Eclipse of Enlightenment and Uncertainty in Contemporary Society: In Search of New Civilization

Abstract

This chapter explores the erosion of rational thought and democratic norms in contemporary society, a phenomenon interpreted as the eclipse of the Enlightenment. It investigates how structural transformations, particularly globalization, labor market flexibilization, welfare retrenchment, and technological disruption—have intensified social uncertainty and insecurity. These developments have diminished trust in expertise and institutions, fostering regressive behaviors, conspiracy ideologies, and democratic backsliding. Drawing on Norbert Elias’s theory of civilization and decivilization, the study interprets these trends as symptoms of a broader sociogenetic and psychogenetic transformation. Rather than a simple regression, the concept of “Entzivilisierung” (decivilization) suggests the possibility of a transition to a new social order. This chapter contributes a theoretical framework for understanding contemporary social malaise and offers a sociological lens through which to interpret the apparent retreat from modernity’s rational foundations. In doing so, it opens a dialogue on the potential for a renewed civilization process adapted to 21st-century challenges.