Society and Technology Concepts Quiz
Society and Technology(CACS 102)
Unit-1 Basic Concept of Sociology
Sociology:
Introduction:
Sociology is derived from two words
Socious( Latin)meaning group and Logous(Greek) meaning study.
The word was coined by August Comte( Father of Sociology in 1839 BC)
Sociology is the youngest of all sciences which is based on four scientific methods :-
1. Observation 2. Experimentation
2. Analysis 4. Conclusion
Why is Sociology Scientific?
Define a problem
Collect Data on the problem defined
Analyse and organize the data
Test of the hypothesis on the basis of develops new theories and concepts
Concept of Sociology:
Sociology as compared to other sciences like economics an political science is a young discipline.
About 150 years old
Concerns on understanding the behavior of people in Social Institutions
Studies the behavior in different aspects not limiting to one
More concern with the evolution of the society
Transition from Primitive tribal era to the rural community
Changing trends of the community from the bygone era to this modern city
Focuses major on 5 Social Institution
1. Family
2. Political
3. Economic
4. Religious
5. Educational
Defining Sociology:
Is the study of science of society, social institution and social relationship, the systematic study of the development, structure, interaction and collection behavior of organized groups of human being. ( Websters Dictionary 10th ed, springfield Massachusetts)
Is the scientific study of patterns of human interaction that deals with the study of group life
It deals with the study patterns and process of human relations
It deals with the current issues and problems such as ethnic relations, family life, community life , social participation and social mobility etc.
Sociology as a social science cannot tell us what we should want but it will guide us how to get what we want.
Why Sociology:
Teaches us to see how society influences our lives and the lives of others
Helps to explain the consequences of different social arrangements
Helps to understand the influence of major changes on people
Explains the causes and consequences of these changes
People generally follow establishes patterns of human behavior
Anticipate how people will behave to certain situation
Anticipate how different social conditions will affect different groups of people in society
Create need for people to adapt to change while following the established pattern of behavior
To understand that all human behavior occurs in societal context of institutions and culture
Scientific way of thinking about society and its influence on human groups
It can provide the research tools and sociological theories for testing whether the things we hear about society are actually true
Brings unique perspective to understanding the social behavior and social changes
Socialization:
Socialization is predominately an unconscious process by which a newborn child learns the values, beliefs, rules and regulations of society or internalizes the culture in which it is born.
Process of Socialization:
Cognitive
Affective
Evaluative
Cognitive:
Of Relating to congnition, concerned with the act or process of knowing or perceiving,
Of or relating to mental processes of perception, memory , judgement and reasoning
Analyses series of interpersonal processes that set up the condition to become social phenomena
Affective:
Relating to mood, feeling and attitude
Affective individualism- of other people and surrounding
Ability of an individual to respond with another
Evaluative:
Judgement based on a belief in the value of evidence
To determine or fix the value
Stages of Socialization:
Oral Stage
stage is that of a new-born child when he is not involved in the family as a whole but only with his mother. He does not recognize anyone except his mother.
Anal Stage
the second stage begins is generally after first year and ends when the infant is around three. At this stage, the child separates the role of his mother and his own. Also during this time force is used on the child, that is, he is made to learn a few basic things.
Oedipal Stage
third stage extends from about fourth year to 12th to 13th year, that is, till puberty. During this time, the child becomes a member of the family as a whole and identifies himself with the social role ascribed to him
Adolescence
fourth stage begins at puberty when a child wants freedom from parental control. He has to choose a job and a partner for himself.
PERSPECTIVE IN SOCIOLOGY:
The Evolutionary Perspective
The Interactionist Perspective
The Functionalist Perspective
The Conflict Perspective
Evolutionary:
Earliest Perspective in sociology
Explains how a human society originate and grow
Sociologist use this perspective to look for patterns of change and development appearing in different societies, to check any similar trends emerging
Interactionist:
Only People and their interaction can be studied directly
Focus on day-to day communication, behavior of person/group
Modern Interactionist say– ‘ People do not respond to other people directly, instead they respond to whatever they imagine other people to be
Social Construction of reality is based on the definition of peoples feeling and intention of others.
Aid to personality development
Functionalist:
A society is seen as an organized network of cooperating groups operating in a fairly orderly manner according to a set of rules and values shared by most members.
Social Change disrupts the stable equilibrium, and a new one has to be regained.
A value or a practice which is functional at one time or place ,ay be dysfunctional- interfering with the smooth operation of society at another time or place.
Conflict:
Based on Karl Marx theory( conflict and class exploitation)
Continuous stage of conflict between groups and class
Sees a society as held together through the power of dominant groups or classes.
It sees the harmonious equilibrium is not always beneficial to everyone, whereas it benefits some and penalizes others
It sees the harmonious equilibrium of society as an illusion held by those who fail to see how the dominant groups have silenced those whom they exploit.
