Description:
Social change is taking place today with enormous acceleration. The globalization of politics, economy, and culture, changes in information technology and the revolution in genetic engineering are the major transforming powers. They create a complex of change and have an effect on the individual as well as the community. Known structures are coming apart and this evokes feelings of fear. However, spaces of opportunity will be opened, too. They can be used if (what we call) post-traditional ligatures constitute a new basis of social embedding. Examples of such bondings, which are more flexible and (to a large extent) self-created, are mentioned at the end of this article.