Social Change…

Forces of Social Change

What is Social Change? Social Change: Changes in the way society is organized, and the beliefs and practices of the people who believe in it All societies are involved in a process of social change, however this change may be so subtle and slow that society is hardly aware of it The opposite of social change is social continuity which means that there are structures within society which are built to resist change. Example - the 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 the development of housing in Baku changed? Question 2: How has public opinion shifted regarding social issues such as: -Smoking -Domestic Violence -Divorce -Abortion -Homosexuality

Social Change: An Introduction Change is a general phenomena that being occurred in society very much. In an another sense, society is always in changing process . Society can never stopped in a specific way . Changes are either in positive way or in negative way in society.

Social Change Changes or mobilization in different institutions are both of backward mobility or in upward mobility. As changes occur, people of the earth are living in the so-called civilized world. Such as changes from primitive society to modern society to post modern society .

Definition of Social Change Social change is a general term which refers: a) To change in the nature, the social institutions, the social behaviour or the social relations of a society, community of people, or other social structures.

Causes of Social Change The causes of social change below affect or characterize every aspect of society across the world. On a macro scale: They shape all of our major social institutions such as economics, politics, religion, family, education, science/technology, military, legal system, and so on. On a micro scale: They shape values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of human being to all over the world.

What are some of the sources of change in our society? Single dramatic event Cultural and technological innovations Shifting population size Environmental pressures Diffusion from other cultures Media Others? Before listing the bullet points, have students brainstorm a list of sources of change and see how many they find. Then go through each bullet point and have students give examples, either from the text or their own ideas

Major source of change: Technological advancement Technological change may be one of most accelerated Computers have become indispensable Convenience and access to information Negatives? Loss of privacy Blurring of traditional lines between work and home

Rising Expectations When conditions at their worst, many solely focused on survival People more likely to seek social change when living conditions have improved somewhat Chance for change seems possible But some sociologists argue that social movements are actually more likely to arise when social conditions are beginning to improve than when they are at their worst (Brinton, 1965; Davies, 1962). Constant deprivation does not necessarily make people want to revolt. Instead, they are more likely to be preoccupied with daily survival than with demonstrations and street protests. Improvements in living conditions, however, show those who are deprived that their society is capable of being different,

Major source of change: Social Movements Social movement Continuous, large-scale, organized collective action motivated by the desire to enact, stop, or reverse change in some area of society Types of movements Alternative Movement Redemptive Movement Reformative Movement Transformative Movement A reform movement attempts to change limited aspects of a society but does not seek to alter or replace major social institutions. Countermovements are designed to prevent or reverse the changes sought or accomplished by an earlier movement. A countermovement is most likely to emerge when the reform movement against which it is reacting becomes large and effective in pursuing its goals and therefore comes to be seen as a threat to personal and social interests (Chafetz & Dworkin, 1987; Mottl, 1980), revolutionary movements attempt to overthrow the entire system itself, whether it is the government or the existing social structure, in order to replace it with another (Skocpol, 1979). American Revolution of 1776, the French Revolution of 1789, the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and the Afghan Revolution of 1996 are examples of movements that toppled existing governments and created a new social order.

Power of the Individual(s)? Sociologist Max Weber claimed that one of the most important components of social change was a LEADER with CHARISMA (large vision, magnetic style, strong popular support and extraordinary character). This leader places great demands on his or her followers, promises rewards for their support . Examples? Sociologist Samuel Eisenstadt claimed that in most societies, there exists one or more MODERNIZING ELITES, groups of people who create significant social change and influence the direction it goes 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)

Alienation of the People Sociologist Emile Durkheim coined the word ”anomie” to describe the conditions of the industrial workers who had no roots or norms as they struggled in their lives Sociologist Karl Marx took this term and applied it to working people or “proletariat”. He claimed the workers were exploited and controlled (employment, housing) and could never reach full potential This notion has been expanded it mean anyone who does not share the major values of society and feels like an outsider Effects? Effects: Alienation can create anarchists – people who act violently against society because they were alienated Alienation can be so severe that people just give up and accept life in the margins of society (social roles, crime or poverty) OR alienation be a positive motivator to change the nature of society (reform, action) Examples: -Columbine shootings - Theodore Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber is an American terrorist who attempted to fight against what he perceived as the evils of technological progress by sending mail bombs to various people Alienation Has both positive and negative effects It can create reformers or people who create outstanding ideas Or people who are angry about being outcasts and express their frustration violently