Unit-2 Organization and Social Life
Society
Simply understanding, society is the web of relationships. It is characterized by heterogeneity in terms of caste, class, ethnicity, religious beliefs, mode of production and with diverse social relationships. It is collection of individuals United by certain relations and interaction. It is structural and functional organization. From structural view point, society is the total social heritage of folkways, practices, mores and institutions of habits, sentiments and ideals,
Similarly, from functional view point, it is defined as a complex of groups in reciprocal relationship, interacting upon one another.
Definitions:
Ginsberg defines; ‘A society is a collection of individuals United by certain relations or mode of behavior which mark them off from others who do not enter into these relations or who differ from them in behavior.’
As per above definition society is a complex form of organized associations and institutions within a community.
Major Types Of Society
On the process of human evolution and development society has changed its nature and its forms. It changes while the mode of production changes. Hunting and gathering, agriculture and industries are the major mode of productions in human civilization Broadly, they are
Hunting and gathering society
Agrarian society
Industrial/Technological Society
Hunting and gathering society
It was the first type of human society where the people used to go for hunting and gathering in search of food in the jungle. Different tribal of the world (‘Lotaka', ‘Haida', ‘Kung Bush man', ‘Tsemnaga', ‘Yaruro' etc) are still adopting hunting and gathering mode of productions for their survival. ‘Raute' of Nepal is also an example of hunting group. Common territories, common language, sense of unity, primary social relationships are some common features of tribal society.
Agrarian society
Agrarian society does practice agriculture (land) as a mode of production. Land is the main source of income from where the people produce agricultural crops. Occupational structure, forms of land ownership, village community system, minimal division of labor, informal social control, role of family in decision making process are simplicity features of agricultural society. Nepal is the country of hunting and gathering, agrarian and industrial Society. Thus, we have all types of society found throughout the world.
Industrial/Technological society
After the industrial revolution of Europe during eighteenth century, industrial society came into existence in human history. Industry or machine has become the mode of productions. Emergence of modern family, development of modern economic institutions, high social mobility, specialization in work, busy life schedule, high social satisfaction, occupational skills and professionalism and economic based social relationships are the major attributes of modern society of today.
Society has become organic in modern market economy. Trade, commerce, business, industries, open market policy, competition, production, distribution, consumption and again consumption are silent features of industrialization.
Major characteristics of society
Society is the web of relationships.
There is a provision of ‘means-ends' relationships.
Charactarized by heterogeneity in terms of caste, class, ethnicity and religion.
Provision of co-operation and conflict.
Interdependence to each other
Society has social awareness and mutual interaction.
Society is dynamic.
Each society has it’s own culture and controlling mechanisms.
Population size and distribution
Background;
Population distribution of Nepal is not the same. Majority of the people live in Terai, and urban areas. Due to hospital and educational facilities and income generating opportunities people are migrated from village to town and town to city. Kathmandu, Pokhara, Biratnagar and other cities are getting dense population in each and every year. According to CBS data the size and distribution of population is given below.
The population of Nepal as per the 2011 census stands at 26,494,504. The increase in the population during the last decade, (2001-2011) is recorded at 3343,081 with an average growth rate of 1.35%. The population has increased by 14.4% in the past decade, with an average annual growth rate of 1.35%, which is lower than the 2.25% growth rate recorded in the 2001.
Nepal is divided into three ecological zones: a) Mountain b) Hill and c) Terai. This three zones are quite different in terms of climate, physical features, landscape and altitude. The land area of Mountain region lies to altitude of 4877 meters above sea level. This zone makes up 35% of the total land area of Nepal. It includes the rocky areas of the Himalayan range that are not appropriate for human settlements.
Hill zone lies an altitude of 610 to 4877 meters above sea level. This zone covers 42% of the land area of Nepal. There are many valleys and river basins located in this region that are suitable for human settlement, for example Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Terai zone is suitable at an altitude less than equal to 610 meters above sea level. It is the most fertile and low lying region of Nepal. And constitutes 23% of the total area of Nepal.
According to national census of Nepal 2011, the population of Terai has been increased rapidly. In 1952/54, Terai region accounted for 35% of the total population. This increased to 48% in the 2011 census. There has been a marked decrease in the population of mountain and hill from 65% in 1952/54 to 50% in 2011. The declining trend is observed in both the mountains and the hill regions.
In mountain region, 6.7% population is distributed followed by hill 43%, and Terai 50.3% respectively. Population distribution according to development regions is; in Eastern development region 21.93% followed by 36.45% in central development region, 18.60% in western development region and 13.39% in mid western development region and 9.63% in far western development region respectively.
