SOSC 2350 Lecture Notes - Social Control, Social Change, Social Disorganization Theory

• School: York University
• Department: Social Science
• Course: SOSC 2350
• Professor: Tanja Juric

Document Summary

Homogenous society- behavioural conformity ensured by the fact that socializing experiences are the same for everyone. Primarily dependent upon self-sanctioning and seldom require formal punishment. Heterogeneous society- social control solely rests on the internalization of shared norms. Great diversity, lack of communication, absence of similar values, attitudes, standards of conduct, economic inequalities, competitive struggles = increasing need for formal mechanisms of social control. Social control is characterized by: (1) explicit rules of conduct (2) planned use of sanctions to support the rules (3) designated officials to interpret and enforce the rules: dispute settlement. Informal mechanisms such as negotiation, mediation, or forcible self-help measures. Law only deals with disputes that have been translated into legal disputes. Results in a resolution of specific legal dispute, but not in the amelioration of the border issues that have produced that conflict: social change. Social engineering: purposive, planned, and directed social change initiated, guided, and supported by the law.