A theory of global social change

• In Event: 4462 - Theorizing Social Change

Abstract

How does social change take place? When similar things happen in different parts of the world, people talk about Zeitgeist, but how does it actually work; how is it that actors involved have ended up creating isomorphism in people’s practices throughout the world? The paper suggests that to form a theory of social change we must investigate instances in which actors involved have ended up creating global standards. In this instance a standard as a set of principles and practices institutionalized worldwide can mean a technical or legal standard but also a less formal set of principles, for instance the standard categories of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, that consumers around the world recognize. Standards are crucial to global change because they constitute global fields, which function as a springboard of global fashions. Fashion, in turn, denotes a new standard or reform introduced within a field. I also propose that such standards can evolve in four domains: economy, technology, aesthetics, and politics, which function as engines of social change. As a whole, global change, kept in motion by the four engines of change—politics, economy, technology, and aesthetics—is a highly complex process in which a new fashion in one domain is closely linked with one or more other domains or triggers fashions in them. Regarding such crossover or spin-off effects, we could talk about politicization, commercialization, technicalization, and aestheticization of an initial fashion.

Author

• Pertti Alasuutari, Tampere University