Chapter 18: Social Change and Modernization

   Social change is one of the aspects of society that sociologists examine the most, partly because sociology was developed in a period of time when social chaos was around.

   Sociologists around the world are very interested in social change, social change is defined by sociologists as changes in various aspects of a society over time. Since social change has become such a popular topic within the sociological community, and many sociologists base themselves on different perspectives to find out a theory that would explain social change correctly, there are many theories that attempt to explain this phenomenon. A very important aspect of society that sociologists are interested in and is part of social change is modernization. Modernization is the process by which a society’s social institutions become increasingly complex as the society moves towards industrialization. Sociologists have also come out with many theories that attempt to explain this phenomenon as well.

  

   One the most recognized theories that explain social change is called cyclical theory of social change, this theory views change from a historical perspective, this meaning, they agree that societies undergo a certain process of formation. Societies arise; undergo many stages through which they develop and then, like most societies in history can prove,  decline. In this system, we can classify many kinds of cultures. In an ideational culture, truth and knowledge are acquired through faith or religion.. In a sensate culture, people seek knowledge through science. These are basically the two extremes in the cultures of these societies. No extreme is good, so there is a category that’s lies right in between these two cultures, this culture is called the idealistic culture, knowledge here is transmitted through both religion and science, making both important aspects of the society. Another very recognized theory is he evolutionary theory of social change. This theory views change as a process that moves only towards one direction which is an increasing complexity of the society, the society will reach a maximum point of complexity and won’t fall apart after it has reached that point.

   Modernization, that is one of the most complicated phenomena to understand for sociologists. Sociologists around the world have agreed and coined a theory named modernization theory, the more developed nations modernized because they were the first to industrialize. There is another theory called world system theory which views modernization in terms of the world economy. The world system theory comprises three types of nations, core, peripheral, and semiperipheral. Core nations are the most powerful developed nations that form the center of the world economy, the peripheral nations are the poor countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. They control few productive resources, and they depend on the core nations for financial aid. Semiperipheral nations are the nations in between these two, most probably known as second world nations these nations may or may not have industrialized but are not powerful manufacturer nations like the central nations. 

   Explanation of the Modernization Theory.

   Modernization is a great thing, and in many cases inevitable, anyone would agree it is a necessary factor to the improvement of any society, it brings a country great things aside from industrialization. So, if modernization is inevitable like some claim it is, and for modernization to occur social change must occur first, then we probably agree that social change is inevitable as well. Social change after all is something good then, and many sociologists would agree that necessary for the success of any society.