The fastest decadal population growth rate is found in Kathmandu district (4.78%) and lowest in Manang (-3.83%) respectively.(Source 2011 census)
Norms, Values /Status and Roles:
Social Norms and Values:
Introduction:
Norms are rules ,standards and expectations that are all seen as normal within a society. All societies provide for these standards specifying appropriate and inappropriate behavior. The standards which regulate behavior have been termed social norms. The concept of norms is a central one in sociology.
In sociology our concern is with social values. Social values are cultural standards that indicate the general good deemed desirable for organized social life. These are assumptions o what is right and important for society. They provide the ultimate meaning and legitimacy for social arrangements and social behavior. They are the abstract sentiments or ideals. An example of an important social value is, “equality of opportunity”. It is widely considered to be a desirable end in itself.
Define norms?
Robert Bierstadt says “A norms is a rule or standard that governs our conduct in the social situations in which we participate.”
Major types of Norms:
Anthropological literature has explored four major types of norms
1. Private norms
2. Group norms
3. Associational Norms
4. National norms
1.Private Norms:
An individual can have his own norms as an independent citizen.
Each family can have its own norms according to its nature mediated through caste ,class ,ethnicity ,religion and geographical location.
2.Group Norms:
there can be different groups in society .Each group develops his own norms in order to meet his requirements .
They are the blueprint of working procedures which guides to carry out their requirements .
A literary group have its own norms to create literature and to disseminate it to the readers and listerns.
Games and sports groups ,religious group ,social work groups can have their own norms in order to carry out their work effectively and expertly.
3.Associational Norms
In order to cherish the goal of the organization it can develop its own certain sets of norms and values which helps them for smooth functioning .
Different associations develop their own autonomous rules and regulations for their own convenience and to achieve their goal.
4.National Norms
It is a macro level prescription prescribed by the state .
An independent and sovereign state has its own original norms and values.
National norms are internalized and transmitted to young generation through curricula ,religious institutions , national board casting agencies and other sub national agencies. It helps to shape the personality of citizens in a uniformed way.
Characteristic of Social Norms:
1. Social norms are cultural standards.
2.Norms help in controlling the human behavior and action.
3.Norms are unwritten oral practices.
4.Norms differ from society to society.
5.Norms help to enrich human civilization and maintain the social solidarity.
6.Social norms are dynamic and universal.
Define Values?
Values are our own beliefs that we believe are important both to us and society as a whole.
Important and lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable. Values have major influence on a persons behavior and attitude and serve as broad guidelines in all situation.
Types of social values:
General Social Values
They are the higher standards culture values .They are universally accepted human values . Democracy ,fundamental human rights , social equality , justice , women empowerment , cultural recognitions and distribution are some examples of universal social values . They are globally accepted cultural standards expected to follow by all the nations who are the UN members throughout the world.
Specific Social Values
Specific social values are followed in specific society .Muslim society has it own values towards marriage ,food items, wearing costumes and falling the rituals unlike Hindus ,Nepalese society has its own specific values and state to state.
Most of them are highly influenced by religions.
Characteristics of Social Values
1.social values are universal cultural standards
2.they advocate for truth , realities and for universal ideas
3.social values speak what is right and wrong
4.It helps to enrich human civilization
5.values are hierarchy arranged.
Differences in socials norms and culture:
Usually the norms and social values are highly influenced on the base on educational level.
The more educated people , there are more human and animal right friendly norms.
In society where people are less educated usually women are dominated
Introduction of Status and Roles:
Society is understood in terms of the network of social interaction and interconnection. Status is a rank order position occupied by a person and approved by the members of society. Status determine rights, duties, and other behaviors. It is a position afforded by group membership or group organization with its of nature of ascribed and achieved.
Role is expected behavior pattern associated with a social position. It is a function of a status that is approved by society and organization. Every individual member of a social group or society is bound to play social roles according. Some's roles are voluntary in nature and others are involuntary.
Define Status?
A status is a position in a social group as groupings, a relation to other position held by other individuals in a group as groupings .
Major Types of Status:
1 Ascribed Status
It is type of status which comes automatically by birth supported by caste, class, ethnicity, religion and the like. It is given and taken by family back ground.
2 Achieved Status
It is achieved only through hard work. He can be doctor, professor, banker, administrator by doing hard work. It requires extra innovation ideas, skill, intuition and dedication. Modern generation would like to have such status.
Major Characteristics of Status:
1.status is a Rank- order Position
2.It is a dynamic in character
3.Every Status has its own Right, Duties and obligation
4.A person may have Different Status at a Time
5.It is Ascribed and Achieved in Nature
6.It provides the Motivation and Influences one another
Define Role?
A social role is the expected behavior associated with a social position .
Types/Forms of Role:
1.Formal Role :
It is performed in a organization. An individual expected to perform his duties and obligation in organization in accordance with his status. A doctor cures his patients in hospitals; a professor can conduct the class and engage his students in research activities are some example of formal roles.
