SOCITIEY

 The word society may also refer to an

organized voluntary association of people
for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific,
political, patriotic, or other purpose.
 The English word "society" emerged in the
15th century and is derived from the
French société. The French word, in turn,
had its origin in the Latin societas, a
"friendly association with others,"
Elements of Society
 Likeness: Likeness is an essential pre-
requisite of society, as MacIver says,
“Society means likeness”. The sense of
likeness was focused in early society on
kinship (real or supposed blood
relationship). In modern societies the
conditions of social likeness have
broadened out in the principle of
nationality.
 Society is abstract: Society
embodies the social relationship
among the individuals. It means that it
is not something which can be seen,
observed, touched or scented, but an
abstract feeling which cements the
fellow human beings with one
another.
 A permanent organization: Society is
different from the temporary gatherings of
the people or the crowd. It is a coherent
organization. It is permanent. Society is not
born with any temporary objective to achieve
but its existence will remain till this planet is
inhabited by the human beings. It is a kind of
natural organization which has emerged out
of the natural instincts of human beings.
 Difference: Society also implies difference
and it depends on difference as much as on
likeness. A society based exclusively on
likeness and uniformity is bound to be loose
in social ties. All our social systems involve
relationship in which differences
complement one another, e.g. family rests
upon the biological differences between the
sexes.
 Interdependence: Interdependence is another
essential element to constitute society. Family,
is based on the biological interdependence of
the sexes. Today not only countries but also the
continents depend upon one another. This
interdependence is both extensive and
intensive, with the growth of of the area of
interdependence, its forms also multiply
manifold. The UNO testify to the growing
interdependence of the people of the world.
 Cooperation: Cooperation is also
essential to constitute society. Without
cooperation no society can exist.
Unless people cooperate with each
other, they cannot live a happy life.
 Sociability: Man cannot live without society.
Centuries ago Aristotle rightly said that man is
essentially a social animal. An individual cannot
construct society, because such society does not
posses all those qualities necessary for a real
society. A single individual living in a remote
place will not know about right and wrong, just
and unjust, proper and improper. Such man will
be awy from various human feelings like
sympathy, obligations etc. Thus sociability is
highly essential for the construction of society.
Characteristics of society
 Social networks: A social network is a
social structure made of individuals that
are tied by one or more specific types of
interdependency, such as values, visions,
ideas, financial exchange, friendship,
kinship, dislike, conflict or trade.
 Criteria for membership, and
 Characteristic patterns of organization
Theories about the Origin of
Society
 Divine origin theory
 Force theory
 Blood relation theory (Patriarchal/
Matriarchal)
 Social contract theory (Hobbes/ Locke/
Rousseau)
 Evolutionary theory
Evolution of society
 hunters and gatherers
 Pastoral
 Horticultural
 Agricultural
 Industrial
 Post-industrial
Hunting and gathering
societies
 Hunting and gathering society is one relying for
its subsistence on such wild animals and
vegetation as its members can hunt or gather .
 Hunting and gathering societies usually consist of
very small, scattered groups. The groups are
based on kinship, with most members being
related by ancestry or marriage.
 Family is almost the only distinct institution in
these societies.
Pastoral societies
 A pastoral society is one relying for its
subsistence primarily on domesticated herd
animals.
 Many pastoral societies still exist in the
modern world, particularly in Africa, Cetral
Asia and the Middle East.
 Pastoralism is a much more reliable and
productive strategy than hunting and
gathering. As a result societies can grow
much larger.
Horticultural Societies
 A horticultural society is one relying for its
subsistence primarily on the hoe cultivation of
domesticated plants.
 Unlike pastoralists, they live a relatively
settled life, although they must periodically
move their gardens or villages short distances.
 Many horticulture societies still exist in Africa,
Asia, South America, and Australia.
Agricultural societies
 An agricultural society rely for its subsistence
primarily on the cultivation of crops through
the use of plows and draft animals.
 The same land can be cultivated almost
continuously, and fully permanent
settlements became possible.
 The potential size of agricultural societies is
much greater than that of horticultural or
pastoral communities.
Industrial Societies
 An industrial society is one relying for
its subsistence primarily on mechanized
production.
 This mode of production proved so
successful that it has since spread all
over the world, absorbing,
transforming, or destroying other types
of society in the process.
 The success of industrialization has caused a
variety of new problems.
 Environmental degradation through pollution,
resource depletion, and species extinction.
 Destruction of traditional values and
communities.
 Disruption of kinship systems.
 Mass anonymity in mushrooming cities.
 Threat of nuclear war.
Post-industrial societies
 Post-industrial society rely for its subsistence on the
production of services and information.
 Postindustrial society produces knowledge –
particularly technological knowledge – that can be
leased, sold, or used to produce goods, services, or
still more knowledge.
 postindustrial society thrives by supplying advanced
theoretical knowledge and with products based on
this knowledge, such as computers, defense systems,
telecommunications, genetic engineering, medical
instruments, or aero-space vehicles.
 Science grows in importance because
technological innovation depends on
continued scientific research.
 Postindustrial subsistence strategy has
profound effects on the economy, for its
surplus wealth permits high standard of
living and diverse statuses and roles.
 ‘White collar’ jobs are more common that
require mental rather than physical effort.
Social Structure: Statuses; Roles;
Groups; Institutions
 Social structure is the pattern of
relationships among the basic
components in a social system.
 ‘Status’ is one’s position in society. A
person’s status determines where that
individual ‘fits’ in society and how he/
she should relate to other people.
 A role is a set of expected behavior patterns,
obligations, and privileges attached to a particular
social status.
 The distinction between status and role is a simple
one: you occupy a status, but you play a role.
 Role expectations, the generally accepted social
norms that prescribe how a role ought to be played.
 Role performance, the actual behavior of a person
playing a role.
 An ascribed status is one that is
attached to people on grounds over which
they have no control.
 An achieved status is one that depends
to some extent on characteristics over
which the individual has some control.
 A social class is a category of people of
roughly equivalent status in an unequal
society.
 A primary group consists of a small number
of people who interact over a relatively long
period on a direct, intimate basis.
 A secondary group consists of a number of
people who interact on a relatively
temporary, anonymous, and impersonal
basis.
 An institution is a stable cluster of values,
norms, statuses, roles, and groups that
develops around a basic social need.
Characteristics of Institutions
 Institutions tend to be resistent to
change
 Institutions tend to be interdependent
 Institutions tend to be change
together
 Institutions tend to be the site of
major social problems
Society and Technology
 Technology and society refers to the
cyclical co-dependence, co-influence,
co-production of technology and society
upon one another.
 In many ways, technology simplifies life:
 The rise of a leisure class
 A more informed society,which can make
quicker responses to events and trends
 Sets the stage for more complex learning
tasks Increases multi-tasking
 Global networking
 Creates denser social circles
 Cheaper prices
 Greater specialization in jobs
 In other ways, technology complicates
life:
 Pollution is a serious problem in a
technologically advanced society
 Increase in transportation technology has
brought congestion in cities
 New forms of danger existing as a
consequence of nuclear technology
Society and Conflict
 As a universal phenomenon conflict
exists in every sphere of human life.
 A conflict emerges whenever two or
more persons seek to possess the same
object, occupy the same space or same
exclusive position, play incompatible
roles or undertake mutually incompatible
means for achieving their purposes.
 Conflicts can be of several different types:
 Caste conflict
 Class conflict
 Linguistic conflict
 Racial conflict
 Communal conflict
 Industrial conflict
 Marital conflict
 Role-conflict
 Value conflict