Chapter 6. Cultural, Social, and Political Changes

What is social change?
Social change is the transfer of

culture and social institutions over
time. Macionis 2012: 565)
Characteristics of social change
1. Social Change happens all the time

2. Social change is sometimes
intentional but is often unplanned.
3. Social change is controversial.
4. Some changes matter more than
others.
(ibid)
1. Social change happens all the
time. Everything in our social
world are subject to change,
although some societies change
faster than others.
(ibid)
2. Social change is sometimes
intentional but is often unplanned.
Today’s high-income societies
generate many kinds of change.
Yet, it would be impossible to
envision all the consequences of
the changes that are set in motion.
For example: telephones, (invented
in 1976) have taken on different
forms and uses over time.
(ibid)
3. Social change is controversial.
Social change brings both good
and bad consequences, and
thus could be welcomed by
some and opposed by others.
(ibid)
4. Some changes matter more than
others. Some changes such as
fashion fads only have passing
significance, while others such
as major medical discoveries
and inventions may change the
world.
Causes of social change
1. Culture and change. There are three
important sources of cultural change.
A. Invention or the creation of something new
by usually putting things together. Inventions
can range from the seemingly complex and
technological objects such as the spacecraft
or even the ligthbulb to the seemingly simple
such as kitchen gadgets like can (opener)
B. Discovery, or finding something that
has existed but previously not
known.
C. Diffusion, or the spread of cultural
attributes from one culture to
another through contact between
different cultural groups. Change
happens as products, people, and
information spread from one society
to another.
2. Conflict and change. Inequality and conflict in
society also produce change. Karl Marx
foresaw that “social conflict arising from
inequality (involving not just class but also
race and gender) would force changes in
every society to improve the lives of working
people. In the Philippines, the rising inequality
and human rights violations during the
Martial Law period caused mass uprisings that
culminated in the 1986 people power
revolution.
3. Ideas and change. Weber, like Marx,

also saw that conflict could bring
about change. However he traced the
roots of most social change to ideas
(Macionis 2012: 566). For example,
Mahatma Gandhi or Jose Rizal had
political ideas that change society.
4. Demographic change. Population patterns
such as population growth, shifts in the
composition of a population, or migration also
play a part in social change. An increasing
population may encourage the development
of new products and services, but it can also
have ecological and social implications such as
the conversion of more agricultural land to
residential subdivision.
A central concept in the study of social
change is modernity. Modernity refers to
social patterns resulting in the
industrialization. These social patterns
were set in motion by the industrial
revolution, that began in Western Europe
in the 1750’s (Macionis 2012: 566).
Related to the discussion of modernity is
modernization, or the process of social
change begun by the industrialization
(Ibid).
For Emile Durkheim, modernization is defined
by an increasing division of labor. The division
of labor refers to the degree to which tasks or
responsibilities are specialized. Durkheim
defines a society according to type of
solidarity. Mechanical solidarity is based on
shared activities and beliefs while organic
solidarity is characterized by specialization
makes people interdependent. As societies
become industrialized, mechanical solidarity is
gradually replaced by organic solidarity .
For Weber, modernity meant replacing
a traditional worldview with a
rational way of thinking
characterized by goal-oriented
calculation and efficiency. He focused
on the dehumanizing effects of
modern rational organization,
especially the bureaucracy which is
the ultimate form of rationalization
(Macionis 2012: 569-570).
Marx saw as modernity as the
triumph of capitalism over
feudalism. Capitalism creates
social conflict, which Marx claimed
would bring about revolutionary
change leading to an egalitarian
socialist society (Macionis 2012:
569-570).
George Ritzer introduces the
concepts of Mcdonaldizaton of
society while Randolf David
explores the Philippine experience
of modernity.
Chain of Changes
Identify things around you that undergo change
and modernity. Specify in the lines below the
objects, things, and events that undergo
change. Use the chain to described the
process of change that took place.
1. _________________
1. Why does changes happen?
2. What will happen in our society
if it will not undergo modernity?
3. What are the positive and
negative effects of our changing
society?
McDonaldization of Society
Ritzer, George
Guide Questions:
1. What are the features of an
increasing rational society, one that
is driven by means-end calculation?
2. What are the dangers of an
increasingly rational world, and how
can we cope with it?
Race to Challenges
Identify the new challenges faced
by human populations in modern
society. Enumerate the changes and
how they adapt to new challenges
that are generally faced by human
populations as enumerated below.
Challenges:
The
new
challe
nges Shopping
Food and Home and and
faced Education Employment
Industry Family Entertainme
huma nt
n
popul
ation
Adaptation:
Questions
1. How did modernity started in the
food business?
2. Why do some people can easily
adapt to changes?
3. Which among these changes do
people find difficult to adapt?
4. How can you be rational in
everything you do?
David Randolph 2002: “Modernity
and the Filipino”
Guide question:
What are the signs of Modernity in
the Philippines?
Shapes of modernization
Role of
education in Value of law
modernizing and Culture
our society Signs of
modernity in
the society
Consum Character traits

ers view Mass media as of an OFW in
of the a means of adapting in
market communication his/her new
1.How is modernity by the different
generations?
2.What are the similarities and
differences? What could be the
reasons for such variations?
Garrett Hardin “The Tragedy of The
Commons”
Guide Questions:
1. What are examples of common own
resources?
2. What Brings about the tragedy of the
commons?
3. What are the ways of avoiding
mismanagement and abuse of the
commons?
Table Completion
Tragedy of Proble Solutio Progra Effect
the
Commons ms ns ms
1.Pollut
ion
2.
Fertility
Decisions
3.Used
of Public
1. Based on the readings who are the
Commons?
2. How you will describe the commons
based on the author’s perspective?
3. Do you believe that the problems
listed above have no technical
problems?
Explain your answer.
New challenges to human adaptation
and social change
1. Global warming and climate change:
Discuss Garrett Hardin’s Tragedy of
the Commons.
2. Transnational migration and
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW):
Discuss F. Landa Jocano’s “Culture
Shock” and Rhacel Pareñas’s,
Mothering from a distance.

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What is social change?

Social change is the transfer of

1. Social Change happens all the time

3. Ideas and change. Weber, like Marx,

Consum Character traits

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