Unit 2 - Social Change Flashcards
Auguste Comte
challenge the idea that ‘society’ is merely a collection of individuals
School of thought: Key Questions
- what holds society together?
- what is society’s natural state?
- how should it best be studied?
Conflict Theory
society is analyzed in terms of conflicts between groups with power, control, privilege, and those without
ex. Bourgeoisis vs Proletariat (industrial revolution)
Methodology of Conflict Theory
explains broad social context, not individual experiences
ex. broad statistical and historical data
Structural Functionalism
- society develops specialized systems to meet needs of all members
ex. socializing individuals, education the young, regulating marriage - institutions that reflect and reinforce common values
ex. religion, education system,health care system - each institution has a function in maintaning the balanced order in society - creates harmony
- individual behavior is governed by laws, rules, social expectations, not personal choice
Methodology of Structural Functionalism
focuses on the structure of society, rather than interpersonal relationships in it
Symbolic Interactionism
theory that focuses on meanings attaches to human interaction, both verbal and non-verbal
- focuses on individualism and one’s own experience
Basic Tenets of Symbolic Interactionism
- study meanings people give to society
* society is a collection of interactions between members
* deals with individuals, their thought process
Symbols
they have meaning defined by society, its culture; symbl can change meaning
Symbols (extras)
- most important symbol used in society is language
- people develop self-image from the way they think others see them
- individuals interpretation of reality is more important than reality
Self-fufiling Prophecy
people seek experiences that reinforce their self-image
* behaving in a way that fits one’s self-concept
Emile Durkheim
founded structural functionalusm and set out to counter Marx’s Conflict view of society
Max Weber
began as a conflict theorist; shifted his ideas, methods of social science
Karl Marx
ideas contained in the Communist Manifesto
The Rise of Science
The world used to turn towards religion for answers and now they turn to science for better answers
The Luddite Movement
group of workers who were getting replaced by machine
* they used the code name “Luddite” to organize nightly attack to attack factories and smash machineries
Marshall McLuhan
communications and philosopher
* focused on role of social media technology in society and social change
* the global village
* the information age
* the medium is the message
Narcissus
- Greek Myth of Narcissus and his beauty
Narcissus falls in love with himself and becomes obsessed wih his beauty - myth’s meaning: dont be obsessed with vanity
- parallels society and technology
* McLuhan thought that the greek myth didnt know it was him, in love with something he didn’t understand, examine - parallels society and technology
McLuhan’s Thoughts
- rejects the idea tha we simply add technology/tools to our society
- technology change us and society
- lesson from Narcissus: need to study those effects, engage with technologies
McLuhan Four Laws of Media
- Enhances
- Reverses
- Retrieves
- Obsolesces
Enhances
“What does the tool build on, extend, enhance?
* technologies are tools
* become an extension of our senses, bodies
ex.
Reverses
how does a technology have unintended consequences?
* technologies can have side-effects even opposite of intentions
ex. now that we have paper to record notes, our memories have less value
Retrieves
What does a technology attempt to bring back from the past?
* the present is a reflection of the past
ex. renaissance art - reaching back to something they thought they had lost
Obsolesces
What does the technology replace, make unnecessary?
* new technologies replace old ones, changes ways of life
Theisis
an idea
z
Antithesis
idea’s opposite
Synthesis
the compromise