Conformity of the People Conformity is the act of maintaining a certain degree of similarity (in clothing, manners, behaviors, etc.) to those in your general social circles, to those in authority, or to the general status quo. Usually, conformity implies a tendency to submit to others in thought and behavior other than simply clothing choice Informational Influence: human desire to accept information that another, admired person tells us is valid (ie. Parent, teacher, coach) Normative Influence: pressure to conform to the positive expectations of others (ie. Follow in footsteps of parent’s career) Effects? Effects: conformity generally discourages social change as people generally desire to fit in Negative- can encourage people to accept practices that they know, or suspect are wrong or immoral II – if we admire our nations’ leader we are going to believe the information he tells. Some people are very good at convincing others. NI – An example would be to work really hard on your essay because you want your teacher to think highly of you Conformity Conforming to others tends stifle social change because everyone is behaving the same Pressure to conform can result in negative behaviours such as increased racism, bullying, sexism

Causes of Social Change 1.Technological and Economic Changes- a) Agricultural advancements: Examples include irrigation, plow system, cotton industry that develop the surplus food which lead to population growth and urbanization. People were able to work outside of the farm. b) Industrialization : The process of changing from a manual labor force to a technology driven labor force in which machines play a large role.

Causes of Social Change Lead to changes in (by Industrialization ): a. Work place, people work outside of the home/community which lead to changes in gender activities (value of child care, value of labor). b. Work became centered and organized around machines. Alienation from a particular group. c. Weapons production – guns, nuclear weapons. d. Informative Society, Information are available around us that also leads to the social change.

Social Change & Characteristics of industrialized societies 1) Smaller percentage of people are doing their activities in agriculture, increased division of labor in production house, specialization of occupations, increase in education of workforce, Increase in economic organizations (businesses).

Social Change & Characteristics of industrialized societies The number of Population are increasing to a high rate day by day. Because high birth rates and low death rates in some countries (greater population sizes) high birth rate and high death rates in specially in African regions. And also smaller birth rate and little death rates in European countries that equalizes their overall development.

Social Change & Characteristics of industrialized societies ▶People have fewer children as society industrialized because role of family changes and technological advancements allow control of reproduction. ▶Families change from extended to nuclear families due to geographic and occupational mobility. Family is no longer mainly seen as an economic unit.

Social Change 2. Modernization: The process of moving from an agrarian to industrial society. Characteristics of modern societies ▶Larger role of government in society and bureaucracy to run governments, ▶Large, formal organizations and division of labor based on specialization of skills and abilities into occupations.

Social Change Forming of social institutions to regulate behavior. ▶Laws and sanctions to regulate behavior. ▶Control over and management of environmental resources: oil, water, land, animals, etc.

Social Change 3. Urbanization: 4. Bureaucratization: When large populations live in urban areas rather than rural areas known as urbanization. Usually results from economic opportunities: either people move to a city for jobs, or rural areas become the sites of large businesses which lead to population growth. 4. Bureaucratization: By which most formal organizations in a society (businesses, government, non-profits) run their organizations via the use of extreme rational and impersonal thinking, an extreme division of labor, and record keeping.

Social Change 5. Conflict and Competition : These also play an important role to social change. For examples: War due to religion, ethnic tensions, competition for resources, gender and women’s movement like for equal payment and property. Race and Civil Rights Movement, collective political power, homosexuality becoming more available, but still denied civil and human rights. But Positive Outcomes are like solidarity, safety notions, positively social development, welfare activities are enhancing .

Social Change a) Elected officials: 6. Political and Legal Power: a) Elected officials: Redistribution of wealth to the all the peoples by the elected persons and control over income and property taxes. They can charge over negative action, ability to sue insurance companies, increase minimum wage in labor (leads to change in unemployment, part-time employment, health insurance. b) Unelected officials: Such as the civil society ,they can control over corporate power (jobs, goods and services and cost of culture, donations to political campaigns.

