NCJ Number
15381
Editor(s)
E ETZIONI-HALEVY,
A ETZIONI
Date Published
1973
Length
571 pages
Annotation
A TEXTBOOK PRESENTING A COLLECTION OF 51 SELECTIONS, INCLUDING ESSAYS, EXCERPTS FROM BOOKS, AND NEW ARTICLES DEALING WITH SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE.
Abstract
CLASSICAL THEORIES ON THE SOURCES AND PATTERNS OF CHANGE, INCLUDING WORKS BY SUCH AUTHORS AS HERBERT SPENCER, KARL MARX, AND MAX WEBER ARE FIRST DISCUSSED. THESE ARE FOLLOWED BY A PRESENTATION OF MODERN THEORIES OF SOCIAL CHANGE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN SOCIETY, AS OPPOSED TO TRADITIONAL SOCIETY, IS EXAMINED IN ONE SOCIAL SPHERE AFTER ANOTHER. THE PHENOMENON OF MODERNIZATION IS THEN EXPLORED FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF CONTEMPORARY TRADITIONAL OR TRANSITIONAL SOCIETIES. COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF CHANGE ON VARIOUS SOCIAL LEVELS WHICH ILLUSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING INTO ACCOUNT EMERGENT PROPERTIES ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. SEVERAL SELECTIONS ARE INCLUDED WHICH DEAL WITH THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH SOCIAL CHANGES ARE INITIATED, SPREAD FROM THE INITIAL SECTOR OR SECTORS TO OTHERS, AND ARE TERMINATED. FINALLY, HUMAN INITIATIVE IN GUIDING AND BEGINNING SOCIAL CHANGE IS DISCUSSED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)