SCH - Meanings Lesson

 

Meanings Lesson

So what does this all mean? Does sociology hold the key to understanding societies in a way that can make a better world? Is there a formula that sociologists can use to guide those in authority towards more effective and meaningful social change? Can the field of sociology become what Auguste Comte once dreamed of? Could it be a replacement for all other academic disciplines?

The answer is no. If there is one thing that all sociologists agree on, no matter which major theoretical perspective they subscribe to, it is that there are no simple answers to questions regarding human beings and their behavior. That is probably the only certainty in sociology.  

In the meantime, sociology is now being taught and studied in a postmodern world. Postmodernity  is the term used to describe the social patterns of a post-industrial society--- a term used to describe the stage of economic development that follows industrialization when emphasis is not on the production of goods, but of services, which depend on intelligent designers and users of technology. In reflecting on social change now, sociologists determined that social change does not always equal progress. Again, there are good consequences and bad consequences. Globalization  is instrumental in understanding what the consequences are. Globalization is the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas and other aspects of culture.

 

Global Perspective

With improvements in the speed, ability and range of technology, the international exchange of culture has increased dramatically in the last few decades. Through this interconnection, sociologists drew conclusions about modernity and postmodernity, especially as changes in the United States are no longer separated from global changes, to illuminate the path for future studies in sociology.

We began this module discussing how the field of sociology arose during the Industrial Revolution. It was a time when people experienced so many societal transformations in such a relatively short period that they clamored for understanding to what they were seeing. Well...as you can see the emergence of postindustrialism seems to be wreaking dramatic changes in an even shorter period of time on society. It will be interesting to see how long postmodernity lasts. And it will be interesting to see how the field of sociology adapts to the next stage of human and societal development. One thing is for certain, sociology is not  static.

 

 

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