UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

TITLE: NEW CHALLENGES TO HUMAN ADAPTATION AND

SOCIAL CHANGE

________________________________________________________________

This report is all about the human adaption and various social
changes that occurs whenever society adapts to a change in the environment,
social interactions and in politics. This covers the meaning of human adaption
and social change, climate change, migration, and the response of people
towards social, political and cultural change. We also provided some examples
for the readers so that they may understand our topic more clearly.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Human Adaptation and Social Change

II. Global Warming and Climate Change

III. Migration

IV. Responding to Social, Political and Cultural Change

I. Human Adaptation and Social Change

Humans are adaptive to changes in the environment. If people perceive

relevant changes in the environment they are in, they readily adapt their
behavior to meet these new challenges for their own benefit. Changes are
inevitable. They bring a host of problems, and as humans, we are challenged to
respond to these problems not only individually but collectively.

A. What is Human Adaptation?

Human adaptability focuses on the flexibility with which humans, both as

individuals and as populations, cope with environmental challenges, through
both biological and behavioral/cultural means.

 For thousands of years, humans have modified the physical environment

by clearing land for agriculture or damming streams to store and divert
water.

 Biological adaptations include gaining opposable thumbs, increasing lung

capacity, walking upright, and developing large brains.

 Humans tend to adopt more cautious behaviors when they perceive

dangerous conditions, such as when driving in the rain. On the other
hand, when conditions are more favorable or when there are measures to
mitigate the risk, for example, anti-lock brakes, humans will engage in
more risky behaviors, such as driving at higher speeds.

B. What is Social Change?

 It is the changes in human interactions and relationships that transform
cultural and social institutions. These changes occur over time and often have
profound and long-term consequences for society.

 The Protestant Reformation - The Protestant Reformation was a religious

reform movement that swept through Europe in the 1500s. It resulted in
the creation of a branch of Christianity called Protestantism, a name used
collectively to refer to the many religious groups that separated from the
Roman Catholic Church due to differences in doctrine.

 The Civil Rights Movement - The civil rights movement was a political
movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to
abolish institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and
disenfranchisement throughout the United States.

II. Global Warming and Climate Change

Many researchers on global warming and climate change focus mostly on

what it will bring to the future. Climate change serves as a new challenge to
humans today. The changing climatic conditions that we experience tell us that
there is an existing environmental problem that needs to be addressed
immediately so that it will not give too much negative impact to human beings
in the future. Today, different programs are being implemented worldwide to
prevent further global warming and avoid climate change. Despite of this, its
effect will definitely last many years from now. Therefore, adaptation to the
resulting changes in climate change is necessary. The goal of adaptation to
climate change is to increase the ability of our environmental, social, and
economic system to cope with the problem.
  Clean Diesel Campaign - The National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC)
builds on the success of its regulatory and non-regulatory, innovative
efforts to reduce emissions from diesel engines. The NCDC is working to
reduce the pollution emitted from diesel engines across the country
through the implementation of varied control strategies and the sustained
involvement of national, state, and local partners.
 Green Power Partnership - The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary
program that encourages organizations to buy green power as a way to
reduce the environmental impacts associated with purchased electricity
use. Purchasing electricity that is generated from clean, renewable
resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and low-impact
hydro facilities is one of the easiest ways for an organization to reduce
the environmental impact of its electricity use. Through the program,
EPA provides partners with expert advice, tools and resources, and
opportunities for recognition.
 Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN), Asia and Pacific Region - To
build more resilience against the consequences of climate change, APAN
supports adaptation across Asia and the Pacific Region. APAN provides
resources and tools for planning, financing, and building adaptive
societies. For example, there are publications on Coastal Zone
Management that can help coastal communities reduce damage from sea-
level rise.

III. Migration

Aside from human adaptation to changes in environment, people on earth are

also facing adaptation challenges borne by the need for mobility; people are
changing residences rapidly. Migration is defined as the process of geographic
mobility, or the change of residence of a person from one community to another
with the intention of settling temporarily or permanently. There are three types
of migration;

A. International Migration - the permanent transfer from one country to another

B. Internal Migration – a change of residence within a country.

C. Circular Migration – a temporary movement of a person.

1. Transnational Migrants - are those persons who having 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. Some of the top examples of transnational migration include Cuban
Americans who have fled to the United States but maintain their Cuban ties and
dual citizens with houses in both countries.

2. Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) - is a person of Filipino origin who lives

and works outside of the Philippines. This term applies to Filipinos who are
abroad indefinitely as citizens or as permanent residents of a different country
and to those Filipino citizens who are abroad for a limited, definite period as
workers or as students.

IV. Responding to Social, Political, and Cultural Changes

A. Inclusive citizenship - is a governing policy focused at giving all citizens a

strong sense that they are members of the overall society.

This also includes access to public funds, public organizations, egalitarian

rights and acceptance by national figures.

 A city/human settlement of inclusive citizenship in which all inhabitants,

(whether permanent or temporary) are considered as citizens and granted
equal (e.g., women, those living in poverty or situations of environmental
 risk, informal economy workers, ethnic and religious groups, LGBT
persons, people with disabilities.

B. Participatory governance - is a kind theory which put emphasis on

democratic engagement through deliberative practices. The desired output of
participatory governance is citizen engagement. Participation is a fundamental
goal of most government institutions. The right to participate in a society’s
decision-making processes has been accepted as a basic human right.

C. New media - From media to mass media, to electronic media, and now to the
so-called new media. Technology has a great influence on our way of living; it
also widens our social circle. New media is a generic term for the many
different forms of electronic communication that are made possible through the
use of computer technology.

D. Social networking - is a more casual form of social media. The most popular
example is Facebook. Social networking is just one of the different forms and
types of social media. Others include forums, microblogging, bookmarking,
video sites and search engines.

E. Social movement - is defined as a set of attitudes and self-conscious actions

by people seeking to change society.

 Environmentalism - is a social movement whose advocacies are in line

with concerns for the environment – its protection and improvement.
 Feminism - is for the women’s liberation movement.