Chapter 22 Social Change in the Global Community Introduction to Sociology Spring 2010
Discuss the evolutionary theory of social change Social change has been defined as significant alteration over time in behavior patterns and culture, including norms and values. Evolutionary theory views society as moving in a definite direction. Early evolutionary theorists generally agreed that society was inevitably progressing to a higher state.
Auguste Comte was an evolutionary theorist of change. He saw human societies as moving forward inn their thinking from mythology to the scientific method. Emile Durkheim maintained that society progressed from simple to more complex forms of social organization.
Discuss the processes involved in Talcott Parson s equilibrium model of social change. Parson s (1902-1979), a leading proponent of functionalist theory, viewed society as being in a natural state of equilibrium; society tends toward a state of stability or balance. According to this equilibrium model, as changes occur in 1 part of society, adjustments must be made in other parts. If not, society s equilibrium will be threatened and strains will occur.
Parsons maintained that 4 process of social change are inevitable. 1. Differentiation Refers to the increasing complexity of social organization. (Example: Medicine man to physician) 2. Adaptive upgrading Social institutions become more specialized in their purposes. (Example: Physicians into obstetricians, surgeons, etc.)
3. Inclusion of groups previously excluded because of gender, race, ethnicity, and social class. (Example: Medical schools admitting increasing # s of women and African Americans.) 4. Value generalization the development of new values that tolerate and legitimate a greater range of activities. (Example: the acceptance of preventive and alternative medicine)
Discuss how the conflict theory of social change differs from evolutionary theory. Evolutionary theory views society as moving in a definite direction, as to a higher level or to more complex forms. Conflict theorists suggest that social institutions and practices continue because powerful groups have the ability to maintain the status quo. Change has crucial significance because it is needed to correct social injustices and inequalities.
Karl Marx argues that conflict is normal and a desirable aspect of social change.
Describe the influence of various factors that create resistance to social change Social economist Thorstein Veblen coined the term vested interests to refer to those people or groups who will suffer in the event of social change. In general, those with a disproportionate share of society s wealth, status, and power have a vested interest in preserving the status quo and resisting social change.
Communities also protect their vested interests, often in the name of protecting property values (e.g., NIMBY). In addition to economic factors, cultural factors often shape resistance to change. The term cultural lag refers to the period of maladjustment during which the nonmaterial culture is still adapting to new material conditions. Technological innovations are examples of changes in material culture that have often provoked resistance to social change.
Discuss the global nature of social change. Social change is occurring all around the globe. For examples, consider: collapse of communism; terrorism throughout the world; major regime changes and severe economic disruptions in Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; the spread of AIDS; the computer revolution, and the cloning of Dolly the sheep.
Discuss the issues relating to privacy and censorship in a global village. Because of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act, which relaxed existing checks on surveillance by law enforcement officers. And, consider recent advances in computer technology for business firms, government agencies, and even criminals to retrieve and store information about everything from our buying habits to our Web-surfing patterns.
In short, new technologies threaten not just our privacy, but our freedom from crime and censorship. Functionalists point to the manifest functions of the Internet to facilitate communication. Conflict theorists contend that powerful groups use technological advances to maintain their position and invade the privacy of the less powerful.
Describe the issues surrounding advances in biotechnology and genetic engineering. Advances in biotechnology have provoked controversy. Examples: sex selection of fetuses, genetically engineering organisms, and cloning. Biotechnological advances have raised many difficult ethical and political questions, among them the desirability of tinkering with the gene pool, which could alter our environment in unexpected and unwanted ways.
Of particular interest is genetic engineering, or the alteration of plant, animal, and human life through gene therapy. Fish and plant genes have already been mixed to create frost-resistant potato and tomato crops. Genetically modified (GM) food involves tampering with nature with potential health effects. The Human Genome Project involves sequencing and mapping all 30-40,000 human genes in existence, that could help in treatment of disease; but, there are ethical implications.
Discuss the issues surrounding the increase in transnational immigrants. Transnationals are immigrants who sustain multiple social relationships that link their societies of origin with their societies of settlement. As of 2008, 191 million people, or just fewer than 3% of the world s population, were international migrants. Back in their home country, their purchasing power is the equivalent of $300,000 U.S. income.
In poor countries, transnational remittances worth more than $300 billion a year worldwide are easily the most reliable source of foreign income, worth nearly 3x the combined value of all foreign aid budgets. Today, residents of North America, Europe, and Japan consume 32x more resources than the billions of people who live in developing countries.
A concern is that the intense economic competition created by globalization is unraveling the social welfare systems of many countries. (U.S. now only 25 th on Economic Security Index [Sweden is most secure country]).) Another unresolved issue is voter eligibility. Not all nations allow dual citizenship; even those countries that do may not allow absent nationals to vote.
A last unresolved issue is illegal immigration. The general public s attitude toward illegal immigrants remains hostile especially in the U.S.