Four major characteristics of change Social Change -Transformation of culture & social institutions Four major characteristics of change Inevitable, only rate varies Sometimes intentional, often unplanned Controversial Some change matters more than others

Why Cultural Change Takes Place Invention Production of new objects, ideas, and social patterns Discovery Taking note of existing elements of culture Diffusion Spread of products, people, information from culture to culture

Other Reasons Conflict and social change Ideas and change Tensions between individuals and groups Different groups gain/lose power/privilege as they struggle for own positions Ideas and change Ideas can fuel social movements Idea of equal rights for everyone Demographics and change Increases and decreases in numbers lead to change as society may need to expand and/or contract Need for jobs, housing, education

Social Movements Most of today’s movements are international Focus on cultural change Improving social/physical surroundings Draw support from middle/upper classes Term "social movements" introduced 1850 by German Sociologist Lorenz von Stein in "History of the French Social Movement from 1789 to the Present “(1850)

Stages of Social Movements Stage one: emergence Perception that something is wrong Stage two: coalescence Defining itself and “going public” Stage three: bureaucratization Organizing rationally to get job done Stage four: decline Is movement in need of regrouping or is it simply time for demise? Reasons: Success has been reached Organizational problems (leadership) Leadership sells out to other interests State-sponsored repression

Types of Social Movements Social Movements – organized activity that encourages or discourages social change Alternative Least threatening, limited change for limited number of members Planned Parenthood Organization Redemptive Selective focus, radical change Churches, religions Reformative Limited social change targeting all members of society Equal Rights Movement Revolutionary Most severe, striving for basic transformation of society American Socialist Party

Four Types of Social Movements

Theories of Social Movements Deprivation Theory Social movements arise among people who feel deprived relative deprivation – perceived disadvantage arising from some specific comparison Mass-Society Theory William Kornhauser’s Social movements attract socially isolated people who feel personally insignificant Movements are personal as well as political, giving people with weak social ties sense of purpose and belonging

Six factors encouraging social movement Structural-Strain Theory Neil Smelser’s Six factors encouraging social movement Structural conduciveness Arise out of perceptions of problems Structural strain Experiencing relative deprivation Growth and spread of an explanation Making clear reasons and solutions for suffering Precipitating factors Specific events give rise to collection action Mobilization for action Action stage; Protest and rallies Lack of social control Quick, harsh response, or giving “green light” for change

Resource-Mobilization Theory Social movement won’t succeed without substantial resources Money Human labor Offices/communication facilities Mass media

Gender and Social Movements Gender figures in operation More men than women take part in public life, including heading social movements “Freedom Summer” in 1964 (Negro voter registration in MS)