Cole’s study starts with the definition of modernism and five basic factors have been listed for modernism by Cole using the theories of philosophers such as Jurgen Habermas, Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault, Alan Thorne, Maw Weber, Victor Turner:
1) The relationship between religion and the government
2) Moving from the authoritarian government towards a kind of democracy or the representative government.
3) The emergence of government –nation international system
4) Nationalism and its role and effect on nations’ unity
5) Challenging with patriarchy through feminist movements.
The references used by Cole are the historical texts, letters, reports and the works written by the Baha’i followers and founders in Arabic, Turkish and Persian languages.