Social Change: American Society

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Social Change

What is social change? Social Change from a sociological perspective refers to the alteration/transformation of the nature of social institutions, its structures, the way it's' members behave or relate. Social Change is not the equivalent of social development although social development could be argued as an indicator of social change. Social change can also refer to an event or phenomenon that alters/transforms the behaviours/reactions or manner or a social group of shared values/identity; although subjectively it could also be argued to mean acts of advocacy that causes positive transformations/alterations in society. There are various theories that can explain social change. 6 are always debated or cited when explaining social change. From a religious point of view there is the theory of degeneration or social decline, when man falls from Grace --- a theory used by theologists. Evolutionary theories including Darwinism --- the survival of the fittest, argues that change happens because human evolution dictates it. Historical materialism, proposed by Karl Marx combines a thorough study of history, economics & society; an explanatory system that looks for causes of developments/change. The theory of social progress looking at history as linear and geared towards development, building on the progress of each generation. Social Cycles or Historical cycles, a pattern of growth and decline of societies looking at social change as phases enclosed in cycles. Sociobiology,a neo-darwinistic study that draws from sociology, anthropology, biology & other sociological and evolutionary studies to explain social behaviour across known species. In recent social science debates, Thomas Kuhn's idea on paradigm shifts to explain social phenomenon has attracted many social scientists to use his ideas in explaining social change, or at least as a signifier for the need to 'transform' or find an alternative at current practices that has reached 'critical mass', that is --- inapplicability in terms of ideas, inappropriate social systems in social structures. One of the best examples to explain paradigm shift idea-wise is referring to the 'shift' from linear or Newtonian Physics to Quantum Physics. Prior to Einstein's Theory of Relativity, the norm equations used in Physics and math are Newtonian with the most complicated equations only able to explain at maximum capacity gravity and electricity, not Black holes and the speed of light. E=mc2 has changed all that signifying a leading a social change in the manner in which we live in its varied technological and social adaptation.

Social Change in the US Society of the last 50 years

Social change applies across society in varied concerns, of varied natures. Some are political, religious, scientific, economic and cultural. The nature of society is that it is dynamic and norms are very contextual. Truth and knowledge from a social viewpoint is situated socially and historically, this means that what is true to us today will not necessarily be accepted as true in the next few years. I believe however that one of the most significant change in the last 50 years was the establishment of Civil Rights and Social Equality as legal and inalienable. As a social movement it had its roots in the Civil Rights Movement of the 50's and the 60's through the struggle of minority rights groups - women, Native American and other ethnicities but most especially through the struggle of African-American and the coloured-people's movements and ...