Modernization
The term modernization generally refers to the process of transition between a "traditional" agrarian society and the kind of modern society that is based on trade and industry (Charlton and Andras).
Thus, it should be thought of as a continuous dynamic process, rather than a single "state". However, as a singular concept, it is difficult to precisely define modernization.
According to Horowitz, every attempt to define modernization in terms of an operational set of variables results in a new set of ideas which have relatively little to do with the original concept.
However, some of the important features that modernization comprises of can be viewed as:
The psychological conceptualization of modernization views individuals in the modernization process as being oriented towards mobility and innovation.
According to the normative conceptualization, norms and values prevail over the individual psyche, thereby linking modernization to the existing cultural traditions of the West.
The structural conceptualization revolves around external structures such as bureaucracy, democracy, economy, etc. According to theorists such as Parsons, modern society is defined by these features.
Lastly, the technological conceptualization views this process purely in terms of material progress and advanced infrastructure.
Modernization Theory
Modernization theory is an umbrella term used for a range of perspectives that sought to explain the processes of social change in the Third World during the 1950s and 1960s.
Although the early classical theorists such as Comte, Weber, Marx and Durkheim were interested in the modernization of the West, the present "modernization theory" is primarily concerned with the modernization of the developing non-modern nations (Deshpande).