Theories of social change (1 Viewer)

[Gnomes1kenobi]

hey im looking for some good info on evolutionary social change.


does any one have any?

p.s what is everyone doing for their focus country thingy in cont and change?
im doing Papua New Guinea

 

[gloria*]

nuh i just make that shit up
can't decide (as yet, anyway) between Vietnam or Japan or hell, Chechnya.

 

[Survivor39]

I am doing the Functionalist Theory. BUT i don't know how to apply this theory to continiuty in a country. I only know how to apply it to aspects of Change.

Please Help.

 

[spin spin sugar]

just use the textbook, it has everything you need

 

[spin spin sugar]

Originally posted by Survivor39
I am doing the Functionalist Theory. BUT i don't know how to apply this theory to continiuty in a country. I only know how to apply it to aspects of Change.

Please Help.

well the issue is change WITHIN a country, right?

you're seeking to explain why a particular change has occured in a particular country through the application of functionalist theory (is that the emile durkhein one? fuck i think i got that very wrong)
anyway from what i can remember, the textbook cites Doi Moi as an example you could use for applying functionalist theory to vietnam.

doi moi was the opening of vietnam to the world trade market

from a functionalist perspective it occurred because the old economy was not working/functioning properly > a consensus was made that the system needed to be changed > thus doi moi was introduced/accepted within society as it was more functional

i hope that helps somewhat

 

[Bon******]

im doing evolutionary theory, but have always learnt its as stage 1. early evolutionary ie from darwinian theory, linear, all change is progress, hunter gatherer to agrarian to industrial, thus industrial is the goal, simple society to complex. then stage 2. modern evolutionary theory, multi linear progression, change is not necessarily progress, industrial is not be all and end all.
now a new teacher tells me you're only supposed to use modern? like i know early is outdated and modern developed cos of this but thought 'evolutionary' theory involved application of both? anyone have any ideas on this?


focus study family and population changes in China

 

[leeshleesh]

im doing papua new guini and the structuralists theory

 

[spin spin sugar]

Originally posted by Bon******
im doing evolutionary theory, but have always learnt its as stage 1. early evolutionary ie from darwinian theory, linear, all change is progress, hunter gatherer to agrarian to industrial, thus industrial is the goal, simple society to complex. then stage 2. modern evolutionary theory, multi linear progression, change is not necessarily progress, industrial is not be all and end all.
now a new teacher tells me you're only supposed to use modern? like i know early is outdated and modern developed cos of this but thought 'evolutionary' theory involved application of both? anyone have any ideas on this?


focus study family and population changes in China

i'd agree with you that it is both.. otherwise the textbook wouldn't say both.. the head marker of s&c wrote the textbook.. trust what it says

 

[glitter burns]

I'm doing conflict-structuralism or whatever it's called and Brazil

 

[young_gurl]

yeah im doing evolutionary theory u have to discuss both because its shows ur understanding how the concepts have changed over time...! Also they might not always ask you about how things change but also how things remain the same...which i think is the hardest part...!

 

[Bon******]

hmmm ok lemme think a moment...

ok ok so would you firstly discuss the theories ie. early and mod, then relate them both to your focus? or would you say...early ev theory used to be used explain change and cont but changes in value systems (or something) or effects of globalisation maybe (?) have resulted in the more effective use of modern ev theory to understand change and cont and predict it into the future...???

you know when you were so sure of something then one little person says something that completely tips your understanding on its head? bugger!!!

 

[young_gurl]

either way is fine! So long as you show both understandings!

 

[Survivor39]

But spin spin sugar, the text book only apply the theory to doi moi, which is a change, what about continuity?

 

[Bon******]

i just had an emergency learn everything the night before class with my teacher and she's still sticking to just using modern ev theory. i think maybe i might just fleetingly mention early ev theory in context as a comparison to today so my arse i covered but not waste precious seconds explaining it too much. whatever yknow what its so late so f it

 

[spin spin sugar]

Originally posted by Survivor39
But spin spin sugar, the text book only apply the theory to doi moi, which is a change, what about continuity?

thats okay. there are no 'theories of continuity'. the whole point is that they are theories of CHANGE. for continuity, just refer to traditions etc, beliefs, maybe your own guesses at why there are particular continuities in whatever society.

Originally posted by Bon******
i just had an emergency learn everything the night before class with my teacher and she's still sticking to just using modern ev theory. i think maybe i might just fleetingly mention early ev theory in context as a comparison to today so my arse i covered but not waste precious seconds explaining it too much. whatever yknow what its so late so f it

maybe you could say something like 'although evolutionary theory used to be unilinear and essentially more constricting, it's modern form has a different approach...' blah blahblah, add examples from your country etc there. just a tiny little phrase, almost as a disclaimer incase you get a shithead marker.

 

[young_gurl]

errrm its a bit late but here..
Introducing theories of social and cultural change and evaluating their role in explaining continuities and changes in society

Functionalist theories- Emile Derkhein suggests there is gradual change due to one part of a institution which causes others to change. It is based on the concept that society is essentially ordered and changes come about through consensus. All parts of society have institutions and when one is disturbed the others must follow. Uses the organ analogy.

Conflict theory- Karl Marx- the poor factory workers proletarian will rise against the big factory owners bourgeoisies creating socialism.

Evolutionary theory- Charles Darwin that social change is ordered and progressive in a uni-linear form. However it has been discovered that social change can be multi-linear. People start off as hunters, agrarian industrial and post industrial. Change occurs in many different ways and does not always progress with the same exact course direction or speed in every society

 

[young_gurl]

now these are the theories in relation to continuity
Evolutionary theory: there may be continuities in using primitive methods of production in Vietnam because modern evolutionary theory explains that change happens at different rates in different places. Country areas lose contact with evolutionary changes in the city which happens at a faster rate because they are more exposed to outside cultures

Structural functionalism: If an institution is serving its functions and there is a consensus that this is the case, there will be no change. This explains why there has been continuity in the one party state in Vietnam. Vietnamese people are socialized into thinking that they should be loyal to the party. Other intuitions accommodate the communist party and work towards its continuity e.g. education family values

Conflict Theory: People with power use socialization, education and ideology to maintain their power and thereby achieve continuity in society e.g. French stayed in power a long time and used education to teach them French and French ideology. There is continuity in French culture because they were one group with power in Vietnam