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UCSP
Second Quarter Module 6: Examine Human
GRADE 12 Responses to Emerging Challenges in
Contemporary Societies
MELC: Examine Human Responses to Emerging Challenges in Contemporary Societies.
Social Change is the “transformation of culture and social institutions over time” (Macionis 2012: 565).
Characteristics of Social Change
1. Social change happens all the time. Everything in our social world is subject to change, although some
societies change faster than others. As Macionis points out, hunting and gathering societies change quite
slowly, whereas members of today’s high-income societies experience significant change within a single
lifetime. Some elements of culture also change faster than others. Macionis thus cites William Ogburn’s
theory of cultural lag, which states that material culture(things) usually changes faster than nonmaterial
culture (ideas and attitudes). For instance, advances in genetic technology have developed more rapidly than
ethical standards on the use of the technology
2. Social change is sometimes intentional but is often unplanned. Today’s high-income societies generate
many kinds of change. Yet, it would be impossible to envision all the consequences of the changes that are set
in motion. For example, telephones (invented in 1876) have taken on different forms and uses over time.
3. Social change is controversial. Social change brings both good and bad consequences, and thus could be
welcomed by some and opposed by others. Karl Marx and Max Weber have chronicled the transformations
brought about by the Industrial Revolution. The capitalists welcomed the Industrial Revolution because new
technology meant increased productivity and profits. However, workers opposed it as they suffered alienation
and the dehumanization brought about by newer techniques and social relations of production.
4. Some changes matter more than others. Some changes such as fashion fads only have passing significance,
while others such as major medical discoveries and inventions may change the world.

Causes of Social Change

A. Culture and Change
There are three important sources of cultural change (Macionis 2012: 565– 566). First is invention, or the
creation of something new by usually by putting things together. Inventions can range from the seemingly
complex technological objects such as the spacecraft or even the lightbulb to the seemingly simple such as
kitchen gadgets (like can openers).
Second is discovery or finding something that has existed but previously not known. Various examples of the
discovery of material and fossil remains of prehistoric societies that changed our understanding of biophysical
and cultural evolution.
Third is diffusion, or the spread of cultural attributes from one culture to another through contact between
different cultural groups. Change happens as products, people, and information spread from one society to
another. An example of cultural change is the wide variety of cuisine from other lands that is made available
to us. Fast-food courts and restaurants in major Philippine cities offer food from around the country and the
world that is usually not part of a person’s everyday meal. Filipino overseas workers have also been known to
introduce balut and other Filipino foods to their host societies. Another example is the evolving ideals of
beauty as people come in greater contact with others.
Fourth is innovation, means using new technology and using new ways of thinking to add value to an existing idea or
product and to make substantial changes in society. Over the past decades, innovation has become the most
fundamental way to combat critical risks and threats. It has also brought significant changes and improvements to the
society we live in and is important to the advancement of society as it solves problems and enhances society's capacity
to act.
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B. Conflict and Change

Inequality and conflict in a society also produce change. Karl Marx foresaw that “social conflict arising from
inequality (involving not just class but also race and gender) would force changes in every society to improve
the lives of working people” (Macionis 2012: 566). In the Philippines, the rising inequalities and human rights
violations during the Martial Law period caused mass uprisings that culminated in the 1986 People Power
Revolt. The Philippines was the first in the world to have challenged authoritarian rule through a non-violent
process.
C. Ideas and Change
Weber, like Marx, also saw that conflict could bring about change. However, he traced the roots of most
social change to ideas (Macionis 2012: 566). For example, charismatic people such as Mahatma Gandhi or Jose
Rizal had political ideas that change society.
D. Demographic Change
Population patterns such as population growth, shifts in the composition of a population, or migration also
play a part in social change (Macionis 2012: 566). An increasing population may encourage the development
of new products and services, but it can also have ecological and social implications such the conversion of
more agricultural land to residential subdivisions. In other societies, lower fertility rates (women are having
fewer children), an aging population, and the influx of migrants from other societies are changing many
aspects of social life.
Modernity
A central concept in the study of social change is modernity. Modernity refers to social patterns resulting
from industrialization. These social patterns were set in motion by the Industrial Revolution, which began in
Western Europe in the 1750s. Related to the discussion of modernity is modernization, or the process of social
change begun by industrialization.
For Emile Durkheim, modernization is defined by an increasing division of labor. The division of labor refers
to the degree to which tasks or responsibilities are specialized. Durkheim defines a society according to type of
solidarity. Mechanical solidarity is based on shared activities and beliefs while organic solidarity is
characterized by specialization makes people interdependent. As societies become industrialized, mechanical
solidarity is gradually replaced by organic solidarity.
For Weber, modernity meant replacing a traditional worldview with a rational way of thinking characterized
by goal-oriented calculation and efficiency. He focused on the dehumanizing effects of modern rational
organization, especially the bureaucracy which is the ultimate form of rationalization.
Marx saw modernity as the triumph of capitalism over feudalism. Capitalism creates social conflict, which
Marx claimed would bring about revolutionary change leading to an egalitarian socialist society.

