グローバル化時代における共同体の再想像に向けて

Abstract

In the process of rapid globalization, social traditional communality or social bond is more likely to be dismantled and replaced with more fluid, flexible and fragmented relations. This article tries to consider how a new form of communality/community could be reorganized on these differentiated/floating identities. Certainly, during the 1990s, flexible and multiple identity was highly recognized as an alternative new personhood in the post-modern era, criticizing modern fixed/single/absolute identity. But the neo-liberalistic world political/economic system emerged in the early 21st century and it promoted these identities as its own tool to govern and control individuals. We easily confirm this trend in the field of employment. Many governments enacted a new de-regulation law of labor forces in 1990s, the traditional employment system has been shaken up with the employment pattern becoming more and more diversified. Job hoppers (freeters), parttimers are now an integral part of the workforce world-wide. They are marginalized in the global labor market and become the working poor or precariat. How they are making opposition to this marginalization is not only a critical actual issue in a particular society but also a challenging theme to social theory today. This study will focus on their efforts of reimagining community in order to confront with the neo-liberal governmentality of fragmentation and differentiation. Though these efforts might be criticized of essentializing community, it would be imagined/constructed through 'legitimate' relationship based on everyday life practices.