2.Informal Role:
An individual is expected to carry out his domestic work accordingly. An individual has to carry out his work with the collaboration of other members of society.
3.Role-taking:
Role taking means that a person responds by putting himself mentally in the role of other person. Example: A child takes a role of other person such as mother, father, cook, milk man. Role also is taken for a time begin.
Characteristics of Role:
Social roles are expected behavioral patterns
status and role are the two sides of the same coin
some roles are considered something important
It is be formal and informal in nature
Difference of Status and Role:
Every person has various roles to perform in his family and the society and every role has duties and responsibilities.
Status refers to the honor or prestige accorded to a role in the society.
Status is the rank in social hierarchy while role is the behavior that is expected of a person.
Unit-3 Social Sysgtem and Social Stratification of Nepalease Society
FAMILY
Definition:
‘A social group characterized by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults’
(Murdock, 1949).
Basically, a family is a group of people that are related by blood, marriage or legal ties having economic cooperation.
Types of family
Nuclear family: Family that consists mostly of parents and children.
Extended family: Family that is the extension of nuclear family including grandparents or other relatives.
According to authority figure there are three types of families namely matriarchal, patriarchal and symmetrical.
There are also other types of families like lone parent family, reconstituted family, Gay/lesbian family.
Characteristics of family
Every family provides an individual with a name, and hence, it is a source of nomenclature.
Family is the group through which descent or ancestry can be traced.
The family is a unit of emotional and economic cooperation.
Each member of family shares duties and responsibilities.
Each family is made up of different social roles, like those of husband, wife, mother, father, children, brothers or sisters
Functions of family
The family legitimizes the act of reproduction.
Family helps in propagation of human species and perpetuation of human race.
Family provides an individual with an identity.
Family is responsible for the production and upbringing of children.
Family is an important agent of socialization. The primary socialization of any individual takes place within the family. The immediate family members teach all the basic rules and norms of social life to a child.
KINSHIP
Definition:
Kinship is the most basic principle of putting individuals into social groups, roles, and categories. The basic sort of kinship is to belong to the same family by birth.
Kinship tells us how we are related to our family or each other, through our biology and history.
The anthropologist Lewis H. Morgan invented kinship studies.
Types of kinship
Consanguinity
(Related by blood)
Affinity
(Related by social processes, like marriage or adoption)
Major usage of Kinship
Rule of avoidance
Joking Relationship
Teknonymy
Avunculate
Amitate
GROUPS
Definition:
A group is usually defined as a number of people who identify and interact with one another.
Individuals form groups for a variety of reasons like reproduction, protection, trade, protest, and food production.
Types of Groups:
Primary group
Secondary group
Tertiary group
Characteristics:
It is a union of two or more than two individuals
Members have Mutual Awareness
Provision of Reciprocity and We – Feelings
Provision of Group Solidarity
Same Objectives, Interests and Goals
Group is Dynamic in Character
It can be permanent and temporary
Each Group has its own Norms and Values
There is a distribution of division of labor
Family, kinship and groups(Relationship):
Family, kinship and groups are related as kinship between people forms family and family forms group.
Group of family forms a society.
People in the society follow the norms and values given to them by their family.
Therefore, family, kinship and group is the related term.
Sociology includes the study of this topic because these are the building blocks of society.
Cultural change:
Introduction:
David Dressler and Donald Caens: "It is the modification or discontinuance of existing 'tried' and 'tested' procedures transmitted to us from the culture of the past, as well as the introduction of new procedures."
Features of culture:
Culture is learned.
It is not biological; we do not inherit it. Much of learning culture is unconscious. We learn culture from families, peers, institutions, and media. The process of learning culture is known as enculturation.
Culture is shared
Because we share culture with other members of our group, we are able to act in socially appropriate ways. Despite the shared nature of culture, that doesn’t mean that culture is homogenous.
Culture is based on symbols
A symbol is something that stands for something else. Symbols vary cross-culturally. They only have meaning when people in a culture agree on their use. Language, money and art are all symbols. Language is the most important symbolic component of culture.
Culture is interconnected
This is known as holism, or the various parts of a culture being interconnected. All aspects of a culture are related to one another and to truly understand a culture, one must learn about all of its parts, not only a few.
Factor of cultural change:
Political Factors:
Politics play a vital role in bringing social change. The state and central government change the rules, regulations for the people in order to change the social pattern. Different political parties with their ideologies bring a social change throughout the country.
Educational Factors:
Educationists through their educational ideologies bring a change in the society. Education acts as the chief and most powerful instrument for the social change. Educational institutions, books, magazines, newspapers etc. greatly affect the social life of the people. Hence, the role of education is felt seriously to change the society in all aspects.
