Transmodernity: Integrating perspectives on societal evolution

Abstract

In this paper I engage with a broad range of literature that provides signals and evidence of an emerging and significant paradigm shift in human evolution. To describe this shift, different authors use a variety of terms, such as the transmodernity paradigm (Ghisi); the transmodern philosophy of political liberation (Dussel); the Hegelian dialectical triad of thesis, antithesis and synthesis (Magda); the reflective/living-systems paradigm (Elgin); partnership model of caring economics (Eisler); relational global consciousness and biosphere politics (Rifkin); love ethics (hooks); and the circularity paradigm of interdependence (Steinem). Reviewing a broad range of perspectives, I will argue that the reason we do not hear more about the emerging socio-cultural, economic, political and philosophical shift described by these authors is because it is not centralised and coordinated under a single unifying name. Hence, I will offer the concept of transmodernity as an umbrella term that ropes together many concepts and tenets to communicate the overall idea of an emerging paradigm shift and the next step in human history.