Question One
For one to understand the dynamics of social change, they must consider all the factors that influence the processes underlying social changes. Agency is one critical aspect that must be considered if one has to have a holistic understanding of social change. In sociology and related disciplines, agency refers to individual characters' ability to be autonomous in their actions and decisions. Under the principle of agency, people can make their free choices in the quest to bring change to society. Through the concept of agency, one can relate the projected objectives with the actions of individuals and interpret them to the ongoing endeavors to achieve social change. It is essential to account for the agency because social change can be achieved through individual efforts. For social change to occur, there must be individual efforts such as how people change their outlooks, behaviors, and expectations, among other aspects (Massey, 2015). Next, from an individual position, one will be able to share their perspectives and later implement them in society. The agency concept establishes a foundation for understanding what individual members in society do, including their motives for interactions.
One of the major theories on social change is the cyclic theory developed by Oswald Spengler and Arnold Toynbee. The model postulates that societies undergo change influenced by cycles of rising, decline, and fall, similar to how individuals are born, mature, and die. Based on this theory, one acknowledges that a society has a predetermined life cycle, including birth, growth, maturity, and decline ( Kaurin, 2007) . Thus, after a society experiences the mentioned phases, it must return to the original stage allowing room for the cycle to start again. According to the premise of this theory, social change emanates from a collective group of individuals, and one cannot identify a specific individual with the happenings in the society. If the postulates of the cyclic theory were based on the concept of agency, the dynamics of individual phases would be directly attributed to individuals in a given society. Thus, one acknowledges the element of nature in the interpretation of cyclic theory relative to the context of social change.
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Question Two
The current-day society's expectations differ from those of three decades ago; for example, having a university education or college degree is almost a universal requirement to secure a job, which was not the case thirty years ago. Different schools of thought can be used to explain this scenario, with each having a different perspective. First, the functionalist viewpoint perceives society as a sophisticated system whose componential elements work together to ensure that society is stable ( Smith, 2010 ). Based on this outlook, one acknowledges the macro-level orientation employed by functionalists, whereby they majorly focus on social structures and functions that define societies. As societies advance, their structures and resultant functions also change, necessitating that individuals also develop progressive profiles. For example, the fourth industrial revolution propelled by information technology can be construed as a macro-level social change.
Three decades ago, a person did not need to have information technology competencies because society was not as advanced in this domain today. However, t is almost a requirement that one must be skilled in at least one area of information technology to fit in other areas. Since society is advanced compared to thirty years ago, having a basic education such as a high school level certificate is not enough to satisfy one's basic needs. The competition level renders those without a university degree almost redundant, making it difficult for them to satisfy their immediate wants. A university degree is viewed as having the potency to give individuals leverage to meet their needs and society's, thus contributing to social order. This is because an individual is a part of the society, and for the society to function as needed, one must have the required level of qualifications. In this case, a university degree can be viewed as an enabler of social order, which forms the central principle for the functionalist school of thought.
Differently, the conflict theory is premised on the idea that a given society is in a state of unending conflict because people compete for limited resources. Three decades ago, there were more employment opportunities because not many people were as educated as is the case today. Since more people have become educated, society has become extremely competitive, requiring individuals to advance academically. Arguing from the viewpoint of a conflict theorist, perpetual conflict, in this case, is denoted by the dwindling job opportunities rendering people without university or college education obsolete. Conflicts such as limited job opportunities in society result in strain and glitches and force individuals to make certain adjustments to survive in a highly dynamic society (Massey, 2015). The shift from a state of many job opportunities that did not require one to have a high level of education to the current state of limited opportunities defined by extreme competition is a macro-level social change because it affects society. Due to the ensuing conflict, individuals and groups in society will attempt to improve their positions for their benefit.
Resource distribution, a central tenet of the conflict theory, is a key driver of social change. The ability to secure a job is a mutual interest that binds members of society, and as the available jobs become limited, people are forced to upgrade their skills level. This explains why it is almost a universal requirement that one must have a college or university education to compete favorably. It is also important to note that the situation can only worsen, especially now that society is being driven by technology. The confusion that technological products are creating in the job market will necessitate people to have certain expertise levels to secure job opportunities. Interconnectedness in the society is another macro-level changes associated with technological advancement. For instance, the internet has broken the traditional relationship barriers creating a need for social networking, which is mostly virtual. How one is connected has become a great determiner of their success in a host of realms.