Technology Evolution:
Due to devolvement of technology the social and cultural bond of people are getting weaker . The life of people is getting easier by which they prefer to use technology instead of following culture.
Lack of social bonding:
Due to busy schedule of modern life people are slowly getting away from other people in community which is causing lack in social bonding.
Culture adaptation
Biological adaptation in humans is important but humans have increasingly come to rely upon cultural adaptation. However, not all adaptation is good, and not all cultural practices are adaptive. However, because culture is adaptive and dynamic, once we recognize problems, culture can adapt again, in a more positive way, to find solutions.
Conclusion
In present context the change is not uncommon we should not get worried about the originality of the culture. Because the originality is not important as relevant on the present. Because what was good yesterday might be outdated today. So we must make sure that we are moving towards the right direction in the name of change. We can't stop change but we can be one of the reasons for the good change.
Factors of Social and Cultural Changes
Society means group of people sharing the same community one the basis of several factors like nationality, culture, religions etc.
Bases of Society
Religion
Many societies have been established due to same religions because it creates the kind of emotional bond between bond the group of people and unites them as a society.
Culture
It is very common to see that the people of same culture like to stay together as one. It is the factor which is mostly affected by the religion. Because many culture are originated through the religion. Also geography plays crucial role to create cultures.
Nationality
People get bonded to each other if they share same nationality. It creates the sense of trust between the individuals. Even though people change the residence for short time or permanently they still get loyal to old nation or old people.
Economy
As money plays great role to the society it has somehow managed to create or bind the people in society. Even if people are new to the society they are easily accepted in new society if they are rich despite other differences in cultures and religions.
Common Nature of Acceptance
Humans are social animals so people are usually ready to accept other people in their community.They have natural tendency to live with other people. So people don't hesitate to live in other places because they believe they will be part of new society.
Features of Society
Dynamic
Society is dynamic. It is not the same as it was few years ago, it will be different tomorrow. It is changing every day. Mainly education plays key role to change in society.
United
In society people are united with each other as they have been sharing same resources, institution, culture, religion. Those factors helps to create the bond between the people which makes them united their same beliefs
Sharing of common beliefs
In each society people share almost same kind of beliefs because they have been receiving the same informal education, culture. On the other hand people sharing different beliefs are not much acceptable in all society so people with different values are more prone to change society.
Sensitive
It is very sensitive part of anywhere in the world people are more likely to react according to action or word directed to their society. It is usually common to the society where the people are extremist.
Creation of moral pressures
People are more likely to fulfill their moral duties in order to gain more respect or to be acceptable among the group. Immoral person are usually not respected in the society.
Factors of Social Changes
Education (Right Knowledge)
-With Changes in education people are bringing change in their social behaviors mostly in positive manners like respecting privacy, creating less social pressure.
Western World Influence
-Many people are following Western world as they are more developed and advanced socially as well. There are more openness in their society as their society is not based on religion anymore.
Changing Lifestyle
People of this generation have been busy to earn more money as the expenses are also very high to live modern life. So people are busy to live their family life rather than the social life in available time.
Democratic Political System
In past era people were not allowed to share their views and live desired life unless they were powerful persons. But democratic system have given right to share their views and live in their own desired way.
Gender Equality
There is more gender equality in present than it was ever. So with the more participation of women for the society the society is changing and being stronger
Technological Development
Due to technology many social changes are being occurred as medias have increased the availability of information and helped them to live more standard and modern life.
Acceptance of Different Views And People
People are ready to accept the other kind of people like people of other religions, caste, colors, LGBT people etc so many social laws are being modified ultimately which in making changes in society.
Globalization
Many places of the world has been changed or changing because are migrating from one places to another to live either permanently or temporarily which is creating more diversity in world than in any era. So now days society is not the group of one ethnic group anymore.
Legal Action Against the Negative Social Norms
Now government takes legal action against the negative social norms like untouchability, racism, social bias this is helping to grow society as one.
Positive Social Changes
Equality in people of different races, religion
This is the most beautiful change in modern society because no people are judged on the basis of their color, caste, culture. People are judged on their ability and nature.
Gender Equality
In this era there is more gender equality than ever now days men and women are treated equally
and are provided equal right and opportunities.
Acceptance of minors
In this time minor's population are also respected. Gay, lesbian, bisexual people are provided rights by the nation. So society is also accepting them.
More right to children and animals
In past animal right and children right were not considered as most important but now they have got their own places in constitution of the each nations.
Negative social changes
Lack of social bonding
Due to busy schedule of modern life people are slowly getting away from other people in community which is causing lack in social bonding.
More focus on economic factor
In this world money has been factor to judge the people in spite of their abilities and personality. Rich people are more likely to get more respect than to be deserved one.
