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Forces of Social Change

Forces of Social Change. Read the articles and consider the following:. Was there a social change that took place in your article? What was the society like before the change took place? What was the society like after the social change? What factor(s) caused the change to take place?

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Forces of Social Change

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  1. Forces of Social Change

  2. Read the articles and consider the following: • Was there a social change that took place in your article? • What was the society like before the change took place? • What was the society like after the social change? • What factor(s) caused the change to take place? • Was it a positive or negative change for the majority of the population? – (significance)

  3. Geography - environment • Geography - natural lay of the land has affected the way societies have developed • Things like bodies of water, mountains, inlets, flat lands all affect the way a society develops • Geography can also prevent social change • Natural disasters can also drastically change a society • Floods, earthquakes and volcanoes

  4. Geography - Proximity • How close another cultural group is to a society can cause it to change • Societies that live in close proximity to others tend to change more rapidly than those who are remote • Exchanges between cultures are known as intercultural contact • In the past this occurred through wars, exploration and trade • Today this includes the exchange of ideas, trade, globalization and tourism

  5. External events • 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 (inter)national threat and security

  6. Technology and Economic Changes • Throughout history, technology has strongly affected the way societies are designed and how they keep changing • Agricultural advancements such as irrigation, the plow, and the cotton gin are responsible for surpluses of food, which lead to population growth and urbanization. • The computer is a revolutionary invention which is the major piece of technology in contemporary culture. • We will focus more in this unit on how technology impacts social change…

  7. CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP • 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, BUT also promises rewards for their support. • Examples???

  8. Charisma, Morality and good Leadership • This leader may be good or bad, but for sociologists these critiques should be value free and focus on the leadership skills – • Were they an effective leader? Not ...Were they a moral leader? • What qualities made/make these leaders charismatic to the population?

  9. Modernizing Elites • Small group who control society’s wealth • These groups create significant social change • Social change is usually achieved by various modernizing elites and not a single leader • Examples???

  10. Population wanting change • Occurs when a population is ready for change and most often is protesting for it • Visions for change have to match the mood of the public  if public doesn’t want to change, it is unlikely to happen • Examples???

  11. Advocacy (activist) research • Research aimed to highlight social inequality • After research is complete, the researchers become advocates for the studied group and help fight for the social change

  12. The Opposite of social change – Social continuity • Social continuity - means that there are barriers and structures within society which are built to resist change

  13. Durkheim and religion Durkheim’s study of Religion: • Religion functions to stabilize society and bring together a sense of unity and identity between the members of the community • Religion allows societies to be stabilized. This occurs in the reenacting of rituals, which creates intense emotions and bonding between the participants.

  14. Example of social Continuity:legal definition of family vs. religious definition of family

  15. Evolving Legal Definition of Family • Canadian legislation has extended the legal definition of family from the original concept (based on heterosexual marriage and biological links to children) to include: • Step parents • Unwed fathers • Co-habitation • Unmarried and married homosexual partners • Why is this significant? • These groups now have the same rights and responsibilities that heterosexual couples (original definition) have – i.e. health benefits, child custody, assets etc.

  16. Roman Catholic View of the Family • Charter of the Rights of the Family: • B: family is based on marriage – between man and woman – freely contracted – publically expressed – indissoluble (can not be dissolved) - open to the transmission of life • E: a community of love – teach cultural, ethical, social, spiritual, and religious values essential for development of its members and society

  17. Religion • Religion is a traditional institution that does not often change • In some cases religion is the main basis for the law and culture in a society • In some cases, religion does not change to meet the needs of a society – example is the legal definition of family in Canada (changed) vs. the religious definition (stayed the same)

  18. Traditional cultural values • Impediment/barrier to social change • People unwilling to accept social change • Push to stick with old cultural practices and avoid modern changes

  19. Examples of traditional cultural groups • Case Study: The San of Southern Africa • The San were hunter-gatherers in central Southern Africa • Nomadic people who travelled extensively over a wide area • They had not developed a system of cultivating fruits & vegetables • In mid-1960s, countries of Botswana & Namibia were created with fenced borders that ran through area over which the San roamed • Result: Progress for some countries BUT the livelihood of San were destroyed & they had to give up traditional lifestyle & many went to work in gold mines of South Africa • The San Bushmen of South Saharan Africa • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTagNNqSfhI&feature=related

  20. Expense of change • The price of change might be too high for a society to be willing to support • Canadian Social Example – introduction of government health care in the 1960s – social values vs. tax payers $$$$, 1 year maternity/paternity leave • Increasing cost of post-secondary education • Can cause some to feel excluded from the social change because they cannot afford it

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