International Journal of
Sociology and Anthropology

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Sociol. Anthropol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2006-988X
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJSA
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 334

Full Length Research Paper

The phenomenon of socio-cultural change in the context of sociological tradition: A discourse on the founding fathers of sociology

B. Salawu
Department of Sociology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 21 October 2009
  •  Published: 31 January 2010

Abstract

 

The study of social statics and dynamics remains a constant area of focus since the emergence of 
social philosophy, particularly sociology. Starting from the work of Darwin on evolutionary theory 
through August Comte (the acclaimed father of sociology) and many others to modern sociologists, 
this subject of order and progress remains a dominant area of focus in the understanding of human 
societies and their changing cultures. Human history has been examined in the context of change – 
from antiquity to the age of globalization; from the stage of communalism to the stage of slavery; from 
slavery to feudalism, from feudalism to modern capitalism, form capitalism to socialism and from 
socialism to the stage of communism. In other words, human societies are always changing from 
simple to complex cultures-pre-industrial society to post-industrial society. In this paper, attempt is 
made to reflect on the concept of social change in the context of sociological tradition. That is what 
contributions have sociologists made to the discourse on social change? 
 
Key words: Social, culture, change, sociology, tradition, founding fathers