Question Three
Although social change affects all the people in a society, the severity of the impacts varies from one person depending on certain factors. People have diverse beliefs, values, and social relationships that will determine how they face particular social changes in society. Values, ideas, and attitudes are the foundational elements of culture, and since there are various cultures in the world, the cultural factor will play a crucial role in how people will receive social changes. For instance, technological advancements continue to redefine societal dynamics across the globe, and the various cultures will influence the experience that these technologies will elicit (Massey, 2015). The creation of cultural values and beliefs directly or indirectly form the basis for social change. People from a country with a given culture will handle social changes occasioned by technology differently from countries with other types of cultures. For instance, due to Western countries' perceived civilized state, their cultures are thought to be developed than those in third world countries. Consequently, social change will impact a person in a developing country in Africa differently compared to another in a country such as the US.
The ideation factor is the other aspect that determines how people are affected by social changes. The acceptance of science and secularization of thought vary from one person to another despite contributing to contemporary society's critical and innovative character. Today, people do not follow many habits simply because they founded age-old traditions, but the modern ways of life are increasingly influenced by rationality. Fundamentally, one can argue that social change is a factor of ideation, which can be interpreted from an individualistic basis. People have different perspectives concerning societal dynamics, and thus it is apposite to conclude that individuals will receive these changes differently due to this variation. Ideation processes are important determining factors that can be used to reflect different people perceive social changes. For example, although history is decorated by calls for equality, autonomy, and justice, different people different outlooks for these endeavors. Therefore, any social change stemming from any of these movements will have diverse connotations to different people depending on their ideation processes.
Last, the demographic factor will also influence how people behave in the face of social change. The social organization is associated with characteristics such as size, composition, and distribution of its people. Variable factors such as age, sex, and literacy are crucial indicators of how people receive social changes. For example, war can trigger significant social changes in a society whose effects will be felt by all members. However, women will have to receive these changes differently compared to how men will perceive these changes. Also, children will be impacted differently compared to adults. Similarly, how social changes affect the poor differs from how the affluent receive those changes. For instance, the industrial revolution was an opportunity for the rich to become more wealthy, while the poor became even more desolate. Due to the magnitude of the industrial revolution wave, the poor alienated themselves from the rest and established informal settlements in urban centers.
Question Four
The author writes that the prevailing circumstances occasion the emergence of new technologies that fuel the rapidness, scope, and social change trajectory. However, the impact on social change depends not only on the dynamics of these technologies but also on human agency and the assemblage of interests, majorly commercial and military, which have the potency to influence technological advancements and their adoption. In this statement, the author underscores the importance of emerging technology in defining the course of social change (Massey, 2015). The speed, latitude, and trajectory of social changes significantly depending on the emerging technologies. For example, today, society is experiencing an era characterized by the development of different information-oriented technologies, including machine learning, robotics, internet of things, and data mining technologies. These technologies play a crucial role in influencing the current social dynamics, thus laying a foundation for future societal characteristics. Regardless of this, the scholar notes that social change in times of substantial technological changes is also impacted by human agency and a collection of different interests that can shape the course of technological development. Commercial and military interests are some of the societal aspects that can influence the types of technologies emerging at any given time. For instance, the push for military superiority among the world superpowers has seen the emergence of technological products that countries hope will give them an edge over their competitors.
In understanding social change, it is critical to recognize how technology functions as an enabler for human agency to achieve social change goals. Human agency is people's ability to have independent thoughts and actions, a character that enables them to define their experiences and life paths. Emerging technologies can create knowledge, making them viable candidates that can influence human beings' independence of thoughts and actions. One must pay attention to human agency because it points to the social changes that society should expect in the future (Massey, 2015). To understand social change, they must focus on individuals in society and attempt to study their behaviors, perceptions, and actions at a given time. Connectedly, technology plays a critical role in achieving human goals. For example, it will be impractical to separate people from technological products in contemporary and future society. People are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and it plays a huge role in shaping how one perceives their environment and how people relate within their social groups. For instance, technology plays a huge role in establishing and maintaining relationships by facilitating communication among society members. There are different types of technologies and functions as enablers that humans leverage to achieve their goals. As technology becomes advanced, so does their perceptions, thus influencing social changes to be expected in society.
Technological advancements influence human society through the development of a myriad of products and processes. Technology impacts the quality of life and the way members of a society act and interact. Technology is a key driver of social and political changes that occur within social groups, and its impacts can be advantageous or harmful to individuals and entire societies (Massey, 2015). Social needs, outlooks, and values influence the trajectory of technological developments, and in turn, these technologies shape the social and political landscapes in the society. Concerning political relations in groups, technology is associated with both negative and positive consequences. Technology has not only enhanced the availability of information in society; it has also made people more divided and easier to manipulate than before. Technology concurrently makes people more informed and more susceptible to adverse political agendas that influence the course of social changes within their groups. However, technology has greatly streamlined the reception of political agendas in society, favoring those in power positions. From a social perspective, technology improved the interconnectedness in society because people can share information easily. Differently, technology, especially internet-based technologies, have contributed to moral decadence in the society. Social change in the era of internet technologies has contributed to the weakening of the moral fabric that holds the society together.
