1. HUMAN SOCIETIES 1

2. SOCIETY PEOPLE WHO INTERACT WITHIN A DEFINED TERRITORY WHILE SHARING A COMMON CULTURE OR WAY OF LIFE2 2

3. VISIONS OF SOCIETY FOUR DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE AND SOCIETAL EVOLUTION
GERHARD AND JEAN LENSKI
SOCIETY AND TECHNOLOGY
KARL MARX
SOCIETY IN CONFLICT
MAX WEBER
SOCIETY AND “RATIONALITY”
EMILE DURKHEIM
SOCIETY AND FUNCTION 3

4. SOCIETIES RANGE FROM SIMPLE TO THE TECHNOLOGICALLY COMPLEX
SOCIOCULTURAL EVOLUTION THE PROCESS OF CHANGE THAT RESULTS FROM A SOCIETY’S GAINING NEW INFORMATION, PARTICULARLY TECHNOLOGY
SOCIETIES RANGE FROM SIMPLE TO THE TECHNOLOGICALLY COMPLEX
SOCIETIES SIMPLE IN TECHNOLOGY TEND TO RESEMBLE ONE ANOTHER
MORE COMPLEX SOCIETIES REVEAL STRIKING CULTURAL DIVERSITY 4

5. THE WAY THE LENSKIS SEE THINGS
TECHNOLOGY SHAPES OTHER
CULTURAL PATTERNS. SIMPLE
TECHNOLOGY CAN ONLY SUPPORT
SMALL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO
LIVE SIMPLE LIVES.
THE GREATER AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY A SOCIETY HAS WITHIN ITS GRASP, THE FASTER CULTURAL CHANGE WILL TAKE PLACE.
HIGH-TECH SOCIETIES ARE CAPABLE
OF SUSTAINING LARGE NUMBERS OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN A
DIVERSE DIVISION OF LABOR. 5

6. TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETAL EVOLUTION
APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO THE PRACTICAL TASKS OF LIVING
HUNTING AND GATHERING
SIMPLE TOOLS USED FOR EACH TASK
HORTICULTURAL
USE OF HAND TOOLS FOR CROP WORK
PASTORALISM
DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS
AGRICULTURAL
LARGE-SCALE CULTIVATION
INDUSTRIAL
USE OF SOPHISTICATED FUELS AND MACHINERY 12 12 6 6 2

8. SOCIETY AND PRODUCTION
SOCIETY IN CONFLICT
SOCIAL CONFLICT
STRUGGLE BETWEEN GROUPS OVER SCARCE RESOURCES
SOCIETY AND PRODUCTION
CAPITALISTS AND THE PROLETARIAT
SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPERSTRUCTURE
FALSE CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS
PLACING BLAME ON INDIVIDUALS 13 13 7 7 3

9. THE CONFLICT
PARADIGM

12. CAPITALISM AND ALIENATION
FOUR SPECIFIC WAYS CAPITALISM CAN ALIENATE WORKERS:
FROM THE ACT OF WORKING
NO LONGER HAVING A SAY IN PRODUCTION
FROM THE PRODUCTS OF WORK
NO OWNERSHIP IN THE PRODUCT THAT IS MERELY SOLD FOR PROFIT
FROM OTHER WORKERS
WORK HAS BECOME COMPETITIVE RATHER THAN COOPERATIVE
FROM HUMAN POTENTIAL
BECOMING A STRANGER UNTO ONESELF

14. RATIONALISM, CALVINISM, AND INDUSTRIAL CAPITALISM
THE HISTORICAL CHANGE FROM TRADITION TO RATIONALITY AS THE DOMINANT MODE OF HUMAN THOUGHT
RATIONALISM, CALVINISM, AND INDUSTRIAL CAPITALISM
PREDESTINATION AND GOD’S FAVOR
FROM A RELIGIOUS TO A WORK ETHIC
RATIONAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
DISTINCTIVE SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT SEE TO MEETING THE DEMANDS OF A GROWING, COMPLEX SOCIETY 15 15 9 9 5

15. WEBER’S RATIONAL SOCIETY BUREAUCRACIES WILL BECOME THE FAVORITE FORM OF ORGANIZATION, AND SOCIAL LIFE WILL STRESS THE FOLLOWING:
DISTINCTIVE SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
LARGE ORGANIZATIONS
SPECIALIZED DIVISION OF LABOR
PERSONAL DISCIPLINE IS PART OF VALUE SYSTEM
AWARENESS OF TIME
TECHNICAL COMPETENCE
IMPERSONALITY
HERE ARE SIX WAYS A
PERSON CAN TELL
WHETHER OR NOT
ORGANIZATIONS ARE
MORE “RATIONAL”
THAN “TRADITIONAL.” 16 16 10 10 6

16. DURKHEIM’S VIEWS ON SOCIETY
MORE THAN INDIVIDUALS
SOCIETY HAS A LIFE OF ITS OWN - BEYOND OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
SOCIAL FACTS
ANY PATTERNS ROOTED IN SOCIETY RATHER THAN THE EXPERIENCE OF INDIVIDUALS
SOCIETY HAS AN “OBJECTIVE EXISTENCE” BEYOND OUR OWN SUBJECTIVE PERCEPTIONS OF THE WORLD
EXAMPLES: NORMS, VALUES, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND RITUALS
POWER TO GUIDE OUR THOUGHTS/ACTIONS 12

17. EXAMINING SOCIETY THREE ASPECTS OF DURKHEIMIAN THOUGHT:
EVER FEEL LIKE YOU’RE
A PUPPET ON A STRING?
THREE ASPECTS OF DURKHEIMIAN THOUGHT:
SOCIETY HAS A STRUCTURE AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS EXISTS IN AN ORDERLY RELATIONSHIP
SOCIETY HAS POWER THAT IS DEMONSTRATED IN HOW IT SHAPES OUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS
SOCIETY HAS AN OBJECTIVE EXISTENCE AS IT OPERATES APART FORM ANY INDIVIDUAL’S SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE

18. WHERE’S THE GLUE? WHAT HOLDS SOCIETIES TOGETHER? LENSKIS KARL MARX
A SHARED CULTURE
KARL MARX
ELITES FORCE AN ‘UNEASY PEACE’
MAX WEBER
RATIONAL THOUGHT, LARGE-SCALE ORGANIZATIONS
EMILE DURKHEIM
SPECIALIZED DIVISIONS OF LABOR

19. ARE SOCIETIES IMPROVING?
THE LENSKIS:
MODERN TECHNOLOGY OFFERS EXPANDED HUMAN CHOICE, BUT LEAVES US WITH NEW SETS OF DANGERS
KARL MARX:
SOCIAL CONFLICT WOULD ONLY END ONCE PRODUCTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE CAPITALISTS AND PLACED INTO THE HANDS OF ALL PEOPLE
MAX WEBER:
SAW SOCIALISM AS A GREATER EVIL THAN CAPITALISM, AS LARGE, ALIENATING BUREAUCRACIES WOULD GAIN EVEN MORE CONTROL OVER PEOPLE
EMILE DURKHEIM:
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT MODERNITY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE FREEDOM FOR INDIVIDUALS, BUT CONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGERS OF ANOMIC FEELINGS 14