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    Chapter 2

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    Dipendra kunwar
    Social change is the transformation of culture and social organization over time. There are several theories that attempt to explain social change, including linear, cyclic, and contemporary theories. Linear theory proposes that society advances in a linear direction towards improvement, while cyclic theory suggests that societies go through recurring cycles of birth, growth, decline, and rebirth. Contemporary theory, such as Marxism, views social change as determined by economic and material forces rather than human consciousness. Key factors that cause social and cultural changes include environmental resources, technology, population changes, isolation/contact with other groups, needs and values of society, social movements and leadership, and cultural innovations. Social integration aims to promote equality, equity, and dignity by recognizing diversity, ensuring representation

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    Chapter 2

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    Dipendra kunwar
    23 views5 pages
    Social change is the transformation of culture and social organization over time. There are several theories that attempt to explain social change, including linear, cyclic, and contemporary theories. Linear theory proposes that society advances in a linear direction towards improvement, while cyclic theory suggests that societies go through recurring cycles of birth, growth, decline, and rebirth. Contemporary theory, such as Marxism, views social change as determined by economic and material forces rather than human consciousness. Key factors that cause social and cultural changes include environmental resources, technology, population changes, isolation/contact with other groups, needs and values of society, social movements and leadership, and cultural innovations. Social integration aims to promote equality, equity, and dignity by recognizing diversity, ensuring representation

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    Social change is the transformation of culture and social organization over time. There are several theories that attempt to explain social change, including linear, cyclic, and contemporary theories. Linear theory proposes that society advances in a linear direction towards improvement, while cyclic theory suggests that societies go through recurring cycles of birth, growth, decline, and rebirth. Contemporary theory, such as Marxism, views social change as determined by economic and material forces rather than human consciousness. Key factors that cause social and cultural changes include environmental resources, technology, population changes, isolation/contact with other groups, needs and values of society, social movements and leadership, and cultural innovations. Social integration aims to promote equality, equity, and dignity by recognizing diversity, ensuring representation

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    23 views5 pages

    Chapter 2

    Uploaded by

    Dipendra kunwar
    Social change is the transformation of culture and social organization over time. There are several theories that attempt to explain social change, including linear, cyclic, and contemporary theories. Linear theory proposes that society advances in a linear direction towards improvement, while cyclic theory suggests that societies go through recurring cycles of birth, growth, decline, and rebirth. Contemporary theory, such as Marxism, views social change as determined by economic and material forces rather than human consciousness. Key factors that cause social and cultural changes include environmental resources, technology, population changes, isolation/contact with other groups, needs and values of society, social movements and leadership, and cultural innovations. Social integration aims to promote equality, equity, and dignity by recognizing diversity, ensuring representation

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    of 5

    2.

    1 INTRODUCTION
    Social change is the transformation (ऩररवर्तन) of culture and social organisation/structure

    (सामाजिकसंरचना) over time. In the modern world we are aware that society is never static (जथिर),

    and that social, political, economic and cultural changes occur constantly. There are a whole
    range of classic theories and research methods available within sociology for the study of social
    change.
    (Social structure, in sociology, the distinctive, stable arrangement of institutions (संथिा)

    whereby human beings in a society interact and live together.)

    Mazumdar, H. T. “Social change may be defined as a new fashion or mode, either modifying or
    replacing the old, in the life of a people, or in the operation of a society.”

    There are four main characteristics of social change(Macionis 1996): -


    1)It happens everywhere, but the rate of change varies from place to place.
    For example, the United States would experience faster change, than a third world country that
    has limited access to technology and information.
    2) Social change is sometimes intentional but often unplanned.
    For example, when the airplane was invented people knew that this would increase and speed
    travel. However, it was probably not realisedhow this invention would affect society in the
    future. Families are spread through out the country, because it is easier to return for visits.
    Companies are able to expand worldwide thanks to air travel. The numerous crashes and deaths
    related to airplanes was not predicted either.
    3) Social change often generates controversy.
    For example, the move over the recent years to accept homosexual rights has caused controversy
    involving the military, religion, and society overall.
    4) Some changes matter more than others do.
    For example, the invention of personal computers was more important than Cabbage Patch dolls.
    2.2Different theories of Social Change

    Linear (line) Theory:


    Some thinkers subscribe to the linear theory of social change. According to them, society
    gradually moves to an even higher state of civilization and that it advances in a linear fashion
    and in the direction of improvement.Auguste Comte postulated three stages of social change: the
    Theological, the Metaphysical and the Positive.

    Man has passed through the first two stages, even though in some aspects of life they still
    prevail, and is gradually reaching the Positive stage. In the first stage man believed that
    supernatural powers controlled and designed the world. In the second stage is the extension of
    Theological stage For example: In Classical Hindu Indian society the principle of the
    transmigration of the soul and the third stage is also known as scientific stage. It refers to
    scientific explanation based on experiments.