Low moral pressure by society
As the social bond is weaker the moral pressure is not created enough to the individuals. They are believing it's ok to be self centered, which inspires them to do criminal or immoral activities.
Differences between the societies
Differences are mainly caused by the level of education. In those societies where the education is low mainly women and minors are dominated. But in the societies of educated there is more development in each sector i. e cultural, political, economical. In those societies the is good respect of human rights. Those societies are law driven than whereas other societies are religion or culture driven.
Factors of cultural changes
Culture means the collective social behavior shown by the group of people living in a particular places or society. Mostly culture has been affected by religion.
Features of Culture
Inspires the bond in the social bond
Highly Influenced by the religion of locals
Dynamic
Reflected through the festivals and social rituals
Affected by the educational level of people
Causes of cultural Change
Education
With the increase in educational level many norms with superstitious beliefs are being changed or completely eliminated. For example: sati, chaupadi
Changing lifestyle
Many people are approaching modern lifestyle .So they have less time to continue the lengthy traditional process. So now days people are cutting off long cultural process to short one
Low social pressure
Present law prohibits the people or mass to pressurize other and also people have less time to give for others .So with the declining social pressure many cultural activities are at stake. Linge Ping is its great example.
Declining Cultural Bond
Many people are migrating from their residence to other places due to professional or business reasons. In diversed culture group cultural bond gets weaker and weaker with time as people of same culture are too less to maintain cultural responsibility due to which some of them will get extinct sooner.
Lack of Involvement of youths in cultural activities
Majority of youths in world are not much attracted to the traditional culture. They prefer not to take cultural responsibility and they are modifying the culture in their own way according to the time.
Generation Gaps
In present context of the time there is huge generational gap between the parents and the children so
the passing of culture has not been so much sufficient. As a result many cultural activities are losing their originality.
SOCIETYAND CULTURE
The society and culture are highly interrelated to each other. Because they on almost same pillars. Both of them are highly influenced by the educational level of people. They bind people in the name of each other. In each places the culture plays very important role to maintain the society. It gives the feeling of own between the people as many people gather in the name of festivals, fair and share their grief and happiness together.
Conclusions
In present context the change is not uncommon we should not get worried about the originality of the culture. Because the originality is not important as relevant on the present. Because what was good yesterday might be outdated today. So we must make sure that we are moving towards the right direction in the name of change. We can't stop change but we can be one of the reasons for the good change.
Syllabus
TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY:
Background:
Historically, Society has radically been changed for last couple of centuries, especially after sixteen century onward due to technological advancement. The importance of stones tools, circa 2.5 million years ago, is considered fundamental in the human development in hunting hypothesis.
Primatologist, Richard Warngham, theories that the control of fire by early humans add the associated development of cooking was the spark that radically changed the human evolution. Texts such as Guns, Germs and steel suggest that early advances in plant agriculture and husbandry fundamentally shifted the way that collective groups of individual and eventually societies developed.
Introduction:
The term technology comes from the Greek word techne, meaning art and craft, and the word logos, meaning word and speech. It was first used to describe applied arts, but it is now used to described advancements and changes which affect the environment around us.
Technology is defined as “purposeful intervention by design,”and technological pratice as the activity through which technological outcomes are created and have impact in the world. Technological outcomes are designed to enhance the capabilities of people and expand human possibilities. They change the made of world in ways that have positive and negative impact on the social and natural world.
If the society fulfills its bio-psychological needs by using scientific technology is known as technological society. Technology helps to harness the energy for societal development. In social science discourse, science, technology and society is the study of how social, political and cultural values affect scientific research and technological innovation and how these, in turn , affect society, politic and culture.
MODERN EXAMPLES AND EFFECT:
Technology has became a huge part in the society and day to day life. When societies know more about the development in a technology, they become able to take advantage of it. When an innovation achieves a certain point after it has been presented and promoted, this technology becomes part of the society. The use of technology in education provides students with technology literacy, information literacy, capacity for life-long learning and other skills necessary for the 21st century workplace. Digital technology has entered each process and activity made by the social system. In fact, it constructed another worldwide communication system in addition to it’s origin.
With in the virtual realm, social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat have altered the way generation youth culture is under standing the world and thus how they view themselves. In recent years, there has been more research on the development of social media depression in users of sites like these, “facebook depression .” Facebook depression is when user are so affected by their friends posts and lives that their own jealously depleates their sense of self-worth. They compare themselves to the posts made by their peers and feel unworthy or monotonous because they feel like their lives are not nearly as exciting as the lives of others.
Another instance of the negative effects to technology in society, is how quickly it is pushing younger generations into maturity. With the world at their finger tips, children can learn anything they wish to. But with the uncensored sources from the internet, without proper supervision, children can be exposed to explicit materials at in appropriate ages. Technology has a serious effect on youth’s health. The over use of technology is said to be associated with sleep deprivation which is linked to obesity and poor academic performance in the lives of adolescents.
