Chapter 16

Social Movements, Technology, And Social Change

Chapter Outline

How Societies Change Social Movements Technology

Social Changes in the Last Decade

The fall of the Taliban New drugs to treat AIDS Wireless computer and communication

technologies War and malnutrition in many developing

nations Destruction of the Amazon rainforest An epidemic of repetitive stress disorders

linked to computer use.

Collective Behavior and Social Movements

They are related in two ways: – Social movements need and encourage

collective behavior to keep issues in the public eye.

– Collective behavior can be part of a repeated mass response to problematic conditions and may be a force in mobilizing social movements.

Gap between Expectationsand Rewards

Theories of Social Movements

Relative Deprivation - reconciliation of what people have and what they expect.

Resource mobilization - social movements happen when groups are competing for scarce resources.

Political process - a social movement requires political opportunities and the belief that change is possible.

Relative-deprivation Theory

Can provide an explanation for social movements occurring when objective conditions are improving or showing a major improvement over the past.

Because this theory relies on the disorganizing effects of social change, it is often referred to as breakdown theory.

Assumes that in normal circumstances society functions smoothly.

Relative-deprivation theory Two major criticisms

1. Empirical evidence does not bear out the prediction that those who are most deprived will be the ones most likely to participate in social movement.

2. Fails to specify the conditions under which relative deprivation will lead to social movements.

Resource Mobilization Theory

Social movements develop when organized groups compete for scarce resources.

The spark for turning deprivation into a movement is not anger and resentment but rather organization.

Similarly, the building blocks of social movements are organized groups, not alienated, discontented individuals.

Political Process Theory

A social movement needs two things: – political opportunities

• preexisting organizations that can provide the new movement with leaders, members, phone lines, copying machines, and other resources

– an “insurgent consciousness.” • the individual sense that change is needed and

possible.

Frame Alignment

Four mobilization strategies to attract new members:

1. Frame bridging - targets groups with similar interests.

2. Frame amplification or consciousness raising.

Frame Alignment

3. Frame extension - attempts to include more issues and problems in the original frame.

4. Frame transformation - convincing people that their previous views are wrong while calling them to “salvation” through a newer and truer perspective.

Social Movement Outcomes

Acceptance

New Advantages

Full None

Many Full response Preemption

None Co-optation Collapse

Outcomes of Social Movements

Four possibilities:1. A full response to the movement’s

goals.2. Goals co-opted while the SMO is

discounted and dismissed.3. Goals pre-empted and adopted by

those in power.4. Total failure.

Three Conditions for a Countermovement

1. The original movement should have achieved some measure of success.

2. The original movement, threatens the self-esteem, values, and interests of a significant number of people.

3. Those who feel threatened also feel they can enlist powerful allies.

Social Movements and the Media

Four factors are critical for media coverage:

Dramatic, visible events like demonstrations may interest the media.

Use of authoritative sources (like government officials).

Timing. Access to news nets.  

Theories of Technologically Induced Social Change

Structural-functional theory sees social change as evolutionary and adaptive.

Conflict theory focuses on power and social change.

The Sociologist’s Contribution

1. Study of conflict resolution and techniques for negotiating peaceful settlements.

2. Developing social justice perspectives.

3. Modeling practical development strategies.