Forces of Social Change

“Everyone over the age of forty is an immigrant” - Margaret Mead Meaning= that all people over 40 find themselves living in a society that is different from the one in which they grew up. The society that they knew as children (beliefs, values and symbols) no longer exists. She concluded that all humans have to adapt to the social changes that take place after childhood, just as immigrants do when they move to a new country.

What is Social Change? Social Change: transformations in the way society is organized, and the beliefs and practices of the people who live in it All societies involved in process of social change, * mostly subtle and slow The opposite of social change is social continuity which means that there are structures within society which are built to resist change. * e.g., Roman Catholic Church On a more personal level social change is like the change you make in the pattern of your life. It can be subtle – like eating lunch earlier in the day, to more planed such as getting a job or it can be drastic like going off to university. Each of these things will affect your life but too varying degrees. Social Continuity: A personal example of this is grandmother who will not use a dishwasher no matter what. She has had a dishwasher for 45 years and it still looks brand new because she refuses to make the change to a dishwasher.

Examples of Social Change Question 1: How has public opinion shifted regarding social issues such as: -Smoking -Domestic Violence -Divorce -Abortion -Homosexuality

What may impede social change? Impediments to change 1) adherence to traditional cultural values 2) the expense / cost of change Financially, lack of infrastructure and/or investment, lack of resources 3) fear or risk of negative effects social inequalities, loss of language, norms challenged, etc.

What are the forces that cause social change? Power of Individual Physical/Natural Population changes Proximity External forces Values & Ideas (Religion, Education) Technology

Power of the Individual(s)? Max Weber claimed that one of the most important components of social change was a Charismatic Leader (large vision, magnetic style, strong popular support and extraordinary character). * leader places demands on his or her followers, promises rewards for support . Examples? Malcolm Gladwell Remember? Law of the Few * Small groups of talented, influential people who create significant social change Examples? In both cases, the populace (people) must be ready for change Three main impediments to change can include: 1) adherence to traditional cultural values; 2) the expense / cost of change 3) social inequalities that may result Mao Zedong- charismatic leader= leader of Chinese communist revolution; demanded party members follow the difficult path of communism, promised benefits of a communist life (freedom from poverty and exploitation); maintains a distance between himself and the people by allowing them to glorify his image and to view his writings as the pinnacle of wisdom)

From Weber: [A] certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities. These are such as are not accessible to the ordinary person, but are regarded as of divine origin or as exemplary, and on the basis of them the individual concerned is treated as a leader [...] How the quality in question would be ultimately judged from an ethical, aesthetic, or other such point of view is naturally indifferent for the purpose of definition.” Example: Mao Zedong- charismatic leader= leader of Chinese communist revolution; demanded party members follow the difficult path of communism, promised benefits of a communist life (freedom from poverty and exploitation); maintains a distance between himself and the people by allowing them to glorify his image and to view his writings as the pinnacle of wisdom)

Natural Forces GEOGRAPHY This is when the natural lay of the land has affected the way societies have developed Examples? Natural climate or geological events can also drastically change a society - Different styles of land in Canada require a form of government that places much responsibility on the provincial level -China’s geographical layout forced the nation to develop a large scale irrigation system which required a strong centralized government North American coasts have small inlets which led to the development of small, separate colonies, able to be independent of each other

Natural Forces cont… ENVIRONMENT Pollution, (e-waste, garbage, ozone, car emissions, smog, etc.) may cause health issues in people, animals and plants National, provincial and local programs that address environmental problems Examples?

Population Changes Immigration & Emigration New immigrants may change/challenge existing traditions and institutions Large scale emigration causes strain Birth Rate Increase or decrease Obvs… Examples?

Proximity Societies in close proximity to one another tend to change and develop more rapidly Intercultural contact Globalization has extended this

External Forces of Social Change External forces are events that occur on a large scale outside a local community affecting an entire nation or several nations These events have a large and immediate impact on social change Examples Invasion, epidemics, etc.

Values and Social Change: Broad category Ideological change (rise of socialist thought) Religious change (Great Awakening, jihadism) Cultural value change (divorce, homosexuality socially acceptable) Singularity- belief that everyone in society should act and think the same way Pluralism- widespread acceptance of differences in culture, religion, values and lifestyle Inclusiveness- all law abiding people, regardless of their particular background, should be able to play a constructive role in the life of the nation Examples?

Technology Development and use of technology has wide-reaching impact Ancient examples? Early 20th century examples? Contemporary examples? Future examples?