This document contains comprehensive notes on topics surrounding understanding social change. The key themes addressed within the document are social change, modernity, capitalism, education, and sociology and work. These notes are at a 1st year level
Themes addressed;
Social change
Modernity
Globalisation
Capitalism
Sociology and work
Education
Understanding Social change
Social - social processes, social interactions, relations, organisations etc. Society is not
static Some may not be conscious of social change and it may not always be positive (moal
progress)
Materialism - tangible e.g changes in technology drives changes in population growth and
economic production
Alot of sociologists believe that social change has occurred linearly:evolutionary process
however others, such as Lenski, believe society moves in specific directions.
Progression - value-position, things getting better e.g Conte, social dynamics, laws govern
and influence social change and evolution
3 unilinear stages:
1. Theological stage
2. Metaphysical stage - abstract stage/things we cannot see or touch
3. Positive stage - dependent on observation such as science
Another evolutionary thinker, Herbert Spencer, believed that societies have evolved in a
way in which some societies are more equipped than others.
Karl Marx
Men make their own history and try to dominate nature by changing nature for their own
benefit. This is done through cooperation and organisation - he called this mode of
production. Then next comes production relations - who owns what. Division of labour leads
to stratification and classes with various access to the means of production
Marx Weber
Understood social change through social action - the action of people (purposefully) and the
interactions give meaning to the actions.
There is a shift from traditional to rational action. This phase happens when capitalism
occurs. The emergence of capitalism was not a coincidence , it was the result of early
, protestants and their ideas on how to make money (protestant ethic). Rationalisation of
society occurred over time
Emile Durkhiem
Understands social change through the control of humans. If society didn't control humans
with religion and laws, humans would not know what to do with their desires. With growing
division of labour and differentiation, society became more complex
Functionalism VS Conflict
Functionalism - ( Durkheim,Conte, Parsons) - society is a natural state of equilibrium.
gradual change is necessary and desired. This happens through population growth and
technological advancements . sudden social change is not good
Conflict - (Marx,Weber,Simmel) - Social change is driven by unequal distribution of
resources and power. Power is central to society.
Social change and modernity
What is modernity
- Break from the past
- A change from the ‘old’ pre-modern, feudal society where we no longer rely on
religious text. seen as an intellectual movement (Enlightenment, 17th century)
- Emergence of modern industrial civilisation which presented changes in property
relations, demographic changes and urbanisation (Durkheim - new type of society)
- Political change - Concepts such as democracy, emancipation and nationalism have
taken form.Science as a source of rationality is also entering the political realm
- Move from solid to liquid modernity (Bauman)
- Solid was based on certainty and heavy constraints on freedom. liquid based
on constant movement, self expression, decrease in security.
Where are we now?
Some mention post-modernity while others mention late modernity.
Giddens(1991) - The level of social development is taking us away from the institutions of
modernity towards a new distinct type of social order
Key characteristics of modernity
1. Distanciation - seperation of time and space e.g technology. No need to be in the
same location to communication
2. Disembedding - the ‘lift out’ of social relations from social contexts of symbolic
interactionism. Symbolic tokens are often used e.g money
3. Greater flexibility - as scepticism of reason towards knowledge
Beck
There are 2 types of modernity - we have moved from a simple modernity (industrial society)
to a reflexive modernity( risk society). The first modernity was a simple/linear modernization
however the second type of modernity needs us to be increasingly flexible. Giddens claims
that people are able to reinvent themselves however Beck is not as positive. He believes
society is out of control which is a problem for the individual as we can no longer rely on the
security of the first modernity.
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