Modern infrastructures through the lens of classical sociology: Unpacking ambiguities

Infrastructure––as a concept, word, and physical construct––is deeply intertwined with the shap-ing of modern societies. The term infrastructure emerged amidst the context of rapid societal changes brought by the Industrial Revolution, evolving from an initial specialized usage associ-ated with railway development to a broader concept materially encapsulating “sociotechnical im-aginaries of modernity”. Therefore, an intriguing connection exists between the spread of the notion of “infrastructure” and the roots of sociology as a social science discipline that is worthy to explore. This article delves into the historicity of this concept in relation to classical sociolog-ical thought, focusing on the often-implicit notion that “modern” infrastructures developed to collectively organize and support social life on a given territory in enduring ways, indeed, to create “society”. Through a historical-sociological approach, we closely look at specific trajecto-ries of infrastructures of/in modernity and discuss the ambiguities that arise from tracing their historical developments and revisiting classical understandings in the present. Specifically, we focus on shifting world-regional dependencies, collective and individual tensions, and dynamics of rise and decline.