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Syllabus Dot Points:
Students develop knowledge and understanding of social and cultural continuity and change by examining:
• the nature of continuity and change:
− change is a complex process
− ‘evolutionary’ change
− ‘transformative’ change
− resistance to change
By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
Define transformative and evolutionary change.
Distinguish between evolutionary change and transformative change using a relevant example.
Evolutionary Change (Based on the ideas of Charles Darwin - Theory of Evolution late 19th Century).
over time societies gradually improve themselves and gradually experience broad social change.
This change is unilinear - it goes in one direction - usually from more simple to more sophisticated.
within a society, evolutionary change may begin to develop from micro to macro - e.e. environmentalism and the social impact of ageing populations, or macro to micro - e.g. bureaucratism (a govt's ability to create and enforce fixed rules in society while promoting order as a macro level institution).
Technological innovation is oftena key determinant of social change.
Not all evolutionary change is progress.
Transformative Change
Faster moving
involves a significant break with the past
often grows from long-term social discontent - often based on economic, racial or political inequalities and can become heightened when conventional methods (boycotts, petitions etc) have been exhausted.
when this happens, a social movement is formed that can then become the basis for long-term lasting change.
Aiming to alter macro-level institutional norms as well as core behaviours.
Although faster, not always instantaneous.
Transformative change is permanent change - not always easy to establish permanency.
Transformative Change - Can be easier to understand it from historical perspective:
1) enfranchisement (right to vote) - eg women's suffrage movement of the 19th Century
2) Socio-political movements - breakdown of Communist system in Eastern Europe, Chinese Cultural Revolution.
3) Rapid modernisation - Doi Moi - Vietnamese economic program created in 1986 to integrate capitalist ideals into the communist country - caused a shift in ideals - ultimately led to economic recovery on a macro level supported by entrepreneurial spirit on micro level.
Task 2
a) Compile a list of characteristics of evolutionary change and transformative change.
b) Distinguish between evolutionary change and transformative change - what are the main differences?
c) Explain how social movements can trigger transformative change.
d) Social movements and revolutions often trigger transformative change. However, can you think of one or two social movements that may also fit the category of evolutionary change? Provide reasons for your answer.
Task 3 - Past Paper Question
Extension - Research Task
Extension - Research Task
1) When and why did the Black Lives Matter movement begin?
2) Describe the use of the #blacklivesmatter hashtag since 2013
3) What do YOU think will be the impact of this movement on society in the future (what will change and what will stay the same?).
4) Class Discussion - research and then write something down that you can use as a contribution to a class discussion in response to the following: Why is the phrase 'all lives matter' considered controversial?
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