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Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University Unit-1: Meaning and Forms of Social Change

Notes
Unit-1: Meaning and Forms of Social Change

CONTENTS
Objectives

Introduction
1.1 Subject Matter

1.2 Characteristics (Nature) of Social Change
1.3 Forms of Social Change

1.4 Summary

1.5 Keywords
1.6 Review Questions

1.7 Further Readings

Objectives

After going through this unit, the students will be able to—
• Understand the meaning of social change,
• Gain knowledge about the characteristics and forms of social change.

Introduction

Everything in this world, such as living-nonliving, material-nonmaterial, trees-plants, human society,
and culture, is changeable. Change is the perpetual and universal law of nature and society. Social
change in the world today is occurring at a much faster pace as compared to the earlier times. It is
observed that the social change is faster as compared to urban and developed societies, and rural and
underdeveloped societies. However, this change is multi-dimensional. MacIver and Page has written
that society is a continuously, changeable, complex system. It is a network of social relations and it
keeps on changing every time. As of now, no such society has been observed that is not changeable.

1.1 Subject Matter

Meaning and definition of social change—Social change refers to an imminent alteration in the
social order of a society. From the beginning, sociologists have considered evolution, advancement
and social change—the three perceptions—to have same meaning, but in 1922, Ogburn defi ned
the actual distinction among them. After this, these have been used excessively in sociological
terminology. Now focus will be given to thoughts of scholars on what is the meaning of social change
so that the concept of social change is explicitly understood.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 1

01/08/13 8:00 PM
Parivartan and Vikas ka Samaj Shastra book 1 01/08/13 8:00 PM
Parivartan and Vikas ka Samaj Shastra book 1