SOCI 201 - Introduction to Sociology Lecture Notes PDF

SOCI 201 - Introduction to Sociology Dr. Gbenga Adejare Department of Sociology Faculty of Arts Recap of previous discussions To date, We examined various sociological concepts and theories. We also analyzed three social institutions – family, religion, and education....

SOCI 201 - Introduction to Sociology Dr. Gbenga Adejare Department of Sociology Faculty of Arts Recap of previous discussions To date, We examined various sociological concepts and theories. We also analyzed three social institutions – family, religion, and education. 2 To wrap up…. Our concluding theme “The only constant focuses on SOCIAL CHANGE thing in life is change… you could not step twice into the same river” - Heraclitus 3 Background Society is continually changing So, what is change (in social context)? the adjustments or adaptations made by a group of people in response to a dramatic change experienced in at least one part of their lives Today we see rapid social change, particularly around technology It is important to recognize that as rapid as change is today, it is wrong to think that earlier society was primarily static, sitting still Background cont’d Note that change has: Direction – is it positive or negative? Volume – big or small? Impact/Implications/effects – who or/and what has been affected? CELL PHONES – A Solution or a Problem? Since the inception of cell phones in 1983, a lot has changed in the landscape of human interactions. In terms of how we utilize cell phone and its impacts, reflect on the following: Use of phone in class Dating Family relationships Mental health issues Dining etiquettes Auto crashes Etc.  Five Interpretations of Social Change Social change may be interpreted in different ways. No single model of interpretation is the “right” one all the time Consider the five listed below: 1. Modernism 2. Conservatism 3. Postmodernism 4. Evolution 5. Fashion Modernism Holds that change equals progress, that what is modern or new will automatically be better than the older thing it replaces Views society as advancing along a straight path Example, primitive to more sophisticated Auguste Comte (1798–1857), saw positivism as an aspect of modernism Up to the mid 20th century, modernism entailed belief that science and technology would create a material heaven on Earth Firm belief in political progress Modernism cont’d Social Darwinism posits that societies naturally proceed from simple to complex and only the strongest triumph Herbert Spencer coined the phrase survival of the fittest in his application of Darwinism to societies Lewis Henry Morgan argued societies progress through three distinct stages: savagery, barbarism, civilization Modernism cont’d However, Noam Chomsky has argued that modernism has a narrow vision stating “whatever innovation benefits the dominant class is justifiable on the grounds of progress” Critics of modernism note that science, technology and industry have created as many problems as possible than we need to solve (e.g., pollution and longer work hours) Conservatism Conservative thinkers see social change as potentially more destructive than constructive, especially in emotionally charged areas of life such as family, gender roles, sexuality, and the environment Belief that change is not always for the best and that in fact it is important to make sure some values and customs need to be preserved Social change should not be confused with the political principles of right-wing The belief that civilizations rise and fall in a predictable cycle, also called the cycle of civilization Examples: Greek and Roman Empires Conservatism cont’d Critics of conservatism note that conservatives are apt to use the slippery slope argument Citing one instance of social change as evidence for imminent collapse of entire social order Example: Gay marriage, polygamy and bestiality as evidence of the imminent collapse of social order Further, conservativism tends to project backwards an idealized picture of social life Example: Donald Trump’s vow to “make American great again” Postmodernism Postmodernism as a social theory, relates largely to narrations. Challenges the notion that researchers can speak for people that they study without letting them have a voice Dispute the argument that anyone can talk of progress or decline across all societies Progress/decline for which groups? For example, whose interests serves the defense of “Canadian values” and whose values are Canadian? Technological advancement produces the digital divide, which separates different social classes in terms of access to technology Evolution Evolution is a model of social change in which change is seen as an adaptation to a set of circumstances Survival of the best fit rather than the fittest Example: Guppies colour pattern in Venezuela and changing family patterns or birth rate in Canada Fashion Fashion is a model of social change that promotes change for its own sake Change does not always reflect value change, improvement, or turn for the worse Example, board games and education Tattoos and dreads are other examples of fashionable inventions that model social change Social Change and Sociology in Canada Sociology must change like all disciplines, in a way that involves all five the models. It needs to improve, to get better, in a modernist sense It needs a touch of conservatism to ensure that it does not stray from its original essence. It must constantly have postmodern eyes, using multidimensional perception to look at who has benefitted and who hasn’t from sociology Traditional methods of producing sociological knowledge inadequate to represent minority interests, knowledge and voices, for example Indigenous peoples’ It must adapt and evolve (evolution) It must go with times (fashion) Conclusion Today is an evidence of yesterday that changed. Tomorrow is a proof that today will change. The days after tomorrow provoke us to think of life and things around us as non-constants. What we do with knowledge is more important than the knowledge itself. Sociological imagination is a tool for interrogating our dynamic world. Social change can be enacted through individuals, everyday actions TEDxMileHigh - Bobby Lefebre - Social Worker  So far, THANK YOU!