Sociology Ch.22
Social Change
And
The Environment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfnvFnzs91s
I. How Social Change
Transforms Society
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A. Social change is a shift in the
characteristics of culture and
societies over time.
B. There have been four
social revolutions:
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1. the domestication of plants and
animals, from which pastoral and
horticultural societies arose;
2. the invention of the plow, leading to
agricultural societies;
3. the industrial revolution, which
produced industrial societies; and now
the information revolution, resulting in
postindustrial societies.
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Another type of society is emerging
based on biotechnology.
I. How Social Change Transforms Society Con’t
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C. The shift from agricultural to industrial
economic activity was accompanied by a
change from Gemeinschaft (daily life
centers on intimate and personal
relationships) to Gesellschaft (people have
fleeting, impersonal relationships)
societies.
I. How Social Change Transforms Society Con’t
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D. Different sociologists have focused on
different forces in order to explain the
changes that took place in society at the
time of the Industrial Revolution.
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1. Karl Marx identified capitalism as the basic reason
behind the breakup of feudal (agricultural) societies.
He focused his analysis on the means of production
(factories, machinery, and tools): those who owned
them dictated the conditions under which workers
would work and live. This development set in motion
antagonistic relationships between capitalists and
workers that remain today.
I. How Social Change Transforms Society Con’t
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2. Max Weber saw religion as the core reason for
the development of capitalism: as a result of the
Reformation, Protestants no longer felt assured
that they were saved by virtue of church
membership and concluded that God would show
visible favor to the elect. This belief encouraged
Protestants to work hard and be thrifty. An
economic surplus resulted, stimulating
industrialization.
3. Modernization (the change from agricultural to
industrial societies) refers to the sweeping
changes in societies brought about by the
Industrial Revolution.
4. When technology changes, societies change.
An example today would be how technology from
the industrialized world is transforming traditional
societies.
I. How Social Change Transforms Society Con’t
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E. Social movements highlight the cutting
edges of change in a society. Large
numbers of people organize to demand, or
resist, changes. With globalization, these
issues increasingly cut across international
boundaries.
Sociology and New Technology Case Study
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Read page 653, then answer the following:
1. Explain the origins of the Luddites
2. Who is Jacques Ellul and what was his message?
3. Who was the Unabomber? What did he do and why?
4. What do the Luddites, Ellul, and the Unabomber have in common?
5. Using concepts presented so far and through our discussions analyzing
the effects on technology, how do you think that technology is changing our
way of life?
6. Given your conclusions, should we fear new technology and why?
I. How Social Change Transforms Society Con’t
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F. A world system began to emerge in the sixteenth
century; in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
capitalism and industrialization extended the
economic and political ties among the world’s
nations.
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1. Dependency theory asserts that because those nations that
were not industrialized became dependent on those that had
industrialized, they were unable to develop their own
resources.
2. Today’s information revolution, including the new
bioeconomics, will have far-reaching consequences for global
stratification. Those who make the fastest advances in these
areas are destined to dominate in the coming generations.
I. How Social Change Transforms
Society Con’t
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3. The world’s industrial giants (the United
States, Canada, Great Britain, France,
Germany, Italy, and Japan—the G7)
have decided how they will share the
world’s markets; by regulating global
economic and industrial policy, they
guarantee their own dominance,
including continued access to cheap
raw materials from the less
industrialized nations.
4. Russia joined the G7 and they are now
known as the G-8.
5. The recent resurgence of ethnic conflicts
threatens the global map drawn by the
G8.
6. If China follows the rules set forth by
G-8, they may be incorporated into this
exclusive group.
II. Theories and Processes of Social Change
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A. Theories that focus on cultural
evolution are either unilinear or
multilinear.
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1. Unilinear theories assume that all societies follow
the same path, evolving from simple to complex
through uniform sequences; however, these
theories have been discredited, and seeing one’s
own society as the top of the evolutionary ladder is
now considered unacceptably ethnocentric.
II. Theories and Processes of Social Change
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2. Multilinear theories assume that different routes can
lead to a similar stage of development; thus
societies need not pass through the same
sequence of stages to become industrialized.
3. Both unilinear and multilinear theories assume the
idea that societies progress toward a higher state.
However, because of the crises in Western culture
today, this assumption has been cast aside and
evolutionary theories have been rejected.
