1. “Changes aren’t permanent but change is.”
SOCIAL CHANGE
“Changes aren’t permanent
but change is.”

2. What societal changes have occurred in your lifetime?

3. The Transformation Over Time of the Institutions and Culture of Society
Institutional and cultural change is the rule, not the exception
Change is constant yet is rarely under complete control (intended and unintended consequences)
Occurs on micro and macro levels

4. Causes of Social Change
Environmental and Population Pressures
Natural disasters; changing food supplies
Cultural and Technological Innovation
Automobile, cell phones, medical treatments, etc.
Social Movements
Civil Rights, Women’s, Environmental, Labor, etc.

5. The “McDonaldization of Society” Rationalization: From Bureaucracy to Fast Food
Max Weber
Viewed bureaucracy as the quintessential feature of the process of rationalization [the means get you the end efficiently]
George Ritzer
Argues that in modern society, the new model of rationalization is the fast food restaurant
And that rationality has irrational consequences

6. Rationalization
Historical development of institutional orders, such as law, the market, etc., all of which are organized by impersonal and amoral principles. The means serve to efficiently get to the end.

7. Features of Rational Society
Efficiency
Achieve the end goal using least amount of time and effort
Predictability
The same outcome from different places and different times
Calculability
Quantity is valued over quality
Substitution of non-human for human technology
Increasing use of non-human technology over people
Control Over Uncertainty
Developing systems that give humans control over things they normally wouldn’t have control over

8. The “Irrationality of Rationalization”
What might be some ways that rationalization leads to “unreasonable” outcomes?

9. The “Irrationality of Rationalization”
Classrooms with too many students

11. The “Irrationality of Rationalization”
Classrooms with too many students
Unhealthy food… and bad health

13. The “Irrationality of Rationalization”
Classrooms with too many students
Unhealthy food… and bad health
Alienating work

15. The “Irrationality of Rationalization”
Classrooms with too many students
Unhealthy food… and bad health
Alienating work
Shopping for “deals” (e.g. WalMartization)

17. The “Irrationality of Rationalization”
Classrooms with too many students
Unhealthy food… and bad health
Alienating work
Shopping for “deals” (e.g. WalMartization)
War on Terror?

19. “Rational” society can be dehumanizing.

20. GLOBALIZATION
Don’t stop! Get it, get it!

21. Globalization
The process through which people’s lives all around the world are economically, politically, environmentally, and culturally interconnected.
Began early 1970s-ish

22. Factors Contributing to Globalization
Communication Networks
Transportation Advances (e.g. containerization)
Neo-Liberal Economic Policies
It is possible that globalization might not have happened without Neo-Liberal ideology

24. Some Clarification:
The term, Neo-Liberal, is not synonymous with “Liberal” like the word is often used today.
Classic Economic Liberalism = actually quite “conservative”
Governments out of markets, individual freedom within markets, etc.
Neo = “new”
Neo-Liberalism = A return to classical economic liberalism

25. Tenets of Neo-Liberal Ideology
Free Markets
To facilitate trade and ease flow of capital
Deregulation
Reduce the size of government and its regulation of business activity
Reduce Social Benefits
Government provided (publically funded) healthcare, public education, public transportation, welfare, etc.
Privatization
Selling of publically owned and operated services to private, for-profit companies (e.g. prisons, etc.)

26. You might be thinking, “Why are we talking about this?”

27. Neo-Liberalism is the world’s dominant ideology, and has been your entire life, and will probably continue to be for some time yet. It is, in my humble opinion, important to be knowledgeable about the ideas that rule the world, so that if you agree with them you can participate fully and if you disagree, you can work to change things.

28. Major Players in Globalization
Global Financial Organizations:
IMF (International Monetary Fund), World Bank, WTO (World Trade Organization)
Lending to developing nations
Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs)
Procedures by which financial organizations “aid” struggling countries
Dictate terms of loans to developing countries
Realign national economies according to Neo-Liberal principles
Create cycles of debt

29. Major Players in Globalization
Transnational Corporations (aka Multi-National Corporations):
Companies that produce goods or market services in more than one country (e.g. Coca-Cola, General Motors, Mitsubishi, McDonald’s, etc.)
Represent the foundation of economic globalization

30. Keep in mind, as we are discussing this, that none of the people in charge of these institutions are elected by or accountable to us.

31. Positive Effects of Globalization
Increased knowledge and sharing of different peoples and cultures
Spread of technological advancements
Cheap goods and services
Sharing the best of what the world has to offer

32. Negative Effects of Globalization
Increased global inequality
20% of the world accounts for 90% of the world’s consumption (much of that consumption is by Americans)
Americans make up about 5% of the world’s population, but we consume about 25% of the world’s energy!
Continuing global poverty
Over 3 billion people live on less than $2.50/day
Environmental degradation
Increasingly undemocratic societies

33. Globalization has inspired an anti-globalization social movement, which we will discuss later.

34. DID YOU KNOW?
Video

35. What Does It All Mean?
Write a general reflection on this question concerning social change, rationalization, globalization and what we saw in the video.
In addition, think critically about and respond to the following questions:
Whose interests are most served by Neo-Liberalism and globalization?
Identify some ways our social institutions (such as politics, economics, education, media, etc.) benefit from and/or are negatively impacted by Neo-Liberal Globalization. Also identify some ways our institutions contribute to globalization.