SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIAL

CHANGE

(COURSE CODE: SOCI2071)

Instructor : Shalom G.
Hawassa University
2025
 CHAPTER 1

 Defining the concept of Social change

 Characteristics and nature of social
change
 Causes of social change
 Scholars explanation for social change
 INTRODUCTION
 Society is a web of social relations and
hence social change obviously means
a change in the system of social
relationships.
 Social relationships are understood in terms
of social processes, social interactions and
social organizations. Thus, the term social
change is used to describe variations in
social interaction, social processes and
social organizations.
 Social processes are certain repetitive,
continuous forms of patterns in the social
systems that occur as individuals, groups,
 Social process have three important
aspects: social stratification, social mobility
and social change.
 Social processes manifest themselves
through 5 modes: competition, conflict,
cooperation, accommodation and
assimilation.
The term social change is used to indicate
the change that take place in human
interactions and interrelations.
 whereas Change is any alteration, difference

or modification that takes place in a

situation or in an object through time to
time.
 CONT’D….

Social change is the change in the social

structure and functions of a social system, or in
the pattern of action and interaction in
societies.
 Alterations may occur in norms, values, cultural

products and symbols in a society, Institutions,

patterns of interaction, work, leisure activities,
roles, and other aspects of society.
 Social change can also be defined as the

alteration, rearrangement or total

replacement of phenomena, activities,
values or processes through time in a
society.
Some minor changes that take place in the lives of
individuals and small, limited groups may not be
regarded as social change, although these kind of
changes may be the manifestations or effects
of changes that are taking place at larger scale.

Changes in society are related /linked to changes in

culture
 Changes in the material and non- material

contents of a culture also may not be regarded as

social changes. However, it is very difficult to
separate social changes from cultural change.
Because the two are usually interdependent,
social change may usually introduce cultural
changes, and vice versa.
 CONT’D….
 M. E. Jones, “Social change is a term used to describe
variations in, or modifications of, any aspect of social
processes, social patterns, social interactions, or social
organizations.”
 Manjumdar, “Social change may also be defined as a new
fashion or mode, either modifying or replacing the old, in
the life of the people, or in the operation of society.”

 MacIver and Page, “Social change refers to a process

responsive to many types of changes, to changes in the
manmade conditions of life, to changes in the attitudes and
beliefs of men, and to the changes that go beyond the
human control to the biological and the physical nature of
things.”

Thus, the term social change is used to describe

variations in social interaction, social processes
and social organizations in/of a society.
 THE NATURE OF SOCIAL
CHANGE
Reading assignment
 Is social change evitable?,… is there a
society or social relationship that is not
changed?....

 Does everyone/ everything changes at

the same time due to social change?
Some of the Basic characteristics of social change are:-
 Social change occurs all the time: Its process may be

unnoticeable and can be cumulative, i.e., one may not

easily perceive the processes of social change, although it
is always taking place.
 There is no society that is static and unchanging: All

societies are subjected to social change. social change is a

universal phenomenon (it is everywhere and anywhere). It
is spread both over time and space.
 Change occurs both at micro-level and macro level:

The point here is that while social change often refers to

noticeable changes in social phenomena, we must not lose
sight of the fact that small changes in minor relationships
can also be significant.
 Social change is contagious: The influence of change in

one area can have an impact on other related areas, like

infectious diseases.
 Social change has a rate; it can be rapid or slow.
 CAUSES/ SOURCES OF SOCIAL CHANGE

 Four common causes, as recognized by social

scientists, are technology, social institutions,
population, and the environment.
 All four of these areas can impact when and how

society changes. And they are all interrelated: a

change in one area can lead to changes throughout.
1. Technology

Some would say that improving technology has made

our lives easier. Imagine what your day would be like
without the internet, mobile phone, the automobile,
or electricity…
Friedman (2005) argues that technology is a driving
force behind globalization; with its distinct occurrence
periods:-
 First, globalization was driven by military from 15th
century to around the year 1800
 Second: from approximately 1800 to 2000 ., consisted of
a globalizing economy.
 Finally, post-millennial era: In this period of globalization,
change is driven by technology, particularly the internet.

 Technology can create change in the other three forces:

 Advances in medical technology increase in
population size
 Advances in agricultural technology changes in
environment…

Currently, Internet technology is leading to the

globalization of culture and ideas and increasing
the speed of social change.
It is also a valuable tool for social change organizations.
 CAUSES…CONT’D…
2. Social Institution:
Each change in a single social institution leads to
changes in all social institutions.
Ex. The industrialization of society
 Results in Changes family size and structure

 Changed the way we view government

involvement in the private sector and provided
new political platforms,
 Encourage spread of new religions and new forms

of religious worship
 Informed the way we educate our children,

Thus, a shift in one area has an interconnected impact

across social institutions.
 CAUSES…CONT’D…
3. Population
 Population composition is changing at every level

of society, Births increase in one nation and

decrease in another…
 Population changes can be due to random external

forces, like an epidemic, or shifts in other social

institutions.
But regardless of why and how it happens, population
trends to have a tremendous interrelated impact on
all other aspects of society.
Change occurs from an increase in the population or
human migration between the areas

On a macro level, the increased population leads to

increased stress on the planet’s resources.
 CAUSES…CONT’D…
4. Environment
Turning to human ecology, we know that individuals
and the environment affect each other.
As human populations move into more vulnerable
areas, we see an increase in the number of
people affected by natural disasters, and we see
that human interaction with the environment
increases the impact of those disasters.

Change can be through the impact of environmental

factors such as drought and famine.
 The degree of natural disasters between different

countries and regions also lead the different social

changes between the countries.
MODERNIZATION
 Is the processes that increase the amount
of specialization and differentiation of
structure in societies resulting in the move
from an undeveloped society to developed,
technologically driven society.
 Modernization is a typical result of social
change.

 The level of modernity within a society is

judged by the sophistication of its
technology, particularly as it relates to
infrastructure, industry, and the like.
 Reading assignment

 Why do we assume that those living in

semi-peripheral and peripheral nations
would find it so wonderful to become more
like the core nations?

 Is modernization always positive?

 Additional causes for social
change
 Culture

 Conflict

 Idealistfactor
 Social movement

 Values and ethics

 Religion

 Planned change
CHANGE IN THE EYES OF EARLY SCHOLARS
 Hegelian: The classic Hegelian dialectic model of
change is based on the interaction of opposing forces.
Thesis countered by Antithesis first yields conflict, then it subsequently results in
a new Synthesis.
 Marxist: Marxism presents a dialectical and materialist
concept of history, seeing humankind's history as a
fundamental "struggle between social classes
 Four Levels of Action: Will Grant of the Pachamama
Alliance describes "Four Levels of Action" for change:
 individual
 friends and family
 community and institutions
 economy and policy
 Grant suggests that individuals can have the largest
personal impact by focusing on levels 2 and3
TBC…