Modernism, modernity, and modernization are distinct concepts with uneven circulation across nations

Evidence

We need, in fact, to inflect the root adjective into three distinct substantives — beyond “modernism” proper, the less familiar one of “modernity,” and then of “modernization” — in order not only to grasp the dimensions of the problem, but to appreciate how differently the various academic disciplines, as well as the various national traditions, have framed it. “Modernism” has come only recently to France, “modernity” only recently to us, “modernization” belongs to the sociologists, Spanish has two separate words for the artistic movements (“modernismo” and “vanguardismo”), etc. A comparative lexicon would be a fouror five-dimensional affair, registering the chronological appearance of these terms in the various language groups, while recording the uneven development observable between them. — Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic…, 663

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes the three inflections of the root adjective — essential apparatus for the reader’s core task of periodizing style.
• XREF: The three-term distinction connects to the reader’s framing of aesthetic form as the economy’s way of appearing — modernization as the economic base term. — connects to: The traditional-modern dichotomy obscures the pathologies of modernization. — Alex Callinicos, Against Postmodernism: A Marxist…, 156; Modernity and modernization concepts may be inadequate to explain modern experience — Alex Callinicos, Against Postmodernism: A Marxist…, 146; Similar environments and technologies produce divergent cultural systems. — Joe Henrich and Robert Boyd, The Evolution of Conformist…, 9