Social Change Over the Last 50 Years - Essay Example

Social change over the last 50 years has been all about new threats, opportunities risks and crisis.’ Discuss this view with reference to at least three blocks of DD 100. Introduction: Human society is in a state of unprecedented transition. This dramatic change in the ‘contemporary social-circumstance’ is consequential to rapid strides made by mankind in science and technology. Social science has traveled in unison with the strides of scientific innovation. The present relation of social science and its relation to contemporary world can only be deciphered in the acts of humankind. But they are so widespread and disparate that a singular academic initiative is not enough to decipher its importance. However, we will attempt to understand, to an extent, how social change has vital role in shaping the destiny of mankind in the past fifty years. So strong is the urge of scientific innovation and inter-societal relations that evolutionary science is incorporating social discourse in its perspectives. (Hinchcliffe and Woodward). The nuclear bomb developed by the US and used on the Japanese in the World War II can be used an example. Science created the bomb; social science helped to develop our notions of peaceful usage of nuclear energy and changed our perception of pure scientific innovation. The ‘social change’ can be understood well in connection with Hiroshima and Nagasaki episodes. The ‘social change’ in our thinking of the hazards of nuclear bomb is a representative of threats, opportunities risks and crisis; all put together. Internet, telecommunications, scientific innovation, softening of visa regimes, and trade liberalization, has opened flood-gates of human resource movement like never before providing ‘a sea of opportunities for the employees’ and a large talent resource-base to choose from, for the employers. These flood-gates are often referred to as ‘knowledge boom’ (Golbatt, 2000). He points that the systematic study and knowledge of social science acts as a social institution. Golbatt (2004) further points that the world is either run with common sense or with knowledge; and they bear a close relationship. Besides, students from the third-world are preferring education in developed countries thus ingraining the best of both worlds to give impetus to intellectual intermixing. Whereas human race has grown closer than ever before economic transformations, disparities of the capitalist economy have deepened the chasm of the rich and poor; the haves and have-nots. But incorporating social concerns have become indispensable in any of man’s concerns be it ‘political or social’. From the earliest civilizations to about 100 years ago, man’s sensibilities were guided more by rationality, self-control, and admiration of beauty. In the later part of the nineteenth century and earlier twentieth century, he was overwhelmed by ‘development schizophrenia’ bringing him in conflict with not only his natural self but also the social circumstance. No part of the world is unaffected by the development of modernity (Hinchcliffe and Woodward). No aspect of human life is unaffected by it. It has taken its toll human health, which can be construed as the greatest threat to humanity of social change that has occurred in the last fifty years. A strong consciousness for health has fitness has emerged in the western countries (Smith and Golbatt), which can be considered both as an opportunity and a threat. The movement to be health conscious has penetrated into the third world as well. The last 100 years have heightened the crisis as well as the opportunity. The crisis brought him in conflict not only with nature but also led him to his self-destruction (Hollway,2000). This era will also be known for collapse of much ideological and instinctual belief, prominent being the of ‘idea of God’ as the motivational force of human race. Nature and mind were treated as opposites in the nineteenth century (Hollway, 2000). Man stopped to think of himself as the ‘effect and child of God’ as the epicenter of natural and civilization drive onward. Baconian idea of subduing nature (Hollway, 2000) overwhelmed him like never before. Though by this time, Baconian idea had thrown up loads of employment opportunities and introduced countless efforts of social uplift but at the cost of natural-destruction. In the last 50 years man has given practical shape to the Baconian belief. It is ironical that this haste for self-destruction created the most viable employment opportunities for mankind but at the risk of destroying the earth. The self-destruction and its resuscitation are also being interpreted in the narrative of masculinity and feminist movements (Hinchcliffe and Woodward). He was shaken out of this frenzy by concern for environment in the 70s and he tried to turn inwards towards his ‘true-self.’ Loss of health and happiness too tried to put a semi-colon, if not a full-stop to the frenzy of destruction. Man got enlightened through his own deeds and mis-deeds. However, according to Golbatt (2004) it does require ‘scientific- Social science has become a pure science to guide us about fault-lines or strengths of the society (Golbaat, 2004). Social science has transcended the Baconian empiricism. It is further ironical that in undoing the sins of the recent pasts albeit the natural conservation like the green-movements, production of organic foods and green commodities hold the promise of providing man the most viable opportunities of livelihood both in the developed and developing world. This is the most characteristic feature of social change in the last 50 years; rests are its corollaries. Thus we agree with Goldblaat that the flux in the social science has been tumultuous (Goldbaat) in the last 50 years. Man’s latest revelation is that nature and self are two sides of the same coin. To put it more aptly “the social and the natural exist in mixes.” (Latour cited by Hinchcliffe and Woodward). In this churning of ideas, we also see dissipation of identities; personal, cultural and national and evolution of the cosmopolitan identity of the homo sapien. The developed countries have become cultural melting pots. The cultural melting is defined in the paradigm of ‘change’ (Gove and Watt, 2000). Gove and Watt ( 2000) further state that the change empowers us to redefine and reconstruct our identities. It goes without saying that a creditable role in reconstruction of culture and identity is played by the global movement of people. “Change has created new opportunities for redefining ourselves, at home, and at workplace and as members of different ethnicities and nations within the UK.” (Gove and Watt, 47, 2000). However, the ease of ‘flow of human resources’ has also increased travel of ideologies, good and bad in equal measure, with them; the most dangerous being religious fundamentalism, proliferation of the drugs mafia terrorism sponsored by religious fundamentalists. Thus we find the ‘globalized community’ faces a spate risks, crisis, as well as opportunities, in equal measure. Further the poor in the developed countries are increasingly becoming conscious of their ‘existence’ and can create means of social upheaval. Economic inequality has heightened during in last twenty years (Macintosh and Mooney, 2000). Macintosh and Mooney (2000) emphasize that poverty does not allow for evolution of collective identity. Thus economic disparity as always remains a stumbling block in the integration of mankind. Macintosh and Mooney rightly state that the state wealth confers power over lives of others. Perhaps, poverty remains the most significant cause of integration of mankind in one class. Poverty and wealth remain central to the socio-economic class discourse of mankind. “Class consciousness is awareness of shared class interest and of existence of classes with opposing interests.” (Macintosh and Mooney).Thus no integration of mankind is truly possible as long as widespread disparities exist. Cultural integration of man, throwing a flood of opportunities is at times is belied by better ‘life chances’ (Macintosh and Mooney, 2000) of Weberian economism. Whereas Marxist ideologues may interpret the socio-cultural disparities as potential risk factors for class conflict, Weberian theory relies on ‘life-chances’ that provides more opportunity to more people to improve their lot. The truth perhaps, may be found somewhere in the middle. Tony Blair quoted by Macintosh and Mooney (2000, 112) foresees a middle class consisting of millions based on meritocracy who have greater opportunity to earn a decent living. Saunders (1984) cited by Macintosh and Mooney interprets it restratrification of society based on private ownership of means of consumption and not production. Saunders view fully endorses the fact that the last-fifty have thrown-up more opportunities of consumption for greater number of people. The crisis, he postulates, from this view is development of chasm between classes of people who use private or public means of consumption. Bourdieu cited Macintosh and Mooney(2000), however, rejects the idea of Saunders and explains that different patterns of consumption do exist in same classes. Though consumerism over the past fifty-years has helped man to transcend the barrier of economic class, it has thrown up fault-lines, based on consumer patterns. If studied intricately, Bourdieu’s theory also suggests that undercurrents of conflict and crisis. Yet consumerism widens the developing and developed country divide thus throwing the global integration in disarray. The western societies are known for their indiscriminate use of resources while the third world gets little share. This differential has arisen in the past fifty-years and as a social characteristic in two parts of the world dissected by economic and political bi-polarity. Conclusion It can be reasonably concluded that social change has played a critical role in the in the human life in past fifty years. However, it has affected individuals, classes, nations, and societies differently. It will not be sufficient in the present discourse to present an unequivocal view point whether it has helped mankind. Bibliography Golbatt, David (2000), Knowledge and Social Sciences, The Open University, Rutledge, London and New York. Woodward Keith, Questioning Identity (2000), ed. Questioning identity: gender, class and identity. The Open University, Rutledge, London and New York. Gove, Jennifer and Watt, Smart (2000) Identity and Gender (2004) ed. Woodward Keith Questioning identity: gender, class and identity. The Open University, Rutledge Mackintosh, Maureen, and Mooney Gerry (2000) Identity, inequality and social class, Identity and Gender (2004) ed. Woodward Keith Questioning identity: gender, class and identity. The Open University, Hollway, Wendy (2000), What is human nature. Rutledge ed. Woodward Keith Questioning identity: gender, class and identity. The Open University, Rutledge Hinchliffe, Steve (2000), Living with risk: the unnatural geography of environmental crisis. ed. Woodward Keith Questioning identity: gender, class and identity. The Open University, Rutledge Hinchcliffe, Steve, Woodward, Kath “What is human nature” (2004) The Natural and the Social Uncertainty: The Natural and the Social: uncertainty, risk, change, Hollway, Read More