APSY101: SOCIOLOGY

Lecture-05
Topic: Social Change
Instructor: Muhammad Adeel Irshad
Email: adeelsociologist@lgu.edu.pk
Lahore Garrison University, Lahore
 Social Change
 Society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary
means.
 Alteration of social structure of a social group a society.

 Notion of social progress and socio-cultural evolution.

 Paradigmatic change in socio economic structure:

– Also refers to social revolution, communist revolution in
Marxism, women’s suffrage or civil rights movement
 It may be driven by cultural, religious, economic,
scientific or technological forces.
 Characteristics Social Change
 Continuous

 Temporary

 Environmental

 May create chain reactions

 May be planned or unplanned

 Collective actions

 Oriented towards social change

 Ideology behind movement

 Organizational framework
 Prominent Theories of Social Change
 Hegelian: Change is based on the interaction of
opposing forces.

 Marxist: Presents materialistic concept.

 Kuhnian: The paradigm is not functioning properly until

a better one can be presented.

 Daoist: The metaphor of water as the ideal agent of

change. Water although soft and yielding will eventually
wear away stone.
 Social Movement
 German sociologist Lorenz Von Stein says;
“History of French Social Movement from 1789 to Present
(1850).”
 Early growth of social movement was connected to
broad economic and political changes including
parlimentalization, market capitalization,
proletarianization.
 Political movements evolved in late 18th century.

 First documented social movements are French

Revolution and Polish Constitution May 3, 1791.
 Social Movement
 Late 19th century movements: labor movement
and socialist movements leading to formation of
communist and social democratic parties and
organizations.
 After the Second World War, Women’s right, Gay
rights, peace, civil rights, anti-nuclear and
environmental movement emerged.
 In the end of 1990s, the emergence of new global
social movement, the anti-globalization movement
 Some social movement scholars posit with the rapid
pace of globalization, Global Citizens Movement is
termed.
 Types of Social Movements
On the basis of scope:
–Reform and Radical movements
On the basis of change:
–Innovation and Conservative movements
On the basis of targets:
–Group focused and Individual focused
movements
 Types of Social Movements
On the basis of methods:
–Peaceful and Violent movements
On the basis of old and new:
–Old and New movements
On the basis of range:
–Local and Global movements
 Stages of Social Movements
 The preliminary stage
 Confused and scattered

 The popular stage

 Charismatic leaders

 The formal organization

 Plan, programs and alliances

 Institutionalization

 Starts leading

 Dissolution stage

 Changed and complete organization

 Conditions of Social Movements
 Individuals must experience common issues which
are threat for society.
 The reactions for issues must be a strong
emotional dissatisfaction.
 Personal values must be there.