Particularism and the modernization process in southern Italy

The term 'particularism' has a poor reputation in the classical theory of m odernization. It refers to social closure as well as narrow and self-intere sted behaviour. Particularism is also associated with traditional societies and with pre-modern action. Its alter ego is 'universalism', the quintesse nce of modernity. In this article it is claimed that a useful way of avoidi ng dichotomous thinking is to analyse the interactions between particularis m and universalism during the modernization process. Only through this kind of analysis can we distinguish forms of particularism that contrast modern ity and forms of particularism that either coexist with modernity or are ab le to provide a positive contribution to the modernization process. On this basis, the Italian 'Southern Question' is analysed from a new perspective. This perspective aims at taking southern Italian political and cultural tr adition seriously and looking at the possibilities of a transformation of s uch a tradition towards modernization. The problem can be defined as follow s: how is it possible to extend social capital and to forge social trust in southern Italy starting from existing levels of sociocultural and politica l particularism?