Social Change 7. Ideology : a) Religious beliefs. Rise of capitalism in the world ,due to religious beliefs Protestantism emerged and many other work ethics developed in the work place. Religious beliefs sometimes lead to revolution and civil wars which lead to new countries. Like in Iran, Islamic revolution occurred in 1979 and developed a Islamic republic.

Social Change 8. Diffusion: Populations in the world are adopting new goods and services from anywhere he or she stays. Much of the materialist products are being applied to following the marketing policy .(celebrities campaigns in drinking milk, cold drinks), public health (birth control in less developed countries) etc. 9. Acculturation Examples: Asian Americans, American Indians are being eliminated through the dominancy of white American people. People can prevent social change by preventing acculturation,

Natural Forces of Social Change GEOGRAPHY This is when the natural lay of the land has affected the way societies have developed Natural disasters can also drastically change a society (floods, earthquakes, volcanoes) ENVIRONMENT Pollution, garbage, ozone, car emissions, smog, recycling national, provincial and local programs that address environmental problems Effects? - 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

External Events as Forces of Social Change External events are events that have occurred on a large scale affecting an entire nation or several nations These events have a large and immediate impact on social change Examples American Civil War – abolished slavery WWII – forced women into the workforce and they never returned home September 11/2001 – a change of thought regarding national threat and security

Poverty and Affluence Karl Marx was first to point sociology to study inequality in society Income inequalities: gap between earnings of the rich and poor Is social inequality an inherent part of human social structures? Does society have a responsibility in trying to deal with the effects of income inequality? Effects? - education, crime, housing -Welfare -Canada’s Employment Equity Act of 1986- goal to ensure a more equitable distribution of income by race, gender, and physical or mental ability

Values and Social Change: Pluralism 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: struggle for inclusiveness with women obtaining equal roles and status to traditionally ‘male’ roles

Technology Technology has strongly affected the way societies are designed and how they keep changing People receive their information more quickly now, can communicate in different ways Greatest invention of the millennium? Guesses? Impact… Johanne Gutenberg He created the printing press in 1450 This invention took the process of reading out of wealthy circles and monasteries and into the hands of the ordinary people Books became more affordable and became the method of choice when circulating new ideas Martin Luther used the printing press to his advantage in the 1500s when he challenged church doctrine starting off what has come to be known as the Reformation While the printing press brought us many good things it also changed the way we tell stories Memorization and oral recitation begin to lose favour after the printing press The church starts to lose some of its control over the congregation as bibles become more accessible to the public Luther uses the printed word to start the Reformation Social Change Theory looks at the factors contributing to change within the structure of society Change has to start with society and a belief that change is good and warranted Does change begin with the individual or the technology? A new concept suggests that social change can be initiated by another force: technology. This is called technological determinism: the invention of a particular tool (ie. Computer) takes on a life of its own after it has been introduced, with society simply reacting to the new technology.

Coping with Technological Change – Positive or Negative??? Over dependency Creation of ‘mass culture’ Changes in Gender roles Social Isolation Addiction Positive and Negative consequences? Luddites: People who oppose new technologies are often called “luddites” after a secret society whose goal it was to destroy new textile machines during the early years of the Industrial Revolution While we are for the most part eager to accept and use new technological advancements we have to be aware of the negative consequences of these technological advancements Internet has allowed many people to access useful information but has also allowed easy access to porn sites, hate sites and other dangerous sites on the web that parents don’t want their children seeing Society has grown so dependent on technology that when it doesn’t work we feel tremendous anxiety The invention of new technologies brought about a new “mass culture” that all social classes could participate in (ie. Radio/ TV saw families gain new methods of entertainment) Electricity and heat and new appliances become important in homes as people’s lives become easier – this is not true in every case as it did not necessarily mean that women had a lighter workload, they were just expected to do more Social Isolation: Addictive use of TV / video games / internet can lead to social isolation, increased depression, academic failure, financial debt of job loss Societies have relied on social interaction and dialogue for centuries to survive, what happens if this element is taken out of our lives? Example- room that is centered around the television; individual who spends all time in front of a computer would lack social skills