In a world characterized by increasing globalization, contemporary society experiences changes at such a rapid pace that it is essential to become easily adaptable to keep up and survive. This unprecedented speed of transformation influences and challenges the way institutions function and, more importantly (for the purpose of this essay), the way we perceive ourselves. Ulrich Beck is a contemporary sociologist whose work examines this changing relationship between the modernization of the self and society. He talks about the concept of second modernity and how the transition from the first to the current era of second modernity has produced changes in social structures thus giving rise to the concepts of reflexive modernity and individualization (Atkinson 2007; Beck 2007; Lewis 2006). Therefore, this essay will discuss how reflexive modernity and individualization contribute to the understanding of individuality, while also exploring the concept of risk society within Beck's temporal concept of second modernity. These concepts are crucial to understanding how Beck formulates selfhood in contemporary society. This essay will also explore counterarguments to Beck's individualization theory that discredits the concept of social institutions in the construction of individuality. At the basis of Beck's concept of second modernity (the contemporary) is the transition from structure to individual action (Atkinson 2007; Beck 2007; Lewis 2006). Second modernity is the contemporary period that succeeds the periods of (early) modernity in which the concept of identity and individuality is no longer a collective experience but based on the individual himself (Atkinson 2007; Lewis 2006). The notion of individuality during the early modern period was built on fixed structures and soc...... middle of paper ......s individuality in contemporary society – a controversial position especially among class theorists.( 951 words )BibliographyAtkinson, W. 2007. 'Beck, individualization and the death of class: a critique'. The British Journal of Sociology. 58(3). Pp 350-366.Beck, U. 2000. “Living Your Life in a Runaway World: Individualization, Globalization, and Politics.” In W Hutton and A Giddens (eds.). At the Edge: Living with Global Capitalism. London: vintage. Pp 164-174.Beck, U. 2007. “Beyond Class and Nation: Reframing Social Inequalities in a Globalizing World.” The British Journal of Sociology. 58(4). Pp 679-705. Lewis, T. 2006. 'Do it yourself? Reflexivity and habitus in young people's use of the Internet for health information'. European Journal of Cultural Studies. 9(4). Pp 461-479.Sennet, R. 1998. The corrosion of character. New York: W. W. Norton Press.