Handbook on Social Change

Social change in the broadest sense is any change in social relations. Viewed this way, social change is an ever-present phenomenon in any society. A distinction is sometimes made between processes of change within the social structure, which serve in part to maintain the structure, and processes that modify the structure. The term is used in the study of history, economics, and politics, and includes topics such as the success or failure of different political systems, globalisation, democratisation, development and economic growth. While the term is usually applied to changes that are beneficial to society, it may result in negative side-effects or consequences that undermine or eliminate existing ways of life that are considered positive. This book presents a broad variety of research on this topic. Several chapters will look at the role of education and family structures on social change. This book also focuses on technology and the media instruments in social change.