We are in an era of dramatic global social change. Sociology helps us understand such change. Social change involves significant alteration over time in behavior patterns and culture. Theorists have examined social change from several perspectives. Evolutionary theory views society as moving in a definite direction. Early evolutionary theorists generally agreed that society was progressing from the simple to complex, which they assumed was superior. The idea that societies will follow this singular path is flawed. Another approach contends that societies naturally seek to attain stability. Talcott Parsons, an advocate of this view, developed the equilibrium model, which states that as changes occur in one part of society, adjustments must be made in other parts. But some groups in society are able either to inhibit or to facilitate social change because they control valued resources. Karl Marx argued that conflict is a normal and desirable aspect of social change, and that change should be encouraged as a means of eliminating social inequality. However, since certain individuals and groups have a stake in maintaining the status quo, efforts to promote social change are likely to meet with resistance. Social economist Thorstein Veblen coined the term vested interests to refer to those people or groups who will suffer in the event of social change. In general, those with a disproportionate share of society's wealth, status, and power have a vested interest in preserving the status quo and resisting social change. Communities also protect their vested interests, often in the name of "protecting property values" (e.g., NIMBY).

Technological advances have brought striking changes to our culture. The Internet provides a potential for immediate global connection that previously was virtually and physically impossible. But a digital divide persists. There are also concerns about privacy and the possibility of censorship. Another area in which technological advances have spurred global social change is biotechnology. This has raised concerns about genetically modified food; cloning; and sex selection of fetuses. While biotechnology offers great potential for good, it is in constant need of monitoring, and raises difficult ethical, moral, and political questions. Biotechnology could alter our environment in unexpected and unwanted ways.

The Luddites strongly resisted the Industrial Revolution in England in the early 19th century. Today, the term neo-Luddites refers to those who are wary of technological innovations and who question the incessant expansion of industrialization, the increasing destruction of the natural and agrarian world, and the "throw-it-away" mentality of contemporary capitalism.

We have the power to bring about social change. Sociologists use the term social movements to refer to organized collective activities to bring about or resist fundamental change in an existing group or society. Sociologists have used two primary explanations of how and why social movements emerge—relative deprivation and resource mobilization. A relatively deprived person is dissatisfied because he or she feels downtrodden relative to some appropriate reference group. A group will not mobilize into a social movement unless there is a shared perception that its relative deprivation can be ended through collective action. Resource mobilization refers to the ways in which a social movement utilizes such resources as money, political influence, access to the media, and personnel. Leadership is a central factor in mobilization of the discontented into social movements. Gender is an important element in understanding social movements. New social movements are organized collective activities that address values and social identities, as well as improvements in the quality of life. Many have complex agendas that go beyond a single issue, and even cross national boundaries.

We need to move from thinking of sociology as only something we learn about to thinking of it as something that we do. We should practice personal sociology and public sociology. Together, they can encourage discussion that can lead to a better future.