Characteristics of technology:
Technology uses and pratices or produces technological knowledge. Technological communities endorse technological knowledge as valid when it is shown to support the successful development of technological outcomes. Following are the various characteristics of technological society which are mentioned below:-
Purposefulness and technological pratice:-
Technology is a unique form of human activity, consisting of a group of a society, a group of socially embedded activities like technological pratice activated by need, desire and opportunity. What sets technological pratice apart is it’s purposeful and productive in nature??? Outcomes are arrived at through a delibrate process of design, decission making, production and manufacturing rather than by evolution as in the natural world.
Extending human capability:-
While technology is inseperable from society and the enviroment it creats a space for looking at a world differently. For example, microscopes and telescopes extend our vision, while horse-driven wagons cars, planes and spacecraft extend our capacity to get to places.
A socially embedded activity:-
Technology is a socially embedded human activity; every technological outcome is designed in and for a particular time and physical and social location.
Expect the unexpected:-
While good technology pratice is based on the best available knowledge and on a reasoned decission making, unforseen issues always surface during pratice and implementation. For example: Eye lenses, hologram, fitting the pipe in heart for blood circulation, fitting pipe in intestine , fitting rod in hand etc.
Collaboration:-
Technology is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, so successful outcomes typically requires a great deal of collaboration between people and across discipline.
POSITIVE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY:
Effective Transportation:-
Cars and motorbikes have become so ubiquitous in the world that may individuals can’t imagine life without them. They aren’t only transportation to have changed the human environment.
Fast, Far-flung communication:-
It should come as no surprise that technology has vastly improved both the method and speed of communication all round the world. In the days of quills and scrolls, you sent off a letter and hoped for the best. In 2014 you can text, tweet, call, tumble, e-mail, fax and “poke” if you have information that needs attention.
Better goods and services:-
It’s an understood psychological truth that people behave better when they know they are being watched. In an age where every customer has mobile phone, camera, business are under the security 24/7 and they are forced to stay on their toes to keep their door open and their lights running.
Streamlined system:-
Think about the last time you had to wait more than ten minutes for a cup of coffee. How frustrated did the experience leave you ??? Now imagine what it must have been like to live in the 1900s when all coffee beans had to be harvested and roasted by hands.
Meaningful Exchanges:-
The world opened up with the rise of it. Not only people can simply log onto their mobile phones to speak with friends from NewYork to New Zealand, but the quality of their dialogue has improved as well. The more you interact with someone, the, more you understand them and the more culture barriers cease to exist.
Longer Lives :-
The average life expectantly has climbed by 50 yrs since the 1700s. Advancements in medical tech are mostly thank for this, though you can also point to everything from betterment of schools to improved agriculture systems.
Improved Media:-
Satellite systems revolutionized the way people share information. For the first time, citizens could see and hear global events for themselves.
NEGATIVE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY:
Waste of Time:-
There are so many intrestung things on the internet, but if we would like to review and comment on everythings, one life wouldn’t be enough. We only have one life an the day lasts only twenty four hours, so we must use time wisely. Unfortunately, many of we spend hours looking mobiles, tablets and laptops, doing nothing clever.
Loss of Concentration:-
New technologies have very bad effects on our brains. Human brain cannot cope with challenges of modern devices, so the excessive use of modern technology reduce our concentration, productivity and affect our way of thinking.
Threat to Human Health:-
The more time people are spending looking at their computer screens, playing games and talking to friends online, they are spending less time exercising and being active. This can result in increased consumption of unhealthy food, depression and obesity. Also, there is a huge possibility of loss of eyesight and hearing, in people who spent too much times in looking to computers and using headphones.
Isolation:-
There’s no doubt that modern technology has improved the communication between people. However, there is a serious lack of contact with other people and social activities. We isolate ourselves because we prefer communicating online and we avoid face to face interaction.
Lack of Privacy:-
Internet and many social networking sites encourage people to be public about their personal lives. Our intimate details can be posted easily and they remain available indefinitely. Even though most websites allow users to control who sees the things they have posted, such limitations are often forgotten.
Stress:-
The need to be constantly online upto date with everythings creates as additional level of stress. For instance, studies have shown that most of us, from time to time, hear nonexistent mobile phone ringing or vibrating, which is a sign that the body is under a huge stress.
Poor Sleep Habits:-
Another negative effect of technological societies is the lack of sleep. Our online, activities can keep us up too late and the ambient glow from the screens of our devices affects the release of melation the sleep chemical.
Addiction:-
We are not only dependent on technology. We are addicted to it. Many studies have shown that when smart phones are taken away, people still heard of felt vibrations that weren’t there. Hallustation is one of the best example.
