Recent orders
The world is passing through an age of information explosion.
How mass media impacts women
Student’s name
Institution affiliation
The world is passing through an age of information explosion. Others use the words “the world has become a global village” to illustrate the changes that have occurred with achieving technological milestones. The electronic media has completely changed the scope of media. Information can easily flow one part of the world to another in a matter of seconds. The advancement in media has had huge impact on all fronts of the world. Perhaps the young generation is the most affected. The older generation was slow to adapt to the massive changes. The forms of media include radio, television, telephone, mobile phones, video conferencing, social networking, and newspapers. The society today is more complex than it was in the 19th century (Perse & Lambe, 2016). Mass media are the conceptualized agencies involved in the creation, selection, processing, and distribution of messages across the globe. The media plays a fundamental role in society as the adage goes information is power. The media informs, educates, advertises, and entertains her listens and readers. The mass media is a top asset for every liberal democracy, and the politicians recognize this hence champion its freedom. In this democracies, the media serves to champion for change and critic the national government.
The ongoing communication revolution has opened up more opportunities for women who were despised for generations. The use of the media remains uncontrolled and misguided. The women and children remain the most disadvantaged groups in society despite the massive brag of technological advancement. Women usually take to the streets to protest the inequality, disparity, and exploitation by the male-dominated media personnel. The media has been particularly active in selling misguided notions and stereotypes that impede achieving gender equality. Scholars postulate that the media continues to display the women as the weaker gender. For example, in the US, mass media outlets sell the notion that men are only sex-driven in relationships while women serve as sexual objects. Feminists argue that the films displayed in the media have contributed to the anorexic Nervosa syndrome observed in the young generations (Cortese, 2015). The new generation has been led to believe that men are only attracted to thin, young and young women.
Women have come a long way in the process of achieving gender equality. The gender protests of the 20th century increased women representation in media outlets, although the numbers are far from achieving gender equality. For instance, women only represent 10% of news stories, they only represent approximately 20% of the experts interviewed, television programs generally have less than 35% of women as actors (Patowary, 2014). Besides, women in films play supporting roles. The stereotypes towards women have been especially detrimental. Some of the stereotypes include: that role of the woman is at home where they have to do all housework duties, women cannot make crucial decisions, women must always be dependent on men, and women are sexual objects. Women have adapted to images sold by the mass media of how they should look. An ideal woman should be thin, white, fit, and with blonde hair. The effect of these is manifested in video games where creators display women with revealing clothes or even nude while the men are usually clothed appropriately.
The articles reveal that women are often disproportionately affected by information inequality in mass media. Women are vastly underrepresented in top positions in media outlets. There is no refuting the benefits of mass media on women empowerment. However, women lag behind men in terms of internet accessibility. Women who have been exposed to the internet are prone to sexual harassment (Hanson, 2016). The situation is worse when women do not conform to social norms. The researchers used various methods to assess the impact of mass media on women. Women have been the punching bags of toxic masculinity. The study incorporated various methods to conduct the research. The researchers conducted their research on both rural and urban women. They used open-ended questionnaires, interviews, and targeted discussions. Some articles analyzed the field research of other articles forming the secondary sources. One study involved sampling 400 women and conducting interviews and questionnaires with them (Patowary, 2014).
In this study, questionnaires and interviews were used to conduct the research. The researchers shall use the Fischer’s formula to determine the representative population. A total of 330 questionnaires shall be distributed equally to the two target groups based on the above formula. The study selected adult women as the only source of information. It will be a cross-sectional study utilizing a purposeful sampling technique to identify the representative population for the research. The study will also be carried out in urban settings as well as in the outskirts.
