PHILOSOPHY SEMINAR ON THE TOPIC SOCIAL CHANGE

SOCIAL CHANGE

The term ‘social change’ is used to indicate the changes that take place in human interactions and relationship that transform cultural and social instituition.

CONCEPT OF SOCIAL CHANGE

Society is a ‘web of social relationships’ and hence ‘social change’ obviously means a change in the system of social relationships. Social relationships are understood in terms of social processes and social interactions and social organizations. Thus, the term ‘social change’ is used to desirable variation in social interaction, social processes and social organizations. It includes alterations in like structure and functions of the society.

According to

1. Davis. “Social change is meant only such alterations as occur in social organizations, that is, structure and functions of society."

2. Jones. “Social change is a term used to describe variations or modifications of any aspect of social processes, social patterns, social interactions or social organizations.”

3. Jenson. “Social change may be defined as modification in the ways of doing and thinking of people.”

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL CHANGE

1. Univerality:  Change is universal law, an eternal law and invariable law of nature. Social changes are necessary and inevitable. Social changes take place in all societies of the world, therefore, social change is universal in character.

2.Contunuity. : Social change is continuous process. It does not take place at one point of time only. It takes place all the time at all the places. However, we can predict some direction of change.

3. Variation: Social change is relative in time, and according to a specific period of time, its rate may be high or low. The rate and quantum of change varies from one society to another depending upon the prevailing conditions.

4. Criteria of larger population: Only those changes are considered as social change that affects larger population. Social change is accepted as such only when the majority of individuals in a society accepts it in their life, behavior and beliefs.

5. Independence: Social change is independent of the desire and will of the people of society.

6. Forces: Social change is caused due to internal and external factors (forces).

7. Planned as well as unplanned: There was a time when changes were unplanned and undirected. But in the modern time changes can be planned to achieve the goals of the society.

8. Structural or functional: Any change in the social structure or its function is social change.

FACTORS INFLUENCING SOCIAL CHANGES

This topic has been considered differently by different people.Education ,encounter between two or more people,interaction between different cultures etc,have been attributed to social changes.According to Maciever and Page,there are four factors for social changes.They are:

1. Geographical factors or Physical Factors:

Certain geographic changes sometimes produce great social change. Climate, storms, social erosion, earthquakes, floods, droughts etc., definitely affect social life and induce social change. Human life is closely bound up with the geographical conditions of the earth.

Human history is full of examples that flourishing civilisations fell prey to natural calamities. The distribution of population over various regions, the variations in the population densities, the agricultural production, flora and fauna, the joys and hardships—all indicate a change when a change in the physical environment occurs.

2. Cultural factors:

It is an established fact that there is an intimate connection between our beliefs and social institutions, our values and social relationships. Values, beliefs, ideas, institutions are the basic elements of a culture. Certainly, all cultural changes involve social change.

Social and the cultural aspects are closely interwoven. Thus, any change in the culture (ideas, values, beliefs etc.) brings a corresponding change in the whole social order. Social institutions cannot live on life shells within which life is extinct.

3. Technological factors:

Advancement of science and technologies has brought a revolutionary change almost in all societies of the world. The development of these techniques depends on inventions and discoveries.Discovery of steam power, petrol, electricity, invention of wireless, broadcasting, cinema and television have produced tremendous effect on industry, politics, religion, education, entertainment home and social structure, means of transportation and communication have brought social change

4.Biological factors:

Biological factors bring a lot of changes for the society. Biology involves both quality and quantity of population. The change in the quality of population produces change in the society. The quality of population of a society is controlled by the process of selection, such selection is of two types, Natural and Social selection.

*Natural selection

By natural selection we mean, the selection of some individuals or groups for survival and elimination of others. Thus, nature selects only those who are strong and efficient. The weak, the inefficient and the useless people or groups are thrown out. Natural selection works at three levels.

 (1) Struggle against nature,

 (2) Struggle against other species and 

(3) Struggle within the same species. In the struggle for existence only the fittest survives.

*Social selection

If refers to the process which creates circumstance that would influence reproduction and survival. Social selection is of two types. They are:

1. In direct social selection man himself creates social conditions which affect the birth and death rates. For example modern man adopts family planning and limit the size of the family. 

