To begin this assignment, think about some historical examples of social change, such as agricultural advancements (irrigation, the cotton gin), shifts to democratic governments, and civil rights movements. Then, begin thinking about social changes you have experienced more recently in your own life.
Write a paper that discusses the following 4 prompts. Use the information under each prompt to guide your responses:
- Discuss a social change that you have experienced. Describe how this change impacted society as a whole and your own individual behaviors.
- Was the social change positive or negative in your perspective?
- Did your life get easier or harder-simplified or more complicated?
- Has it been positive or negative for society?
- Research a non-Western culture and identify a recent social movement or social change they have experienced.
- Describe the social change/movement, and how the social change impacted their society.
- Discuss how globalization may or may not have impacted their social change. For example, consider how other societies may have influenced the social movement/change you identified OR how the social movement/change you identified impacted other societies, outside of its own.
- Was the change well received or protested by the majority of social members in that society? Include examples and references to support your analysis.
- Research and discuss one technological advancement that is being developed right now. Then, discuss the following:
- How one of the new technologies may spur social change in your society.
- How this new technology might impact cultural norms, values and practices. For example, how this new technology may change the culture of a society.
- Do you believe the potential social change would be positive or negative, overall?
- Think critically and discuss how technological advancement can both positively and negatively impact the social sciences, specifically sociology, and how the social sciences are studied (refer to Chapter 10: Research Applications for guidance). Specifically, discuss the following:
- How studying society has evolved in response to social changes. Specifically, consider how the social change pertaining to a higher regard for human rights and ethics has made studying people easier and/or more difficult.
- How studying society may continue to evolve in the future in response to social changes. Specifically, consider how ‘privacy’ as a social value is changing and how this may make studying people easier and/or more difficult.
- Other considerations may include a prediction on how changes in population size, globalization, shifting cultural values, new technological advancements, etc. will continue to make studying people easier and more difficult in the future
Utilize at least 2 credible sources to support the points presented in the paper. Make sure you cite them appropriately within your paper, and list them in APA format on your Reference page.
