Overview of Course

In contemporary life social change moves at breakneck speed, at times disrupting our sense of place and purpose. While social change is not new, in many ways the accelerated pace of change in the modern world has become the normal state-of-affairs. Life has increasingly become a journey, rather than a home.

Although social change may appear to come from nowhere, this course will use a sociological lens to explore the deep social forces driving today’s social change. Specifically, we will consider the global dimensions of social change, the role played by technology, the rise of social movements in confronting change, and the future direction of social change. Our time together on Semester at Sea will offer us a chance to not only visit a myriad of locations, witnessing first-hand the ways in which social change occurs, but to also critically question the intended and unintended consequences of social change. Using a comparative approach, we will investigate how world history acts as a stage upon which the drama of social change unfolds. As performers on this epic stage, we will have the opportunity to both challenge and direct the process of social change in ways that promote social justice and sustainability.