VCE Sociology

1. VCE Sociology Unit 3 Outcome 1 Community and society ‘The way changes in economic, social and political institutions have affected the experience and representations of community’

2. Changes to community • Sociology is all about “change” • Some of the biggest changes to the concept and history of community occurred because of the agrarian revolution and industrial revolution • More recently change has come from political, economic and social institutions

3. Changes to community • In groups, brainstorm examples of changes in a contemporary community because of: • Political change • Economic change • Environmental change • Technological • Social change

4. Changes to community • Karl Polanyi’s (1973) Great Transformation outlines six changes that impacted significantly on society • Economic – the rise in capitalism • Technological – machinery replacing manual labour • Knowledge – rise of intellectual/scientific thinking • Population – change in demographics • Political – rise of nation-state and democracy • Colonialism – global expansion through colonies

5. Changes to community • In groups come up with examples of how the Great Transformations impacted on social groupings • List other significant changes not on the list and justify their inclusion • Now rank the transformations in terms of their impact with the most significant change at the top and least at the bottom

6. Representation • Refers to the different meanings or understanding attached to the word community, or how it is “classified” • e.g. traditional, gesellschaft, type 1, etc • The representation of a community may change • e.g. a traditional community may change to a modern community because of government rezoning, urban sprawl, etc

7. Experience • The experience of community focuses on the sense of community rather than its structure, form or physical features • e.g. how members feel rather than how the community is classified • It involves a feeling that members have of belonging and a connection to one another and the group • A sense of community is often described as a “sense of belonging” or “community spirit”

8. Institutions • Sociologists often reserve the term “institution” to describe normative systems that operate in five basic areas of life, which may be designated as the primary institutions. • In determining kinship • In providing for the legitimate use of power • In regulating the distribution of goods and services • In transmitting knowledge from one generation to the next • In regulating our relation to the supernatural www.sociologyguide.com/basic-concepts/Social-Institutions.php

9. Institutions • In shorthand form, or as concepts, these five basic institutions are called: • Family • Government • Economy • Education • Religion www.sociologyguide.com/basic-concepts/Social-Institutions.php

10. Institutions • Institutions underpin the norms and values of a society and can act as agents of social control • e.g. they shape our behaviour through formal and “unwritten” rules • Institutions have interdependent relationships with each other (they need each other, and change to one institution filters into changes to another) • e.g. changes to the institution of marriage may impact the institution of family • Society is always changing and so are institutions

11. Political institutions • The relatively permanent social systems through which power is distributed and exercised in society • The structures often formally regulate the behaviour of individuals through: • Police force • Laws and government policy • Local council regulations • Political parties and NGOs • Election process

12. Economic institutions • Organisations that ensure economic stability through the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services • Financial institutions (banks) • Australian reserve bank • Taxation system • Award wages • Social welfare organisations • The World Bank • Companies (workplace) • Share market

13. Environmental institutions • Organisations that make decisions that affect environmental performance • Kyoto Protocol • Copenhagen Treaty • Greenpeace

14. Technological institutions • Organisations that control access to information and communication technology and other forms of technology • Telstra • Google • Mac/Windows • Laboratories

15. Social institutions • Set of organised rules and beliefs that establish how societies attempt to meet their basic social needs • These beliefs help to shape people’s behaviour • Schools • Religious groups • Family • The media • Ethnic/cultural groups

16. Changes to representation • The following table shows examples of how the “representation” of community has changed because of PEETS

17. Changes to representation • Come up with your own examples of how PEETS have changed a community • If you get stuck, you may want to consult the “Change to community experience and representation” handout

18. Changes to experience • The following table shows examples of how the “experience” of community has changed because of PEETS

19. Changes to experience • Develop examples of how changes in PEETS has changed how members experience their community

20. TO DO • Write definitions of the following terms in your glossary: • Experience of community • Institutions • Representation of community