The default state of any technology is usually non-adoption because it presents a direct threat to normalcy. The society often seeks to humanize technology to avoid the imminent change in the status quo. For example, any technology that will result in an imbalance in existing political alignment can be opposed so that those who have power continue to dominate over the rest. Technological resistance is often defined by the uncertainty over the consequences that lay a foundation for anxiety. People do not necessarily resist change; instead, they exhibit restlessness due to prospects of being changed. Thus, people will easily embrace technological changes that support their desires for purpose, meaning, and alignment with societal norms and values. Technologies that threaten to change individuals will be faced with unprecedented resistance.
Question Five
Different generations have diverse perspectives concerning the funding of higher education. Therefore, the State of Washington's proposed funding cuts will elicit mixed reactions across the entire generation spectrum. Nevertheless, it is important to mobilize support from all members of society irrespective of their generation. Generation Z is the people currently in undergraduate courses and will be potential postgraduate cohorts in the future. These people were born when the current competition in the job market was already established, and a need for one to have higher education became the new norm. As such, they are at the direct beneficiaries of efforts aimed at streamlining university education. One reason why members of this generation would oppose any attempt at defunding higher education is that it will curtail their aspirations to become competitive in a highly dynamic and progressive job market. If the State of Washington makes public such intention, this generation will oppose this move because they will perceive it as a potential bottleneck to achieving their academic goals. I will also implore them to consider the job market's volatility, including employers' modern-day requirements. For example, employers are increasingly seeking to recruit talented individuals with a host of skills. Such human resources can fit in different organizational teams due to their diverse skills.
The workforce today is majorly comprised of millennials who are changing the employment landscape in different capacities. Millennials understand the dynamics of the job market and the importance of having a university degree. Thus, a policy to reduce higher education funding will exacerbate members of this generation's ability to acquire the necessary qualifications to progress up the career ladder. Millennials are highly optimistic people and pursue social changes related to justice and corporate responsibility. Since they are attracted to liberalism, millennials will fight for social justice and oppose any efforts to entrench inequality. As such, equality and ability to progress academically for all society members regardless of their background, are factors that will influence their decision to either support or oppose the proposed defunding of higher education. I will ask them to consider the prevailing societal dynamics, including the need for social inclusion and the employment sector's future. If higher education is defunded, few people will be able to access education, with the minorities being the most affected, a scenario that will entrench inequality in society. The corporate world will also be forced to hire people with insufficient skills that cannot satisfy the modern-day demands.
Generation X is projected to have a lukewarm attitude towards the State of Washington's proposed funding measures because of its past experiences, especially concerning Baby Boomers. This group of individuals has experienced different hardships, including severe economic recessions, which saw their parents lose well-established careers with high wages. People who belong to this generation had less college education, making them more politically and financially conservative than those in other generations. Hence due to their pessimism, this generation will assume an indifferent attitude towards the proposed policies. However, winning this generation will require tact in that I will use the future generations' card. Anyone would want those born in the coming years to find an accommodative society founded on equality. I will tell them to oppose the idea by the State and instead agitate for increased funding.
The last generation to consider is the Baby Boomers, who understand the importance of cheap hire education. Over the years, the cost of higher education had gone up as compared to about 60 years ago when students enjoyed tuition grants, guaranteed student loans, and work-study funds. Thus, Baby Boomers had many opportunities for a college degree, and thus it is expected that they will not support a move to reduce higher education. The education landscape that Baby Boomers had is the key factor that will determine the decision of people in this generation towards the defunding of higher education. I will implore them to consider asking the government to reduce the higher education gap that currently exists, which will be worsened by any effort to defund college education. Narrowing this gap will have positive impacts on society because it will establish the basis for equality.
References
Kaurin, Dragoljub . 2007. Cyclical Theories of Social Change: Spengler and Toynbee. Sociologija , 49 (4), 289-312.
Massey, Garth. 2015. Ways of social change: Making sense of modern times . LOS Angeles: SAGE Publications.
Smith, Anthony. D. 2010. The Concept of Social Change (Routledge Revivals): A Critique of the Functionalist Theory of Social Change . Routledge.