Increased Bullying:-
The use of modern technology has caused a huge increase in bullying. Children aren’t able to escape their bullies because they infiltrate the security of their victims homes through online avenues.
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE IN THIRD WORLD SOCIETY:
Background:
Technological advancement is coreleated with modernization and eventually towards globalization. The information age has increased the rate of globalization. Rapid expansion of the internet creates an irreversibly networked world. Asia and Africa in particular as third world countries is technically dependent and hence assisted by first world. America and Europe in particular. The adoption of technology by developing countries has had profound effects on their economies, such as reducing the national costs of production, establishing standards for quality of life and allowing individuals to communication from a distance.
Introduction:
Technology has brought out the innumerable quantitative and qualitative change in Asia and Africa especially in politics, economy and culture aspects. In essence technological change is the invention of technologies and their commercialization via research and development producing emerging technologies, the continual improvement of technologies in which they often become less expensive and diffusion of technologies throughout industry or society. Democracy, human rights cultural exchange, and economic prosperity are the major area of changes.
ADVANTAGES OF CHANGE IN THIRD WORLD SOCIETY:
Technology causing economic growth:-
The world wide web technology is one of the most popular inventions that support growth theory in economic and is considered to be one of the greatest solution to increase the third world countries current economic situations.
Technology and job creation:-
In many third world countries the unemployment rate is found to be very high. Driving technology can decrease the unemployment rate by creating more job opportunities in those countries. By integrating technology in the third world countries more it companies will be able to open and this will lead to increase in job opportunities.
Globalization is the key:-
One of the main reasons to infuse technology in the third world countries is that existing technologies developed by other nations can be used; the third world countries just need to learn how to integrate and operate them.
Better Education:-
While integrating technology in third world countries is well thought out for economic development and growth, it is also an important in improving education. As a matter of fact, education is a priority that third world countries need today to take them to the next level and even lead them to the status of developed countries.
Political challenges with technology:-
As the implementation of integrating technology appears to be feasible, various challenges may be encountered along the way that several people living in third world countries don’t welcome the influence from the western world.
Unit-4 Society and Technology'
Course Description
Course Description
This course covers several topics of sociology and impact of technology on society that includes basic concept of sociology, organizing, social life, social system & social stratification of Nepalese societies, society & technology and research in social sciences which are essential to make computer professionals more responsible towards their society and social norms & values.
Course Objectives
The main objective of this course is to make the students familiar with the disciplines of sociology. The goal is to enable, them to analyze the Nepalese society and culture; and to understand the relationship between individual, Society and Culture.
Unit Contents
1. Basic Concept of Sociology : 6 hrs
Definition of Sociology, Nature and Scope of Sociology, Relationship of Sociology with Other Social Sciences.
2. Organizing Social life : 6 hrs
Society: Population size and Distribution, Culture Community, Norms and Values, Status and Role, Institutions: Marriage, Family, Kinship and Groups.
3. Social System & Social Satisfaction of Nepalese Societies : 9 hrs
Social Processes & Socialization. Social and Cultural Change in Nepal, Factors of Social and Cultural Change in Nepal, Caste/Ethnicity based Satisfaction, Gender based Satisfaction, Religion based Satisfaction, Ecological based Satisfaction, National Integration: Historical Process of Nationhood, Cultural Integration (Language, Rituals and Customs).
4. Society and Technology : 12 hrs
Technological Society, Technological Changes in Third World Society, Social and Cultural bases of Technological change, Process and Patterns of Diffusion of Innovation, Consequences of Technological Development on Nepalese Society, Accountability of Computer Professionals towards Society.
5. Research in Social Science : 12 hrs
Concept of Research in Social Science, Understanding the Concept of Research Methods, Techniques and Tools: Interview, Focus Group Discussion, Odservation, Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Method in Social Research,
Research Proposal and its Components: Identification of Research Problem, Formulation of hypothesis/research questions, Sampling design, tool and methods of data collection, Analysis and Presentation of Data, Research Report Writing and Presentation of Data, Research Report Writing and Presentation, Computer Softwares on Social Science Research.
Text and Reference Books
Text Books
- Andersen, M. L. & Taylor, 11. F. (2007). Understanding sociology. New Delhi: Cengage Learning India Private Limited.
- Bista, D.B. (1996). People of Nepal. Kathmandu: Ratna Prakashan
- Creswell, J. W. (2011). Research design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approach. New Delhi: SAGE
- Haralambos M & Ileald R. M. (2006). Sociology: Themes and perspectives. New Delhi: Oxford University Press
Reference Books
- Bryman, A. (2008). Social research methods (3rd ed). New York, New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
- Central Department of So6ioldgy .and Anthropology (1987-2009). Occasional papers in sociology and anthropology. Kathmandu.
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