Cultural Modernization in the Villages at Transition

Changes in the quality of life are portrait of Human development. Based on Inglehart and Welzel comprehensive approach to human development, the concept includes three dimensions of socio-economic, cultural modernization and democratization of the society. The present study aims at elaborating on the situation of cultural modernization in the villages at transition and responding to the question of: "whether these groups of villages, which enjoy relatively of a higher level of socio-economic development, have experienced cultural modernization or not?

Cultural modernization is measured by three variables of individualism, secularization and scientific orientation. The study is conducted through a combination of quantitative techniques (survey, review of literature and questionnaire) and qualitative methods. For the analysis of data, technique of in-depth interviews with respondents has been applied to grasp a better understanding of their responses.

The findings show; in the processes of human development inhabitants of villages at transition have experienced cultural modernization, however it has not been an inclusive process of covering multi-dimension of cultural modernization. while, to some extent moral individualism has prevailed among people but the majority have not moved towards secular mentality. Their thought, attitudes and behaviors are dependent on super-natural factors and the influence of religious beliefs is not limited to their private domain of life. Also residents of these types of villages in response to the question of:" why a phenomenon exists or occurs?" have used a paradoxical combination of science and religion in their explanations.

It seems this type of cultural modernization, which its main attribute, is imbalance among three dimension of the concept, reports the historical roots of religious beliefs and its sustainability through the processes of human development and social changes in the villages at transition.