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II. Theories and Processes of
Social Change
B. Theories of natural cycles
examine great civilizations, not a
particular society; they presume
that societies are like organisms:
they are born, reach
adolescence, grow old, and die.
1. Toynbee proposed that civilization is initially
able to meet challenges, yet when it becomes
an empire, the ruling elite loses its capacity to
keep the masses in line “by charm rather
than by force,” and the fabric of society is then
ripped apart.
2. Oswald Spengler proposed that Western
civilization was on the wane; some analysts
think the crisis in Western civilization may
indicate he was right.
II. Theories and Processes of Social Change
• C. Marx’s conflict theory viewed social change
as a dialectical process in which the
following occurs:
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1. A thesis (a current arrangement of power) contains its own
antithesis (a contradiction or opposition), and the resulting
struggle between the thesis and its antithesis leads to a
synthesis (a new arrangement of power).
2. Thus, the history of a society is a series of confrontations in
which each ruling group creates the seeds of its own
destruction (e.g., capitalism sets workers and capitalists on a
collision course).
D. William Ogburn’s Three Processes of Social Change.
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1. Inventions can be either material (computers) or social
(capitalism); discovery is a new way of seeing things; and
diffusion is the spread of an invention, discovery, or idea,
from one area to another.
2. Ogburn coined the term “cultural lag” to describe the
situation in which some elements of a culture adapt to an
invention or discovery more rapidly than others. We are
constantly trying to catch up with technology by adapting
our customs and ways of life to meet its needs.
3. Ogburn has been criticized because of his view that
technology controls almost all social change. People also
take control over technology, developing the technology
they need and selectively using existing technology. Both
can happen; technology leads to social change, and social
change leads to technology. In general, Ogburn stressed
that the usual direction of change is for material culture
(technology) to change first and the symbolic culture
(people’s ideas and ways of life) to follow.
III. How Technology Changes Society
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A. Technology refers to both the tools used to accomplish tasks and to the
skills or procedures to make and use those tools.
1. Technology is an artificial means of extending human abilities.
2. Although all human groups use technology, it is the chief characteristic
of postindustrial societies because it greatly extends our abilities to
analyze information, communicate, and travel.
3. While all human groups make and use technology, it is the chief
characteristic of postindustrial societies. The new technologies of
information, communication, and travel create new possibilities.
III. How Technology Changes Society
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B. New technologies can reshape an entire society. Four ways in
which technology can shape an entire society are:
1. Changes in social organization (e.g., introduction of factories
changed the nature of work: people gathered in one place to do their
work, were given specialized tasks, and became responsible for only
part of an item, not the entire item).
2. Changes in ideology (e.g., the new technology that led to the
factory stimulated new ideologies such as maximizing profits).
III. How Technology
Changes Society
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3. Changes in ostentatious consumption
(e.g., if technology is limited to clubbing
animals, then animal skins are valued;
with technological change, Americans
make sure that their trendy clothing
labels are displayed. The emphasis on
materialism depends on the state of
technology).
4. Changes in social relationships (e.g., as
men went to work in the factories, family
relationships changed; as more women
work outside the home, family
relationships again are changing.
However, new technology is now
allowing many to work at home. This
may strengthen families).
Impact of Technology Project
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Individually you will research current technology in a specific field focusing
on some of the most prominent ongoing developments, advances, and
innovations in various fields of modern technology.
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You will not only need to look at the origins and development history, but
also the way it continues to develop into the future. Last, explain how it has
impacted society for good or bad.
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In a PowerPoint Presentation of no less than 8 slides (not including your
introduction or resources used slides) you will present your findings to the
class where you are to give an explanation of your technologies
past/present/future a long with its impact on society. Included in your
presentations will be your research, and any visual aids (pictures/video).
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This will be worth 100 points graded on content, grammar, and visual aids.
Impact of Technology Project
Research topic options are (but not limited to):
1. Agriculture (mechanical advances, farming techniques)
2. Medical (genetic engineering, robotic surgery, stem cells, prosthetics)
3. Television (LCD’s, LED’s, HDTV’s, 3D)
4. Electronics and Communications (phones, computers, MP3 players, radios)
5. Energy (wind, water, solar, biofuels, fusion, algae)
6. Manufacturing (construction, food & beverage, plastics, textile, chemical, engineering)
7. Military (land, sea, air weaponry)
8. Robotics (service, healthcare, defense, industry)
9. Transportation (alternate fuel vehicles, jet pack, flying cars, airless tires, space plane)
III. How Technology
Changes Society
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C. The automobile was one of the greatest
inventions that shaped U.S. society.
