Chapter 13 - Technology, the Environment, and Social Movements Flashcards
What is Technology?
The application of scientific principles to the improvement of human life.
Technology is often seen as “progress”, and “movement in the right direction, movement forward”
Technology is a double-edged sword
What are the concepts that highlight the unpredictability, and potential dangers associated with technology?
NORMAL ACCIDENT:
- Implies that problems and accidents are inevitable. They are just a “matter of time”
RISK SOCIETY: Beck, used this term to capture the idea about how pervasive technology is, but how its presence covers every dimension of our lives. (Technology is global, it does’t just cover certain cultures)
Who was Nikolai Knodratiev? Technological Determinism
Was a Russian Economist. He was the first social scientist to notice that technologies are invented in CUSTERS; such “waves” result in major economic growth spurts beginning 10 to 20 years later and lasting 25 to 35 years
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First to find out that there seems to be a pattern, that is associated with technology development. Development tends to develop in clusters. such “waves” result in major economic growth spurts beginning 10 to 20 years later and lasting 25 to 35 years. Every 40-60 years, we experience this.
TECHNOLOGICAL DETERMINISM: technology is the driving force shaping society and shaping history. Technology is DETERMINISTIC, it determines the shape and the direction that society takes.
Economic growth, that occurs after technological growth, only occurs in the right conditions.
Steam engine: commonly believed that it was invented during the indus. Revolution, however it was invented before, but it emerged in popularity during the industrial revolution because there was a larger need for it.
Technolgoy and society thuse influence each other
Who has the biggest interest in technology?
Military and profit-making motives have the largest interest in technology. For business it can generate more money, and for military it can bring more power.
What is Environmental Degradation?
Environmental degradation is the side effect of technology that is most troublesome for many
Environmental Problems as Social Issues
Environmental problems do not spontaneously become social issues; rather, they must be constructed and even then they are highly contested phenomena; ultimately, environmental issues become social problems only when social, political, and scientific circumstances allow them to be defined as such
Environmental Racism
Refers to the tendency to heap environmental dangers on the disadvantaged, and especially on disadvantaged racial minorities
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Ex.
Environmental problems do not necessarily always become “social issues”
DENE EXPOSED TO THE RADIUM IN PORT RADIUM, CANADA
- The Canadian gov. recruited them to carry these bags of uranium.
- The government was aware of the dangers of uranium, but did not take any safety and preventative measures
- They were eating fish from contaminated waters etc.
- The Dene were a very healthy population before this, with life expectancy in the 90’s. But after this, we saw a huge decrease in life expectancy
- Young death as a result cancer are more common now
THE SYDNEY TAR PONDS
- This community has the highest cancer rates than any other community in Canada
- This community didn’t’t just have higher cancer rates, they had higher skin problems, birth defects
- There was a full 30 years of knowing of what the problems were, then they finally cleaned it up 30 years later…
POLLUTION IN BEIJING
- Western industries tend to go into these countries because they can exploit the workers, but they have a lack of environmental laws. This allows them to make huge profits in return
The US has 4.5% percent of the worlds population, and are responsible for 25% of the worlds resources
While some believe that the market and high technology will solve environmental crisis, what are the THREE FACTORS that suggest that market forces and technological fixes cannot solve environmental problems on their own?
- IMPERFECT PRICE SIGNALS:
Price of gas has generally been around a dollar a liter. BUT if you factor in the SOCIAL COSTS (Causes to the environment), it is world easily 2 to 3x what we pay.
If we pay 2-3 bucks a liter, we would think twice about purchasing gas
- THE SLOW PACE OF SOCIAL CHANGE:
LAGS BEHIND technological change
Many argue that we aren’t doing enough, fast enough.
Some argue that we are past the point of no return (Damage is already done)
- THE IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL PRESSURE:
Change is unlikely without pressure on politics
Politicians prefer to stay in the status quo as long as they can get away it
But when the public demands changes, that’s when things start to be put to action
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Some believe that technology will solve our environmental problems for us
- There have been some successes
- Got rid of lead in gas
- Solar energy
- We recycle
- However, many feel that it is not enough. The drive for profit will prevent this
A more effective (though perhaps unrealistic) alternative would involve what?
- People cooperating to seriously reduce their over-consumption
- People paying more for commodities (to include the “social cost”)
- People paying more and higher taxes
Collective Action
Occurs when people act in unison to bring about or resist social, political, or economic change; collective action can develop into a social movement – an enduring collective attempt to change or resist change to all or part of society by establishing organizations, lobbies, unions, and political parties
Breakdown theory
Presents a functionalist interpretation of how social movements form; essentially, two conditions must be met:
- SOCIAL MARGINALITY:
- People are on the margins of society, and are therefore motivated to fight for something in order to make their lives better - STRAIN (RELATIVE DEPRIVATION):
- People have to experience an element of strain, relative deprivation
- They see what others have, and want more, because they feel they deserve more, and are willing to fight for it.
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Breakdown theory has its cons. The leaders in society are actually not on the margins, but are very well integrated into society.
Just because people are feeling deprived, doesn’t’t mean that they are going to take the next step for a social movement.
Solidarity Theory
Solidarity theory, as an example of conflict theory, argues that social movements are organizations that emerge when potential members can:
- MOBILIZE RESOURCES:
- In order to launce a social movement, you need to have the resources to do that. You need people, you need numbers. You need to be organized, you need to have a plan. You need a way to get the message out there. - TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NEW POLITICAL OPPORTUNITIES
- You have to cease power, take control when the
opportunity is present - Its not just your power, it is the power of your opponents too. When they become weaker, that is an opportunity to take that power.
- Governments are not so fond of social movements, because they are usually pushing for social movements. Governments do not like to make changes that they do not like
- Sometimes they might offer the group leaders concession, or they would sometimes to coerce leaders to join their sides. However, if they can avoid this, it increases the likelihood of them being successful.
3. AVOID HIGH LEVELS OF SOCIAL CONTROL BY AUTHORITIES
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While solidarity theory does overcome some of the weaknesses in breakdown theory, it cannot account for all social movement formation (or lack thereof)
Framing Theory
(from a symbolic interactionist perspective) argues that frame alignment is necessary for a movement to form:
- The process by which individual interests, beliefs, and values become congruent and complementary with the activities, goals, and ideology of a social movement
Framing alignment can be encouraged in several ways?
- By leaders reaching out to other organizations
- By activists stressing popular values and elevating positive beliefs regarding the movement
- By stretching their objectives and activities
In the 1960’s, social movements began to undergo changes in terms of what?
- Establishing broader goals
- Attracting membership from highly educated, relatively well-to-do individuals
- Increasing the scope of protest beyond the national level
