Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author

• Saied Abdolamir Nabavi

Institute for Social and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The conception “Transition” is one of which is commonly studied and examined in theories of modernization and development. Some scholars of development use the standards of economics, politics and culture, and see the linear transition from a traditional society to a modern one and by dividing the phase into three steps, describe some feature for transition. However, this attitude has some difficulties, in which the most important is that it emphasizes on material aspects and neglects the factors which cause formation of political thoughts in a society in transition. This study while uses Max Weber’s approach, re-defines concepts of traditional society, society in transition, and modern society. Findings indicate that disconnection between the social and political facts, in one side and the intellectual responses in another side or incapability to face the current facts lead to transition of society. The most important feature of a society in transition is crisis of meaning. There is correlation between this crises and formation of political thoughts. In fact, political thought is part of the intellectual responses to the crisis of meaning which is prevalent in the society. So, “transition” as an academic concern needs an interdisciplinary view to be discussed and analyzed; therefore, it requires courses like political theory, political sociology, and even anthropology to combine and analyze the conception of transition.

Keywords

• society
• Tradition
• modernity
• Political thought
• Crisis of Meaning