worth of the individual. In doing so, individualism sets the individual in relation to a community, a collective, or the masses.

The individualism approach can be considered crucial for achievements of modern societies, but equally critical when it comes to interactions, correlations, and even tensions among people of different cultural backgrounds. This is the case because the prevailing modern notion of individualism, along with its expressions in the economic, legal, political, or social sphere, is mainly rooted in Western history and tradition. Understanding this path dependence, along with the accompanying assumptions and attitudes toward the surrounding environment, is a first step in being able to consider and analyze phenomena that take place even on a global level.

As Geert Hofstede puts it, individualism describes societies in which bonds between individuals are loose; people are expected to care for themselves and their immediate families. The comprehension of this important complex also matters to scholars and students of global studies. By making the human individual the central unit of analysis, all actions and phenomena, organizations and institutions, as well as social texture right up to the global level, can be traced back to individual activities. Further, understanding individualism as an ideologically prevalent standpoint helps to distinguish cultural conflicts and tensions, as well as positions, achievements, attitudes, and the image of the other and of oneself.

In parallel with the topic of individualism, the discourse on the process and consequences of individualization dominates several academic disciplines, including sociology and religious studies, and, in a broader sense, draws in the wider public in industrialized countries, which are said to be heavily affected by individualization tendencies. These manifold, sometimes subtle processes of change are the focus of scholars and students of global studies that take into account topics such as disintegration or anomy.

Ultimately, the complex issue of individualism is closely intertwined with all discussions on identity. The quality and expectation of being an individual offers several possibilities and challenges for a person to choose his or her identity, especially because some contexts are given, while others can be selected. In a globalized and globalizing world, this condition makes postmodern life an expression of the constantly conflicting priorities of any value comparisons with others.

This entry traces the history of the concept of individualism in philosophy and other social sciences, provides an overview of several individualistic characteristics in societal spheres, and introduces the current state of research on the individualization paradigm. In conclusion, further research questions and links to global studies are suggested.