The researchers trained their personnel on how to conduct impartial interviews to source out information. The statement problem was to determine the impact of mass media on women. It is important to discuss these to identify the stereotypes and the negative influence of the media on women. The papers had several aims. First, it aimed to increase women empowerment. The study aimed to determine the influence of mass media on women in various sectors such as agriculture, occupation, and entertainment. Thirdly, to investigate the changes that have been made by mass media on women (Ibrahim, 2018). The research hypothesis includes: mass media has increased women empowerment, the media has degraded the decency of women through their stereotypic representations, and women have been denied prestigious opportunities because of their genders.
The research was limited by time. It is hard to quantify the number of women who have been empowered through this research. The sample size was small and may not be representative of the population. It was also difficult to assess the impact of mass media on women based on this methodology. A better methodology needs to be reviewed to extrapolate the impact on women. Future studies should focus on the impact of online information on women.
References
Cortese, A. J. (2015). Provocateur: Images of women and minorities in advertising. Rowman & Littlefield.
Hanson, R. E. (2016). Mass communication: Living in the media world. Sage Publications.
Ibrahim, F. (2018). Women, development, and the mass media. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 5.
Patowary, H. (2014). Portrayal of women in Indian mass media: An investigation.
Perse, E. M., & Lambe, J. (2016). Media effects and society. Routledge.
The world is going through an era of information burst.
How mass media impacts women:
Student’s name:
Institution affiliation:
Declaration
This report is as a result of the researchers’ independent investigation and has never been submitted for approval by any other researcher or institution.
Abstract.
The world is going through an era of information burst. To others the globe has developed into a global village. The use of electronic media has revolutionized the media. It does not matter where one is since the information flows from one location to another. Technological advancement has greatly modified the world environment in all manner. The changes are most noticeable among the young generation since the older people are slow to adapt or rather rigid. The types of media include radio, television, telephone, mobile phones, video conferencing, social networking, and newspapers. The world now is more sophisticated than it was in the 19th century (Perse & Lambe, 2016). Mass media are the intellectualized organizations indulging in the formation, selection, handling, and dissemination of content in the world. The media disseminates information to people. The media enlightens, teaches, advertises, and entertains its followers. Mass media is a chief asset for all liberal democracies. Politicians use mass media forums to champion for freedom in the American context. In this democracies, the media advocates for change and criticizes the government. This study investigated the influence of media on women. Literature review was carried out on previous researches on the topic. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research type. A cross sectional study design was selected for the study to allow collection of data over a period of time.
Chapter one: Introduction
1.1 Problem statement
The constant communication upheaval has unlocked up more prospects for women who have been denied representation for generations. The utilization of the media is still uninhibited and misguided. Children and women are still the most underprivileged groups in community despite the immense boast of technological progression. Women regularly demonstrate on issues of discrimination, disparity, and abuse by the male-dominated media staff. The media is predominantly active in selling injudicious concepts and stereotypes that hamper accomplishing gender equality. Scholars hypothesize that the media carries on the presentation of women as the fragile gender. For instance, in the United States, mass media broadcast sell the belief that men are merely sex-driven in relationships while women function as sexual entities. Feminists claim that the movies shown in the media have resulted to the anorexic Nervosa which is witnessed in the young generations (Cortese, 2015). The new generation has accepted the opinion that men are only fascinated by skinny, young and beautiful women. The aim of the paper is to determine the effect of mass media on women.
1.2 Scope of the study.
The research was undertaken in both rural and urban women.
1.3 Justification
Women have come a long way in the process of achieving gender equality. The gender protests of the 20th century increased women representation in media outlets, although the numbers are far from achieving gender equality. For instance, women only represent 10% of news stories, they only represent approximately 20% of the experts interviewed, television programs generally have less than 35% of women as actors (Patowary, 2014). Besides, women in films play supporting roles. The stereotypes towards women have been especially detrimental. Some of the stereotypes include: that role of the woman is at home where they have to do all housework duties, women cannot make crucial decisions, women must always be dependent on men, and women are sexual objects. Women have adapted to images sold by the mass media of how they should look. An ideal woman should be thin, white, fit, and with blonde hair. The effect of these is manifested in video games where creators display women with revealing clothes or even nude while the men are usually clothed appropriately.
