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And in the end…

Architects of Change: Reconstructing Society

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What are some of the sources of change in our society?

Single dramatic event
Cultural and technological innovations
Shifting population size
Environmental pressures
Diffusion from other cultures
Media
Others?

©Pine Forge Press, an imprint of Sage Publications, 2008.

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Major source of change: Technological advancement

Technological change may be one of most accelerated
Computers have become indispensable
Convenience and access to information
Negatives?
Loss of privacy
Blurring of traditional lines between work and home

©Pine Forge Press, an imprint of Sage Publications, 2008.

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Major source of change:�Social Movements

social movement Continuous, large-scale, organized collective action motivated by the desire to enact, stop, or reverse change in some area of society
Types of movements

Reform Movement – define?
Countermovement – define?
Revolutionary Movement- define?

©Pine Forge Press, an imprint of Sage Publications, 2008.

A reform movement attempts to change limited aspects of a society but does not seek to alter or replace major social institutions.

Countermovements are designed to prevent or reverse the changes sought or accomplished by an earlier movement. A countermovement is most likely to emerge when the reform movement against which it is reacting becomes large and effective in pursuing its goals and therefore comes to be seen as a threat to personal and social interests (Chafetz & Dworkin, 1987; Mottl, 1980),

revolutionary movements attempt to overthrow the entire system itself, whether it is the government or the existing social structure, in order to replace it with another (Skocpol, 1979). American Revolution of 1776, the French Revolution of 1789, the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and the Afghan Revolution of 1996 are examples of movements that toppled existing governments and created a new social order.

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Rising Expectations

When conditions at their worst, many solely focused on survival
People more likely to seek social change when living conditions have improved somewhat
Chance for change seems possible

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Sociological Imagination

We re-create society not only through acts of defiance and organized social movements but also through our daily interactions
society is simultaneously a human creation and a phenomenon that exists independently of us, influencing and controlling our private experiences
Through sociology, we can be “aware of the chains that restrict our ‘movements,’ but we also have the tools to break those chains”