New Challenges to Human Adaptation and Social Change

“It’s not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to
change.” -Charles Darwin
Humans are generally adaptive to changes in the environment. If people perceive relevant changes in the
environment they are in, they readily adapt their behavior to meet those challenges for their own benefit.
Even in the past, humans modify their behaviors to suit themselves in the new conditions where they are.
Adaptation refers to a change or the process of change in which an organism or species becomes better suited
to its environment. It enhances the fitness and survival of individuals.
1. Global Warming and Climate Change
Global warming and climate change are often used interchangeably. They refer to the drastic change in
climate patterns all over the world. These changes are attributed to certain human practices such as the use of
fossil fuel, rampant logging, pollution, and the use of chemicals called greenhouse gases.
As commonly defined, climate change refers to the “rise in average surface temperatures on earth mostly
due to the burning of fossil fuels”. It is further described as the “consequence of unchecked pollution when
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carbon emissions caused by human activity enter the air; these have dangerous effects on the environment,
the economy, and well-being.”
The realization of the grave impact of climate change on societies has led to calls for immediate action. In
many parts of the world, initiatives, and programs to mitigate climate change have been initiated. Various
international agencies and non-government organizations have embarked to projects to help educate and
inform people about climate change. Others have also contributed to the continuing study of climate change
to learn how to effectively address this challenge.
Sustainable energy resources such as solar and wind power are considered important solutions to climate
change. The use of renewable energy sources and the reduction or even complete elimination of the use of
coal and other fossil fuels are campaigned too. Information and awareness are also an important aspect in
responding to the challenge of climate change.
2. Transnational Migration and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
Aside from the human adaptation to changes in the environment brought by the unstoppable global warming
and its after effect—climate change, people are also facing adaptation challenges borne by the need for
mobility. Life has been moving so fast and people as well are changing residences as rapidly.
Migration
is the movement of people from one place to another for the purpose of temporary or permanent residence.
Migration involves the movement of people across long distances.
Types of Migration
➢ Emigration refers to the movement of people out of their native country.
➢ Immigration refers to the movement of people into a country that is
not their native land.
➢ Internal migration refers to the movement of people within their country like transferring from one city or
locality to another.
Types of Migrants
➢ Permanent migrants are those who acquired residency or citizenship to the new country.
➢ Temporary migrants are those who stay abroad for employment and have work visa.
➢ Irregular migrants are those who do not possess legal documents but continue to stay in the foreign
country because they need to work.
➢ Refugees are those who are forced to move into another country because they are displaced by wars,
disasters, and political persecution.
➢ Transnational migrants are those persons who have migrated from one nation-state to another, live their
lives across borders, participating simultaneously in social relations that embed them in more than one nation-
state.
Filipinos have had long history of migration brought about the economic concerns. The prevalence of OFWs at
present is a sign of the impact of economic factors on the migration of Filipinos. Though overseas workers are
source of benefits for the Philippines, such as financial remittance, many OFWs and Filipino migrants face
dangers and challenges such as abuse, human trafficking, and exploitation. Addressing these concerns requires
economic reforms which will enable Filipinos to gain employment in the country and no longer look to
migration as the only way to better their lives.
Responding to Social, Political, and Cultural Change
1. Inclusive Citizenship and Participatory Governance
Citizenship refers to the legal status of an individual in a particular state that allows him or her to enjoy
certain rights and protection. Citizens also bestows certain obligations like payment of taxes and observance
of laws. Inclusive citizenship refers to a type of citizenship that empowers marginalized groups (women, poor,
and uneducated) and individuals to be included in the political processes.
An inclusive view of citizenship also implies a citizenry engaged in governance. More and more, it has become
important for governments to provide mechanisms for citizens to engage the state. Participatory governance
refers to a state strategy that ensures the engagement of the citizens in planning, budgeting, monitoring, and
ensuring accountability in government.
2. New Forms of Media and Social Networking
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New media is a generic term for the many different forms of electronic communication made possible
through digital or computer technology. Social media, for its part, include forms of electronic communication
that facilitate social interaction and the formation of online communities through the exchange of user-
generated content.
The use of new media has facilitated political participation, widened citizens’ access to information, and
stimulated new forms of decentralized political activism. Critics, however, warn against the growth of
consumerist form of citizenship and doubt the value of technological fixes.
New media is considered a significant source of political change in at least three key ways:
(1) Electronic communication has altered the conduct of elections. Examples are e-campaigning and e-voting.
(2) It offers citizens wider and easier access to information and more accessible venues to engage in political
discussion. Government information are made available online and some citizens have access to government
services through websites.
(3) It supported the development of political and social movements and further increase their effectiveness.
New politics is the newest style of activist politics which shifts power of government to citizens.
3. Social Movements
A social movement is a sustained, organized, and collective effort that seeks to challenge the government,
international organizations, corporations, or other powerful institutions to advance their goals.
Basic Types of Movements:
➢ Reform movements introduce changes in the political structures and processes of their respective
societies.
➢ Revolutionary movements cause massive and deep changes in society and politics.
The free rider phenomenon means that a person chooses not to participate in a social movement for self-
preservation. Establishing ways to encourage collective and voluntary action among citizens, and to
continually inform people of issues and problems and the benefits of becoming part of the solution are ways
to address the free rider phenomenon.
Popular Social Movements:
➢ Environmentalism is a social movement whose advocacies are in line with concerns for the environment—
its protection and improvement.
➢ Feminism is a social movement to push reforms on issues involving women such as reproductive rights,
domestic violence, fair labor practices, political suffrage, and sexual harassment.