UNIT 2: CONTEMPORARY SOCIETIES

1. WHAT IS A SOCIETY? HOW ARE SOCIETIES FORMED?

2. ORGANISATION OF SOCIETY

3. DIVERSITY IN SOCIETY: CULTURE AND DISCRIMINATION.

4. TYPES OF SOCIETIES: RURAL, INDUSTRIAL OR POST-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES

5. THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIETIES.

6. HOW DO SOCIETIES CHANGE? HOW HAS SPANISH SOCIETY CHANGED?

1. WHAT IS A SOCIETY? HOW ARE SOCIETIES FORMED?

* WHAT IS A SOCIETY?

People have always formed groups to _______________with each other, to

___________________ themselves and to _______________ their quality of life. These

groups are called societies.

* HOW ARE SOCIETIES FORMED?

The formation of societies.

• First groups were ____________ and ______________, and

were small family group. Later bigger, more complex groups

were formed (______________, cities, _____________ and

empires).

• Members of each society generally share

____________________ characteristics, such as language,

customs, and mentality.

Societies are organized to cover different needs:

• They have an ___________________ system, which provides work and sustenance.

• They have a _______________ system, which guarantees government, law and order.

• They have __________ to regulate daily life.

ACTIVITY 1: How do societies cover different needs?

ACTIVITIES FROM THE BOOK: page 31: Actividades 1

2. ORGANISATION OF SOCIETY

* SOCIAL ORGANISATION

Societies are organized into social _____________. A social group

consists of people who have some ________________ with each

other, _____________ the same objectives, identify with other group

members and feel part of the group.

Primary groups

- The members have a close relationship with

each other and strong emotional _____________,

shared customs, ____________ and ___________.

- Among the primary groups are ______________,

_____________, ______________ communities,

sports and cultural ________________.

Secondary groups

- The members share their ______________ of

study or workplace, locality, ___________________

activity, ideology, etc.

- Among secondary groups are educational

institutions (schools, universities, etc) where people

__________, companies where people _________,

the state, professional associations

and_____________ ____________.

ACTIVITY 1: Look at the photos and answer the questions:

MODERN FAMILY GREY’S ANATOMY

- What do the photos show?

- Which one corresponds to a primary social group and which one to a secondary social group?

- What is the difference between the two kinds of social groups?

- To which primary social group do you belong? Which secondary social group are you part of?

ACTIVITIES FROM THE BOOK: page 31: Actividades 2.

3. DIVERSITY IN SOCIETY: CULTURE AND DISCRIMINATION.

* CULTURE

“Culture” refers to the __________, __________ and _________ shared by a particular group of people.

Multicultural society.

A society in which various _________ live together and non of them is predominant is called a _________

society.

Culture around the world.

• Throughout history, may different cultures have evolved.

• Normally these cultures are found in a particular ______________ area: a continent, country, etc.

• In today’s world, population _______________ (e.g. migration) and advances in transport and

communications ______________ (e.g. Internet) have made the ______________ of customs and

knowledge between all the continents much easier.

The four main cultures are:

1. _____________ 2. _____________ 3. ___________________ 4.________________

1. Western society

o It originates from _________, Roman, _________ and Christian societies.

o The most common languages are of Latin ____________.

o It is typical of ______________ countries where there are, however, wide

social differences.

2. Oriental society

o There are many different kinds, but they are all related to _________

cultures in which religious ___________ such as Hinduism, Buddhism and

Confucianism predominate.

o There are many _____________: Hindi, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, etc.

o Economic situations vary between one area and another, but most of the

countries are not very developed.

3. Muslim society

o It is linked to the Islamic religion. It originates from the __________ Peninsula,

where ___________ is the predominant religion.

o The most important language is usually ____________, although each country

often has its own language as well.

o It is found in ____________ geographical areas (some areas of western Asia)

and _______________ areas, such as most of North Africa.

4. African society

o There are many cultures of _____origin, and religious beliefs related to nature are very widespread.

o Many _____________ languages are spoken.

o In some African societies, there are large groups of Western

_____________, especially people of European descent.

o It is generally found in geographical areas that are ________ developed.

* DISCRIMINATION

Diversity itself is not a problem. However, there are individuals and governments that

_____________ certain people or groups to be inferior and these people are ________

certain rights. This ___________ is known as discrimination.

Do you remember Rosa Parks?

ACTIVITY 1: Decide if these people are suffering discrimination:

• Jean can’t buy anything in a department store because she has blue jeans.

• Everyone who lives in Salim’s country can live where they want.

• Isi can’t have his hair cut at a particular hairdresser’s because he is 67 years old.

• José can’t travel on the bus because he’s got very long hair.

• Iris can’t vote in the elections in her country because she is a woman.

• Peter can’t go to the doctor when he’s ill because he can’t pay for it.

ACTIVITIES FROM THE BOOK: page 32: Actividades 3, 4 y Lee y comenta 1 y 2; page 33: Lee y

comenta 1; page 34: Actividades 4, 6, 7 y Lee y comenta 1 y 2; page 35: Actividades 8; page 36:

Actividades 9; page 37: Lee y comenta.

READING FROM THE BOOK: Read page 41 and do Actividades 15, 16 and 17.

4. TYPES OF SOCIETIES: RURAL, INDUSTRIAL OR POST-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES

OBSERVE AND THINK:

• How many societies can you see on the map?

• Which society does Spain belongs to?

