1. Forces of Social Change

2. Group Activity Working in groups of 3-4 , take out a piece of paper.
As a group, list the social changes that have taken place in your life, community, city, country and even globally. Think of changes in the past give, ten, fifty and one hundred years.

3. TAKE IT UP!
One member from each group please come to the board and write out the list you and your group members came up with.

4. Article reading as a class- see handout- will be given in class.

5. “Everyone over the age of forty is an immigrant” - Margaret Mead
What does she mean by
this? Do you agree?
“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.

6. SO WHAT IS SOCIAL CHANGE?

7. 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.
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.
Or the Catholic Church

8. Positive or Negative
Social change can be positive or negative, depending on your perspective
I.e. Government cutbacks that reduce social services and reduce taxes can be seen by some as positive and others as negative
In your view, what are some positive social changes and what are some negative ones?

9. Examples of Social Change
Question 1 – How has the development of housing in Toronto, Milton….(any other areas) changed?
Question 2: How has public opinion shifted regarding social issues such as:
-Smoking -Domestic Violence -Divorce -Abortion -premarital sex
- Equal rights for gay and lesbian coupes
Discuss in your groups

10. Group Presentation INCLUDE: In groups- 4-5
Social issue
History of this social issue in Canada
Have there been some changes regarding this social issue?
What are some examples of this social issue in our society?
How do you perceive this social issue?
Suggest some strategies to address this social issue.
In groups- 4-5
Research one of the social issues and present to the class

11. Worksheet
Individually complete the worksheet titled, “ Identifying Social Change”
You will get your answers from the photocopied reading from the text pages

12. Conditions Necessary for Social Change
Change within society is a natural process that must take place.
Social institutions in society (i.e. government) hold a fair degree of respect as long as they: (a) fulfill the needs of most people and (b) the institutions recognize they must change over time as conditions and popular opinions change.
Some conditions that would justify the need for social change are: hunger, famine, inequality, war and political ideologies and depletion of the environment.
Along with there being conditions which make change necessary, there are also forces that inhibit change.

13. Forces that Impact Social Change
Charismatic leader that promises change
Role of the elites (when there isn’t ONE leader to take charge, there can be a group of ‘modernizing elites’)
A populace ready for change
Technological advancements
Environmental factors
External events
Society suffers a major catastrophe or triumph
There is a clash of traditions and values

14. Charismatic Leadership
Originally, the term ‘charismatic’ had an exclusively religious meaning
Christians used the term to describe a person who was inspired by the Holy Spirit and chosen by God to as a leader
Sociologist Max Weber broadened the meaning of this term
What is charismatic leadership?
A leader who is characterized by: large vision, magnetic style, strong popular support and has aspects of an extraordinary character
This leader places great demands on his or her followers and promises rewards for their support
Examples?

15. 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)

16. A Populace Ready for Change
Charismatic leadership and a group of elites can redirect a society down a certain path
BUT if a population isn’t ready for the changes a leader or a group of elites propose, nothing will happen
For this relationship to work, the vision of the leader(s) have to match the mood of the public – otherwise no one will listen and the potential leader(s) will be quickly forgotten

17. Natural Forces of Social Change
GEOGRAPHY
This is when the natural lay of the land has affected the way societies have developed Examples?
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

18. 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

19. 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
Examples?
-Welfare -Canada’s Employment Equity Act of goal to ensure a more equitable distribution of income by race, gender, and physical or mental ability

20. Values and Social Change:
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

21. 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.

22. 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 pornographic websites, 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

23. Activity In groups define; Alienation Conformity
How do these terms link to social change/challenges- discuss in your group

24. Conformity
Behaviour in agreement with generally accepted standards and practices; pressures that encourage us to accept social norms
Social norms: A standard shared by members of a group, to which members are expected to conform. The most typical behaviour, attitudes or opinions found in a group.

25. 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 effects social change because everyone is behaving the same
Pressure to conform can result in negative behaviours such as increased racism, bullying, sexism

26. Asch Line Experiment

27. Everyday Conformity Examples:
Lines at a fast-food restaurant
Bus stops as people wait for a bus
Students’ clothing. Are they all 'individuals, or do they conform to an implicit dress-code?
Are people conforming to posted rules, or do they conform to informal norms?
What ways have you changed your behaviour to fit in with a group?