2. In indirect social selection, society creates situation which influence the birth or death rates. But they have an impact on these.

VARIOUS SOCIAL PROCESS INVOLVED IN SOCIAL CHANGE

Social processes refer to forms of social interaction that occur repeatedly. By social processes we mean those ways in which individuals and groups interact and establish social relationships.

 There are hundreds of social processes.Some fundamental social processes that are found to appear repeatedly in society. They are cooperation,conflict,competition,accommodation and assimilation etc.

• Cooperation is one of fundamental processes of social life. It is a form of social process in which two or more individuals or groups work together jointly to achieve common goals. Cooperation is the form of social interaction in which all participants benefit by attaining their goals.

• Accomodation is a process through which individuals or groups make adjustment to the changed situation to overcome difficulties faced by them.

• Assimilation is a fundamental social process; it is that process by which individuals belonging to different cultures are united into one.

• Competition is a contest to obtain something which does not exist in quantity sufficient to meet the demand.”

• Conflict is a process of seeking to obtain rewards by eliminating or weakening the

FUNCTIONS OF EDUCATION IN SOCIAL CHANGE

Functional theory stresses the functions that education serves in fulfilling a society’s various needs. 

• Perhaps the most important function of education is socialization. If children need to learn the norms, values, and skills they need to function in society, then education is a primary vehicle for such learning.

• A second function of education is social integration. For a society to work, functionalists say, people must subscribe to a common set of beliefs and values.

• A third function of education is social placement. Beginning in grade school, students are identified by teachers and other school officials either as bright and motivated or as less bright and even educationally challenged.

• Social and cultural innovation is a fourth function of education. Our scientists cannot make important scientific discoveries and our artists and thinkers cannot come up with great works of art, poetry, and prose unless they have first been educated in the many subjects they need to know for their chosen subject.

ROLE OF EDUCATION IN PROMOTING DESIRED SOCIAL CHANGE

Education is the most powerful instrument of social change. It is through education that the society can bring desirable changes and modernize itself. Education can transform society by providing opportunities and experiences through which the individual can cultivate himself for adjustment with the emerging needs and philosophy of the changing society. A sound social progress needs careful planning in every aspect of life – social, cultural, economic and political. Education must be planned in a manner, which is in keeping with the needs and aspirations of the people as a whole.

The functions of education in the sphere of social change are outlines as under:

* Assistance in changing attitudes in  favor of modern ways of life and develops attitudes, which can fight prejudice, superstitions and traditional beliefs.

*Education creates a desire for change in a society, which is pre-requisites for any kind of change to come.

* It is the function of education to assist people in adopting good changes.

* Education invests the individuals with the capacity to use his intelligence, to distinguish between the right and wrong and to establish certain ideals.

* Education initiates, guides and controls movements for social reform. The flood of social reform movements that was witnessed at the turn of the century was due to modern education.

*Education can prove very useful in bringing about national integration, which is the basis for unity among people, social change and ultimately the basis for strong and united country.

*Education is the fundamental basis of national development. Education is the powerful instrument of economic, political, cultural, scientific and social change.

* Education is the most important factor in achieving rapid economic development and technological progress and in creating a social order founded on the value of freedom, social justice and equal opportunity. 

ROLE OF TEACHER AS AN AGENT OF SOCIAL CHANGE

Teachers are agents for change within the classroom.If what happens in the classroom, in the school, and within wider society is seen as part of the change process for both teacher and learner, global learning can be a real agent not only for individual change, but also for society as a whole.

There are multiple roles that teachers are expected to play in the community especially among the young people. The three significant ones are to help develop the moral character of children; hone their talents and gifts and be second parents to them.

The first and foremost responsibility of the teacher is in relation to his students. “The primary objective should be to treat each individual student as an end in himself and to give him the widest opportunity to develop his skills, abilities, and potentialities to the full.The teacher should also accept his responsibility in the realization of our social objective, which implies that education should be related to the life, needs and aspirations of the people.The teacher has an important role to play in the acceptance and adoption of various educational innovations.

Conclusion: To conclude, social change may be brought about by economic situation, political situation, scientific or technological development, and development in philosophical thinking. By whatever means the change may be brought about, education always plays an important part in its propagation.