1 / 7

Sociological Views of Social Change

Sociological Views of Social Change. Processes of Social Change. Lenski’s description of social evolution is one theory Note that this is a social version of Darwin’s theory of evolution… sometimes called social Darwinism

eze
Download Presentation

Sociological Views of Social Change

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Sociological Views of Social Change © 2007 Alan S. Berger

  2. Processes of Social Change • Lenski’s description of social evolution is one theory • Note that this is a social version of Darwin’s theory of evolution… sometimes called social Darwinism • One cause of social evolutions is the introduction of new technologies. Examples: • Early Agriculture • Predicting river floods • Hoes • The plow • Transportation • Canals • Food preservation • Canning food in 1810 • The Role of Napoleon in developing these technologies to improve war. • Canning was important because there was no other alternative to storing food on ice. © 2007 Alan S. Berger

  3. Examples of Technology • Mason Jars • Refrigerators • Frozen foods • Automobiles and other forms of Transportation • Sailing ships • Steam powered ships • Iron clad ships • Penicillin and other drugs • Process continuing to this day • Extends to stem cell and genetic research • Communication • Telegraph • Telephone. • Cell phone • Contemporary: personal computers, Internet © 2007 Alan S. Berger

  4. Consequences of the Industrial Revolution • Modern technology and the Need for Skilled Workers • Craftsmen and apprentices • Unions • Machines and Unemployment • More or fewer skilled workers needed? • Unemployment or change in careers • Railroads changing from coal to diesel • Buggy whips to Automobiles • Luddites • Marx Saw this as leading to conflict and • Alienation • Ultimately to revolution © 2007 Alan S. Berger

  5. Durkheim saw this as leading to Anomie • And he commented upon the change from an organic form of social solidarity to a mechanical form • Also called a shift from communal to associational relationships • A functionalist analysis focuses on the ways that society achieves and remains in balance… in equilibrium • Assumes that societies evolve from simpler to more complex • Current views are that different societies may evolve along different paths. • Also that evolution is not always progress and industrialized societies are not always better than traditional societies © 2007 Alan S. Berger

  6. Modernization Theory • Assumes that development into societies like the United States , with similar attitudes and values • That industrialization is good • Conflict Theory • Assumes that Power is an essential element of all social relations • Competition for Power between conflicting groups leads to conflict and revolution © 2007 Alan S. Berger

  7. Bringing About Change • Individuals • Gandhi • Martin Luther King • Revolution and War • Population Pressures • Cultural Processes • Innovation/discovery • Diffusion • Globalization © 2007 Alan S. Berger

More Related