Welcome to the 2nd International Modernization Forum (IMF 2016).

It will be held at China Hall of Science & Technology in Beijing, capital of China, from May 20 to 22, 2016. The China Center for Modernization Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Law & Development Academy, Peking University; Theory and Modernization Magazine, and the International Social Science Council, UNESCO, are the co-sponsors of the IMF2016.

Modernization has been a worldwide phenomenon and global trend since 18th century. It includes the frontier changes and international competition of modern civilization and nations. It changed our lives in many aspects including political, economic, social, cultural life and environment changes. Almost all nations in the world are undergoing some kind of modernization consciously or unconsciously at the moment, and the modernization drive can also be set as a national goal if they will. Modernization science seeks to promote people’s understanding of modernization process through interdisciplinary and international comparative studies.

The first IMF themed “Modernization and Global Change” held in Beijing in 2013 (http://imf2013.las.ac.cn), and more than 90 scholars from 14 countries attended the forum. Over 80 papers were submitted to the forum and the proceedings were published as Global Modernization Review (English) and Global Modernization Report (Chinese). The first IFM issued Modernization Announcement and which is a milestone on the modernization study in the world. The CFMR is an annual meeting of Chinese scholars engaged in modernization research, and has been held 13 times since 2003. The IMF and CFMR will be committed to promoting the research on modernization theories and strategies, international exchanges and cooperation on modernization research, and the development of the modernization science.

IMF 2016 will take “Modernization and Diversity” as the theme, and focus on five topics including “multiple modernities and cultural diversity”, “driving forces & paths of modernization”, “social modernization and human development”, “ecological modernization and green development”, and “regional modernization and poverty eradication”. The topic “ecological modernization and green development” will also be the theme of the 14th CFMR. The proceedings of IMF will be published as Global Modernization Review (English) and Global Modernization Report (Chinese).