    Cyclic Theory:
    Ancient notion (opinion) of social change is that human society goes through certain cycles.
    Looking to the cyclic changes of days and nights and of climates some sociologists like Spengler
    believe that society has a predetermined (fixed) life cycle and has birth, growth, maturity, and
    decline.

    Modern society is in the last stage. It is in its old age. But since history repeats itself, society
    after passing through all the stages, returns to the original stage, hence the cycle again begins.
    This concept is found in Hindu mythology, according to which Satyug will again start after
    Kaliyug is over

    Spengler developed another version of cyclical theory of social change. He analysed the history
    of various civilizations including the Egyptian, Greek and Roman and concluded that all
    civilizations pass through a similar cycle of birth, maturity and death. The western civilization is
    now on its decline which is unavoidable.The French anthropologist and biologist Vacher de
    Lapouge , according to him, western civilization is doomed (फफातद) to extinction because of the

    constant infiltration of foreign inferior elements and their increasing control over it.
    Contemporary Theory

    The deterministic theory of social change is a widely accepted theory of social change among
    contemporary sociologists. According to this theory there are certain forces, social or natural or
    both, which bring about social change. It is not reason or intellect (intelligence) but the presence
    of certain forces and circumstances (condition) which determine the course (path) of social
    change.

    Briefly put Marx held that human society passes through various stages, each with its own well-
    defined organisational system. Each successive stage comes into existence as a result of conflict
    with the one preceding it. Change from one stage to another is due to changes in the economic
    factors, namely, the methods of production and distribution.

    The material forces of production are subject to change, and thus a rift (gap) arises between the
    underlying (original) factors and the relationships built upon them. A change in the material
    conditions of life brings changes in all social institutions, such as state, religion and family.

    It is not the consciousness (awareness) of man that determines their existence, but on the
    contrary, their social existence determines their consciousness.” Thus the economic factor is a
    primary one in society, for all social phases of life are dependent upon it and are almost entirely
    determined by it.

    2.3 The following are factors that cause social and cultural changes in society:

    1. Environmental Resources-Exploitation of natural resources from the physical


    environment e.g. Crude oil exploration and associated socio-cultural changes in the Niger
    Delta region of Nigeria.
    2. Technology -Technology used in exploitation of the natural environment shapes culture
    and society e.g. internet technology has become part of the social structure of modern
    society
    3. Population -Changes in population as a result of interplay of birth, death and migration
    forces engender (cause) social and cultural changes in society e.g. the quest (खोि) for
    smaller family size in contemporary Nigeria due to fear of population explosion and
    harsh (tough) economic realities.
    4. Isolation and Contact – A society that is isolated from other societies may have a slow
    rate of change unlike another that has contact with the outside world which may witness
    rapid changes.
    5. People’s Needs- A lacking need in society may cause uprising of the masses in demand
    for the provision of such needs. This could be need for social amenities (सवझ वधहरु),

    equality, social justice (सामजिक न्याय) etc.

    6. Social Movements, Leadership and Ideology (बफचारधारा) - Social Movements with

    strong Ideology and workable leadership may mobilize the masses and bring about
    expected changes in society e.g. several civil society groups and pressure groups. (A
    pressure group is an organization that seeks to influence elected officials to take action or
    make a change on a specific issue. These groups include trade unions, associations)
    7. Attitudes and Values- The attitudes and values of members of society concerning a
    change may facilitate or hinder (hamper) such change. A tradition bound attitude will
    always hinder social changes.
    8. Cultural Base – A society with viable (capable of growing or developing) cultural base
    as reflected in its level of technological discoveries and innovations would generate
    several socio-cultural changes within the society.
    2.4 Social integration (bringing together)

    Social integration is defined here as the process of promoting the values, relations and
    institutions that enable all people to participate in social, economic and political life on the basis
    of equality of rights (अधधकार), equity (justice) and dignity (गौरफ, गररमा). This definition excludes

    process of social integration based on force or that attempt to impose (force) unitary (एकात्मक)

    identities on reluctant (अनझछिक्क) populations. Promoting social integration requires attention to

    three different, but inter-linked, processes that shape the extent to which people are able to live
    and work together on an equal basis:

    Recognition (मान्यर्ा) of diverse social groups, cultures and identity in order to promote respect,

    dignity (गौरव) and co-operation.

    Representation (प्रर्ीनीधधत्य) of political voice in order to ensure that the interests of different

    groups are taken into account in decision-making and resource allocation. (फााँडपााँड)

    Redistribution(ऩझनववतर्रण)of socio-economic resources between individuals and groups in order

    to prevent deep disparities and fragmentation on the basis of wealth, ethnicity, region, gender,
    age or other social identity.

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