Sociology in Modules

Sociology in Modules Social Change in the Global Community

Social Change in the Global Community 18 • Module 55: Social Movements • Module 56: Social Change • Module 57: Global Social Change

A Look Ahead • How does social change happen? • Is the process unpredictable, or can we make certain generalizations about it? • Has globalization contributed to social change?

Social Movements Social movements: organized collective activities to bring about or resist change in an existing group or society Social movements have had dramatic impact on course of history and evolution of social structure Functionalists: provide training grounds for leaders of political establishment Increasingly taking on international dimension from the start Module 55

Relative Deprivation Approach Relative deprivation: conscious feeling of negative discrepancy between legitimate expectations and present actualities Before discontent is channeled into a social movement, people must feel they: Have a right to their goals Perceive they cannot attain goals through conventional means Module 55

Resource Mobilization Resource mobilization: ways a social movement utilizes such resources as money, political influence, access to the media, and workers Oberschall: to sustain a social movement, there must be an organizational base and continuity of leadership Marx: leaders would need to help workers overcome false consciousness – attitudes that do not reflect workers’ objective position Module 55

Gender and Social Movements Women find it more difficult than men to assume leadership positions in social movement organizations Gender can affect the way we view organized efforts to bring about or resist change Module 55

New Social Movements New social movements: organized collective activities that promote autonomy, self-determination, and improved quality of life. New social movements generally do not view government as their ally Module 55 Members of new social movements show little inclination to accept established authority

Sociology in the Global Community Women and New Social Movements in India Why do you think so many of India’s women participate in new social movements? Describe their goals. What would happen if “powerless” people in the U.S. formed a similar social movement? Would it succeed? Module 55

Table 55-1: Contributions to Social Movement Theory Module 55

Theories of Social Change Module 56 • Social change: Significant alteration over time in behavior patterns and culture • Evolutionarytheory: Society viewed as moving in a definite direction • Functionalist Theory • Equilibriummodel: As changes occur in one part of society, adjustments must be made in other parts

Theories of Social Change Module 56 • Functionalist theory (continued) • Parsons: four processes of social change • Differentiation • Adaptive upgrading • Inclusion • Value generalization

Theories of Social Change Module 56 • Conflict theory • Change needed to correct social injustices and inequalities • Marxist view of social change appeals because it does not restrict people to passive roles • Dahrendorf found functionalist and conflict approaches were compatible

Table 56-1: The United States: A Changing Nation Module 56

Resistance to Social Change Module 56 • Economic and Cultural Factors • Efforts to promote social change likely to meet with resistance • Vested interests: People who will suffer in the event of social change • Culture lag: Period of maladjustment when nonmaterial culture is still struggling to adapt to new material conditions

Table 56-2: Sociological Perspectives on Social Change Module 56

Resistance to Technology Module 56 • Technology: information about how to use the material resources of the environment to satisfy human needs and desires • Luddites: Resisted industrial revolution; some groups raided factories and destroyed machinery Some people resisted postindustrial expansion of industrialization

Global Social Change Module 57 • Social change does not always follow a period of internal disintegration • Dramatic time in history to consider global social change • Hallinan noted need to move beyond restrictive models of social change Sociologists must predict upheavals and major chaotic shifts

Technology and the Future Module 57 • Technology advances have brought striking changes to cultures, patterns of socialization, social institutions, and day-to-day social interactions

Case Study: Social Change in Dubai Module 57 • Went from pearl-fishing village to a tax-free information-technology hub of the world • Constitutional monarchy, but relatively progressive for an Arab state • Environmentally, cost of lavish lifestyle is exorbitant • Poor treatment of immigrant laborers • Recent economic downturn difficult for Dubai

Computer Technology Module 57 • Effects of computers noteworthy with regard to Internet • In 2010, Internet reached 1.8 billion users • Everyone does not have access • Core nations have monopolyon information technology

Research Today Module 57 • The Internet’s Global Profile • In surfing the Web, how often do you encounter a Web site that is written in a language you do not read or speak? • Why has the use of Chinese on the Internet increased so dramatically in less than a decade? What kind of information would you expect to find in Chinese?

Sociology in the Global Community Module 57 • One Laptop per Child • Do you know any students who can’t afford to buy a computer or upgrade to a new model. What would an XO laptop mean to them? • What would be the pros and cons of giving a free XO to every needy child in the developing world? Would the social benefits outweigh the business costs?

Privacy and Censorship in a Global Village Module 57 • Complex issues of privacy and censorship can be considered examples of culture lag • Functionalists take a generally positive view of Internet • Conflict theorists stress that most powerful groups will use technology to violate privacy of less powerful

Biotechnology and the Gene Pool Module 57 • Sex selection of fetuses, genetically engineered organisms, and cloning of sheep, cows, and animals are significant advances • Extends medicalization of society • Altering human behavior through genetic engineering • Genetically modified food • Human genome project

Transnationals Module 57 • Understanding the Issue • Incomes in developing countries are so low they make wages immigrants earn in U.S. seem like a fortune • Migrant workers enjoy far fewer rights than native-born workers

Transnationals Module 57 • Understanding the Issue • Labor market increasingly global • Globalization changed immigrant experience and the labor market • Transnationals: Immigrants who sustain multiple social relationships that link their societies of origin with the societies of settlement

Transnationals Module 57 • Applying Sociology • New technologies accelerating transnational movement of workers • Functionalists: free flow of immigrants is a way for economies to maximize human labor • Conflict theorists: globalization increases economic gulf between developed and developing countries

Transnationals Module 57 • Applying Sociology • World system analysis suggests global flow of people should be factored into relationship between core and periphery societies • Interactionists interested in day-to-day relationships that transnationals have with those of the host country

Transnationals Module 57 • Initiating Policy • Transnational face continuing adjustment problems in their new home countries • Often encounter difficult living and working conditions • Voter eligibility remains unresolved • Public attitudes and government policies have not kept pace

Transnationals Module 57 • Initiating Policy (continued) • General public’s attitude toward illegal immigrants remains hostile, especially in U.S.

Figure 57-1: Labor Migration Module 57

Sociology in Modules