28. Conformity in Contemporary Society
Most people conform to the standard values and norms without even realizing they are doing so
Some degree of conformity is necessary for societies to function
i.e. Stopping at a red light means that you are conforming to the law and the good and safety of society

29. Conformity and Youth
Pre-teens and teenagers face many issues related to conformity
Pulled between the desire to be seen as unique individuals and desire to belong to a group where they feel accepted
i.e. wearing the latest fashion, cutting your hair into a certain style, smoking, changing the type of music you listen to
All of these are examples of conforming to a social norm

30. Experiencing Nonconformity
If you violate norms of civility, people will react.
On a crowded bus, hum loudly or sing out loud.
Try to barter for a small purchase at a fast food restaurant.
When someone says "Hi, how are you," ask them "Do you mean physically, mentally, or financially?"  
Shopping from others’ carts in a grocery store. When questioned, respond simply that the item in the cart had been more convenient to reach than the one on the shelf.
Stand very, very close to a person while otherwise maintaining an inoffensive conversation

31. Adapting to Change: Alienation
A feeling that one does not share in the major values and goals of society
Early sociologists (19th century) lived in a time of extensive change as society adapted to urban life and industrial processes
They observed a social condition among many in society who had difficulty adapting

32. Durkheim and Marx
Sociologist Emile Durkheim ( ) coined the  term anomie to describe the conditions of industrial workers who had no roots or norms as they struggled to survive
Sociologist Karl Marx ( ) took this term and applied it the proletariat (working people) and the bourgeoisie (unemployed people). 
He claimed the workers were exploited and controlled (i.e. in their ability to find paid employment and housing) and could never reach their full human potential
Marx’s notion of alienation has been expanded to 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

33. Conformity…GOOD? Encourages social interaction
Creates predictable behaviour
Maintains social order

34. Conformity…. BAD? I.e. Milgram experiment
Discourages social change
Can lead people to resist the temptation to do things differently
Can encourage people to accept practices that are wrong
An unwillingness to conform could risk social rejection
An individual who is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or social interaction is a victim of social rejection.
Conformity acts as a scapegoat in order to avoid bullying and criticism from peers.
I.e. Milgram experiment

35. Alienation…GOOD? Spurs reformers into action
Leads individuals to struggle with the status quo
Leaders and movements in society are born

36. Alienation…BAD?
Can be so severe that people give up and accept life in the margins of society
Can lead to suicide or substance abuse
See Merton

37. Discussion Questions: Society
In today’s society – are there pressures to conform? In what ways?
What are the repercussions to not “conforming”?
How different would life be?

38. Activity: Small Group Discussion
In small group list all the different ways you are pressured to conform in society
Do you Conform? What happens if you don’t?
How much of a role does family, friends and school play in the pressure in your life to conform?
Do you notice this pressure on a daily basis?
Does society need its citizens to conform to function effectively?

39. Key Questions for Today
What groups in society may feel socially isolated?
Why is this?
What groups in society are forced to conform?

40. Scenarios Discuss the following questions with your group:
A) What are the triggers to conform in this scenario?
B) What feelings did the person in the situation feel to potentially make them change their behaviour?
C) What would you have done in this situation?

41. Scenario 1
You are waiting to cross the street and the light is red. A group of pedestrians start to cross the street before the green light even though there remains some risk of oncoming traffic. What do you do?

42. Scenario 2
You are looking for garbage at a concert. You find one but it is full and you see people just throwing garbage on the ground around the garbage can. What do you do?

43. Scenario 3
You have been standing in line for hours waiting to buy tickets for a concert / sports game. A group of 6 people try to ‘bud’ in line with a friend. The people waiting start yelling and objecting as there are only a specific amount of tickets. What do you do?

44. Scenario 4
A senior student approaches you and a bunch of your friends offering to sell you his / her old assignments and copy of tests for a class. All of your friends agree to this and are waiting for your decision. What do you do?

45. Scenario 5
You have just started a new job and are sitting around with your new co-workers. Someone tells a joke that is very racist and everyone is laughing and starts telling more racist jokes that you find offensive. What do you do?

46. Scenario 6
A bunch of you are at a friends for dinner—after dinner all your friends get up from the table and leave their plates as you are late for a party. You have been brought up to always clear your plate from the table and help clean up. What do you do?

47. Discussion
Which situation would be the most easy and most difficult in terms of resisting conformity?
Why?

48. Isolation Known as a state of seclusion
i.e. a lack of contact with people
May stem from:
Bad relationships
Deliberate choice
Contagious disease
Repulsive personal habits
Mental illness

49. Isolation in society
Feeling marginalized in society could force people to resist the social norm
Unrest in society could lead to isolation, not feeling included in society