1. The Model T was mass produced in 1908.
As cars decreased in price, Americans found
this more convenient than public
transportation.
2. Farmers were able to travel in town where
they found more variety of goods and had
better access to medical care and
education.
3. Commercial and home architecture changed
as people needed a place to park their
automobiles.
4. By the 1920s, the automobile was used
extensively for dating and children were no
longer under the watchful eye of their
parent.
5. Women were able to drive as well as men
and this removed them from the confines of
the home. It allowed them to participate in
areas of social life not connected to the home.
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Car Tech of the Future:
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http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/
yt/watch?videoId=VEuCHAvEhi4
III. How Technology Changes Society
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D. The computer is an example of how technology
shapes our lives. Some people have reservations
about our computerized society, fearing that
government will be able to exert complete control over
us.
1. Within the field of education, computers are
transforming the way children from kindergarten
through college learn. There is concern today about a
digital divide in education, with wealthier school
districts able to provide the latest technology to their
students, while poor school districts are left behind.
III. How Technology Changes Society
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2. Computers are altering the way we work,
the types of social relationships we establish
with co-workers, and even the location of
work.
3. In the world of business and finance,
computers have made national borders
meaningless, as vast amounts of money are
instantly transferred from one country to
another.
4. The way wars are fought has also changed
because of computers.
III. How Technology Changes Society
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E. Computers shrink the world in terms of both
time and space. With the information
superhighway, homes and businesses are
connected by a rapid flow of information.
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1. Several million workers now work out of their home. This could
be the beginning of a historical shift in which families are
brought closer together.
2. The negative side of the technology is the increased
surveillance of workers and depersonalization that occurs.
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III. How Technology
Changes Society
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3. National borders have become
meaningless as information can be
transferred from one country to another.
4. On a national level, we may end up with
information have-nots among inner-city
and rural residents, thus perpetuating
existing inequalities.
5. On a global level, the highly industrialized
nations will control the information
superhighway, thereby destining the least
industrialized nations to a perpetual
pauper status.
Down-To-Earth Sociology Case:
The Coming Star Wars
• Read (p.661) and identify all of the new ways in which the military is
preparing for the future “star wars” and then answer the following
questions:
• 1. Do you think we should militarize space?
• 2. What if other countries do the same?
• 3. Do you agree or disagree with the comment made to Congress by
the head of the U.S. Air Force Space Command: “We must establish
and maintain space superiority. It’s the American way of fighting”.
• 4. Will the technology that is transforming the face of war come back
to haunt us?
IV. The Growth Machine versus the Earth
• A. The globalization of capitalism underlies
today’s environmental decay.
• 1. The Most Industrialized Nations continue to push for
economic growth, the Industrialized Nations strive to
achieve faster economic growth, and the Least
Industrialized Nations, anxious to enter the race,
push for even faster growth.
• 2. If our goal is a sustainable environment, we must stop
trashing the earth.
IV. The Growth Machine versus the Earth Con’t
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B. Industrialization led to a major assault
on the environment. While it has been
viewed as good for the nation’s welfare, it
has also contributed to today’s
environmental problems.
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1. The major polluters of the earth are the Most
Industrialized Nations.
2. Many of our problems today, including depletion
of the ozone layer, acid rain, the greenhouse
effect, and global warming, are associated with
our dependence on fossil fuels.
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IV. The Growth Machine versus the Earth Con’t
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3. There is an abundant source of natural energy that would
provide low-cost power and therefore help raise the living
standards of humans across the globe. Better technology
is needed to harness this energy supply. From a conflict
perspective, such abundant sources of energy present a
threat to the multinationals’ energy monopoly. We cannot
expect the practical development and widespread use of
alternative sources of power until the multinationals have
cornered the market on the technology that will harness
them.
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4. Racial minorities and the poor are disproportionately
exposed to air pollution, hazardous waste, pesticides,
and the like. To deal with this issue, environmental
justice groups have formed that fight to close polluting
plants and block construction of polluting industries.