1.4 Research questions
1.4.1 Main Research question
What is the impact of media among women?
1.4.2 Other research questions
What is the impact of media on women perception?
What is the impact of media on women’s involvement in various sectors such as agriculture occupation and entertainment?
How has media contributed to empowerment of women.
1.5 Research objectives
1.5.1 Broad objective
To determine the impact of media among women.
1.5.2 Specific objectives
To determine the impact of women’s perception by the media.
To determine the impact of media on women’s involvement in various sectors such as agriculture occupation and entertainment.
To establish the contribution of media to women empowerment
1.6 Hypotheses
The media has contributed significantly to the empowerment of women.
Women have a negative perception as a result of various media content and practices.
Women have engaged in various sectors as a result of information obtained from the media.
1.7 Limitations and delimitations
1.7.1 Limitations
Researchers experienced time constraints especially obtaining information from the respondents.
The cost of carrying out the research was too high. This is especially on activities such as printing questionnaires and transportation cost.
Some correspondents were unwilling to give information.
There was a language barrier as some respondents could not speak in a national language.
1.7.2 Delimitations
Researchers maximized on carrying out the research during the available time. The sample size was reduced as appropriate.
The researchers hired a means of transportation to be able to reduce on the cost of acquiring one each day. The cost of carrying out the research was cost-shared among the researchers.
Incentives were used to encourage respondents to give information.
Researchers identified a member from among the samples who was conversant with the local language and could speak a national language to interpret when needed.
1.8 Assumptions
That the researchers obtained permission from relevant authorities to carry out the study within their jurisdiction.
That the researchers duly obtained consent from the respondents.
That the information given by the respondents is accurate and can be used to generalize the study on the population.
That the researchers have not violated the ethical code of carrying out a research.
Chapter two: Literature review
2.1 Impact of media on women perception
2.1.1 Body image
Attitude refers to one’s opinion, feelings or thoughts about something. In this subtopic, we review literature conducted on how the media has influenced women’s attitudes to various aspects of life. Of particular interest is body image. A lot of resources are being used to adventure on how women can change their body image. Many women confess to being body conscious and as such will pull all strings to ensure that their body shape is appealing. This has informed the flourishing of the cosmetic industry. Even in the medical field, pharmacological therapies are being used off label to enhance beauty. Some go to the extent of abusing such drugs, sometimes with the aid of the healthcare workers. Media has significantly contributed to this ideas of body image.
Many people especially the young adults have access to information about the ideal state of beauty. Incorporation of these ideas has led to the differentiation between oneself and the ideal state. This has led to the public health problem of body dissatisfaction (Uchoa, 2019). Body dissatisfaction is especially observed among the female gender. As the young girls grow from childhood into adolescence, they identify with their older peers. Its at this point that they learn the ideal state if attractiveness that makes them acceptable among the society. Of note is that the sources of information from which they learn includes social media platforms (Bearman, 2006). Mass media may result in adolescents incorporating the ideal state and consequently go into body dissatisfaction when they can’t measure up to the ideal state (Vries, 2019).
2.1.2 Perception on eating and effects.
With the advancement in technology and evolution of dietary practices, many have drastically transformed their nutritional practice to achieve a certain goal. Professional nutritional advice has also been accessible hence people make informed nutritional choices. However, of interest to this study is the perception that women have on eating. Some women believe that eating some food substances will result in gaining weight and an undesirable body shape. This informs the decision to undertake drastic activities to reduce their body weight. Through the social media people have access to information about the consequences of ingestion of some substances. Others learn through the experience of their peers that are shred in the social media.
Through the media, women learn the standard beauty practices from the actresses, models and the female presenters. Majority of these groups have adopted a slim body shape, hence their viewers end up engaging in drastic body weight reduction practices. The social media seems to glorify some body shapes and discredit others (Spettigue, 2004). There have been shown an increasing trend of eating disorders with the advancement of technology and use of social media. Mass media has promoted the acceptance of the thinness standard. It has portrayed it as an ideal state and as the way to achieve social approval in terms of attractiveness (Peroutsi, 2011).
