What do we mean by "modernity?" How do we distinguish "modernity" in terms of how human beings relate to their natural, physical, and social environment; how they adopt new socio-cultural norms; and how, as a result, they develop new perspectives on political economy and the means for government. The course will explore the relationship between "modernity" and the comprehensive paradigm change driven by the scientific discoveries that initiated the modern era; the shift from universal claims to national interests as well as the accompanying changes in class structures and the distribution of resources within sovereign states; and increasing demands for representation and legitimacy. It will also focus on major issues such as modernity vs. tradition; empiricism, reason, and belief; moderate and radical enlightenment; multilateralism vs. great power rivalry; the rise of evolutionary movements and the concomitant hero-worship of the romantic period; and twentieth-century as well as contemporary critiques of "modernity".