IV. The Growth Machine versus the Earth Con’t
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C. Environmental degradation is also a problem
in the Industrializing and the Least
Industrialized Nations, as these countries
rushed into global industrial competition
without the funds to purchase
expensive pollution controls and few
antipollution laws.
1. Pollution was treated as a state secret in the
former Soviet Union. With protest stifled, no
environmental protection laws to inhibit
pollution, and production quotas to be met,
environmental pollution was rampant. Almost
one-half of Russia’s arable land is unsuitable
for farming, air pollution in cities is ten times
higher than that which is permitted in the
United States, and half the tap water is unfit to
drink. Pollution may be partially responsible
for the drop in life expectancy.
IV. The Growth Machine versus the Earth Con’t
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2. The combined pressures of population growth and
almost nonexistent environmental regulations
destined Least Industrialized Nations to become the
earth’s major source of pollution. Some companies
in the Most Industrialized Nations use the Least
Industrialized Nations as a garbage dump for
hazardous wastes and for producing chemicals no
longer tolerated in their own countries.
3. As tropical rain forests are cleared for lumber,
farms, and pastures, the consequence may be the
extinction of numerous plant and animal species. As
the rain forests are destroyed, thousands of animal
and plant species are extinguished.
IV. The Growth Machine versus the Earth Con’t
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D. Concern about the world’s severe
environmental problems has produced
a worldwide social movement.
Political parties, such as the green
parties, are formed whose concern is
the environment. Activists in the
environmental movement seek
solutions in education, legislation, and
political activism.
IV. The Growth Machine versus the Earth Con’t
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E. Environmental sociology examines the
relationship between human societies and the
environment. Its basic assumptions include:
(1) the physical environment is a significant variable
in sociological investigation; (2) humans are but one
species among many that are dependent on the
environment; (3) because of intricate feedbacks to
nature, human actions have many unintended
consequences; (4) the world is finite, so there are
potential physical limits to economic growth; (5)
economic expansion requires increased extraction of
resources from the environment; (6) increased
extraction of resources leads to ecological problems;
(7) these ecological problems place restrictions on
economic expansion; and (8) the state creates
environmental problems by trying to create
conditions for the profitable accumulation of capital.
The goal is not to stop environmental problems but
rather to study how humans affect the physical
environment and how that environment affect human
activities.
IV. The Growth Machine versus the Earth Con’t
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F. If we are to have a world that is worth
passing on to the coming generations,
we must seek harmony between
technology and the natural
environment. As a parallel to development
of technologies, we must develop systems
to reduce technology’s harm to the
environment, and mechanisms to enforce
rules for the production, use, and disposal
of technology.
Environmental Problems Paper
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Individually you will research and construct a 3-4 page paper on an
environmental issue/argument.
Paper should be typed,double spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman.
Works cited page (w/at least 3 sources) in MLA format
Topics could include, but not limited to:
– Rainforests/Deforestation
– Endangered Species (general, one, or multiple)
– Wildlife Conservation (national parks, reserves, hunting)
– Acid Rain
– Greenhouse Effect
– Global Warming/Global Climate Change Debate
– Pollution (air, water)
– Depletion of Ozone
– Reliance on Fossil Fuels
– Waste Management(recycling, landfills, toxic waste..etc.)
– Human Overpopulation (food & water shortages, habitat destruction)
– Genetically modified crops and animals
Paper is worth 100 points
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Browse sites related to your topic, jot down information you think will be important to include in
your final product. You may wish to assign individual group members specific tasks.
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As you browse the sites related to your topic, think about the following questions that you will
need to include in your final project presentation:
-What is the problem? How do we know there is a problem (what evidence is there)?
-What causes the problem?
-What are the possible future effects of the problem? How will it effect the world?
-What is being done to solve the problem? Are there laws related to the topic?
-What can an individual do to help?
The following sequence can serve as a guideline, though you are free to organize it in other ways.
Cover Page : Title, names, class, date
Intro to Topic
Explain the topic: What is the problem and why is it a problem (do NOT copy and paste information
from other websites, use your own words.) Include images to help explain your points and to make
your slides more interesting
Explain what can be done (or what is being done) to solve the problem: You may want to include
specific laws and regulations related to your topic here.
What are individuals doing to help? How are individuals helping to solve the problem or promote
awareness.
Conclusion