• What other countries form part of the same society as Spain?

There are three types of societies:

1.____________________ 2._______________________ 3. _____________________

1. Rural societies.

• The economy is based on _____________, _____________, and __________ and ___________.

• There are only traditional ____________, such as textile manufacturing.

• Most people live in _____________.

• Many people still wear traditional __________ and _____________.

• There are many in _____________, ____________ and ____________ America.

2. Industrial societies.

• Most of the people work in _____________.

• Factories are not usually modern, and production is in traditional sectors, such as _________ and

____________, __________ and ___________.

• Most people live in the _____________.

• There are many in the east and centre of _____________, and in recently industrialized countries

in Latin __________ and South-East ____________.

3. Post-industrial societies.

• More than 60% of the population works in high-level _____________, such as financial and

corporate services, and information technology.

• These are _____________ societies. Now, however, some people are moving out of the towns to

cheaper places in less polluted environments.

• These societies are in developed countries such as the United ________, ___________, Western

___________ and _____________.

ACTIVITY 1: Is Spanish society rural, industrial or post-industrial? Explain your answer.

ACTIVITY 2: Look at the photograph. What type of society is this?

5. THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIETIES.

Social Classes.

• Every society has social ______ which are organized into a ____________.

• Social structure varies from ________to place and has changed over time.

• In the Middle Ages and Early Modern period, societies were organized into

estates determinated by _______.

• Capitalist society is in the 19th and 20th centuries. People are classified

according to their ___________.

Hierarchical societies

o People are grouped in _________________.

o Society is organized in the shape of a

_____________.

o Societies are _______ because people can’t

change from one social group to another.

Dynamic societies

o Everyone has the same __________ and

_____________.

o Social differences can be overcome through

____________, social relations and the

support of other people and institutions.

Did you know..?

Hindu society used to have a very rigid caste, or class, system. A person

was born into a __________, or class, and could not ________ into

another social class.

The most powerful caste was formed by the Brahmin, or teachers and

__________, followed by the Shatriya, or warriors and nobles. Next in

the hierarchy came the Vaisya, or ____________ and merchants, and

the Shudra, or peasants, workers and artisans, who served the others.

The Dalit or _______________ did the worst jobs, and were excluded from society.

The caste system has not been totally eliminated today.

ACTIVITY 1: Copy and complete the text in your exercise book, using these words: different,

hierarchical, same, change, dynamic.

“In _______ societies, a small group of people has ________ rights and obligations from the rest. These

societies are static because people can’t _______ to a different social group. In ________ societies,

everyone has the________ rights and obligations and people can change to a different social group”.

ACTIVITY 2: What kind of society do we live in? How is it structured?

6. HOW DO SOCIETIES CHANGE?

* ALL SOCIETIES CHANGE WITH TIME.

• We are not aware of changes.

• Changes are _________ or a social ______________.

1. Personal change:

In terms of social ______________, there are two kinds of society:

1. Static or ___________ societies, where society is organized the shape of a pyramid. People are

grouped in hierarchies and can’t change from one social group to another one.

2. Dynamic or ___________ societies, where everyone has the same rights and obligations. It is

easier to change class, usually due to wealth and education.

2. Social revolution:

• When changes affect the) entire society, we say there has been a social revolution.

• Examples of important social revolutions are:

� The Neolithic revolution of the ninth millennium B.C. Agriculture and stockbreeding started

and new social _______________ emerged.

� The liberal revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries. These put an end to the system of

______________, and people became __________ before the law.

* HOW HAS SPANISH SOCIETY CHANGED?

The 1970’s

o The average age at marriage was 26 for

men and 23 for women. People were not

______________ to live together without

being married.

o Spanish women had their first child at

__________ 25 on average.

o One third of ____________ couples had

three children or more.

o Only 28% of women went out to ________.

o One tenth of women were _____________.

o Married women could not own property,

accept ____________, give evidence at a

_________, employ someone or work

without their husband’s consent.

o Women could go to prison for adultery and

immoral _______________.

o Women rarely took part in political life. In

1978, only 6% of Spanish members of

______________ were female.

o Divorce and contraceptives were totally

__________.

o The age of ____________ for women fell

from 25 to 21, the same as men.

o Kissing in public was _____________, and

bikinis were considered indecent.

Today

• The average age at marriage is

___________ 30 for men and 28 for women.

• Spanish women have their first child at 31 on

___________.

• Most _______ decide to have only one child.

• A _______ of 39% of women go out to work.

• Two-thirds of _________ graduates are

women.

• Between 1991 and 2001, the number of

people living together ____________

marrying went up by 2.5%, and is still

increasing. However, marriage continues to

be the favorite choice.

• The number of ___________ has more than

doubled. The number of ____________

parent families has also increased.

• Almost three million Spaniards live

___________. Half of these are “singles”, or

_____________ people, and the other half

are people over the age of 65, mostly

women, who have lost their partners.

ACTIVITY 1: Complete the sentences:

* A static society is a society …

* A dynamic society is a society …

* A social revolution is …

ACTIVITY 2: Investigate: Ask your parents about their lives 15 years ago. How were they different from

your life today? Are we living through a social revolution?

ACTIVITIES FROM THE BOOK: page 39: Actividades 10, Lee y comenta 1

ACTIVIDADES FINALES (pages 48-49)

Page 48: 1, 2, 3, 4 y 5.

Page 49: 6, 7, 8