2.2 Impact of media on women involvement in various activities.
Advancement in media has revolutionized the practice of advertisement. Hitherto, advertisements could be done through the mainstream media platforms including radio and televisions. This was a disadvantage to many women since men were the ones known to be viewers and listeners of televisions and radios respectively. However, with the evolution of media practices, advertisements can be done in any platform including the social media platforms. Its important to note that even social media draw part of their earnings through advertisements. This is quite an advantage to women as majority are known to prefer use of social media than the mainstream media.
2.2.1 Influence on women’s practice of agriculture
For many years, women have been known to provide casual labour in the farms rather than managerial or administrative duties. In the ancient Egyptian culture and the early civilization, the role of women was negated in many aspects. A gender role is a set of standards dictating the activities that are appropriate to be carried out by a certain gender. The women could only engage in certain farming activities while the men could carry out the more lucrative chores (Khalil, 2017). In the current civilization, women still perform most of the labor work in terms of agriculture. However, unlike before, they also enhance in managerial duties. Unfortunately, women still do not measure up to men in terms of their productivity. This partly is due to the discrepancies that exit in terms of education. Women have not benefited much from the educational programs being run in the mainstream media with regards to agriculture (Diiro, 2018).
As in other sectors, agriculture is not left behind in revolution of its media practices. Advertisement of agricultural produce and inputs has evolved to include social media platforms. As aforementioned, these is likely to benefit women who are known to use social media more than men. These practices create awareness and invokes interest among women to engage in agricultural practices (Evans, 2016). In an average, women tend to be use social media more than men (Alnjadat, 2019).
2.2.2 Effect on healthcare practice
Media can influence the kind of occupation one wants to undertake. Women are known to prefer lighter engagements with respect to any duty. Therefore, the efficiency brought about by the media seems to resonate well with them. With healthcare practice in particular, the advancement of telemedicine, professional networking, health information technology and electronic health records has resulted in the field being attractive to women (Ventola, 2018). Physicians utilize media to advertise their services, to refer patients, monitor patients who are on home based care and even carry out patient education
2.2.3 Effect on the media profession.
The articles reviewed reveal that the women are often disproportionately affected by information inequality in mass media. Women are vastly underrepresented in top positions in media outlets. There is no refuting the benefits of mass media on women empowerment. However, women lag behind men in terms of internet accessibility. Women who have been exposed to the internet are prone to sexual harassment (Hanson, 2016). The situation is worse when women do not conform to social norms.
2.3 Contribution to the empowerment of women
2.3.1 Effect of media on women leadership.
At the workplace, majority of the leadership positions are occupied by men. These positions are either reserved for men or the men outshine the ladies in a competitive process to acquire the positions. This has resulted in gender equality. However, through the influence of media, a lot is being done to undo this inequality. At the age of 11-17, girls are believed to be in the stage of “seeing is believing”. They draw inspiration and encouragement from their counterparts who occupy various leadership positions. The women identify with such role models when they have similar characteristics, one of them being the same gender. The internet confers a media of connection between the professionals and those who view them as role models (Katlyn, 2014).
In the united states, despite women making almost half of the workforce, there still exists a significant rift between them and men in terms of occupation of lucrative jobs. Numerically, although the female gender forms almost half of the united states population, they are not proportionally represented in the workforce. This is partly accredited to the negative stereotyping of women with respect to leadership. The media has been shown to perpetuate these stereotypes. Exhibition of photos showing men and women engaging in different traditional activities propagates these stereotyping. The effect of such media activities is profound as it even impacts negatively on women perception on their capabilities (Stefanie, 2012).
2.3.2 Political empowerment
Women have been enlightened on their right to be politically represented. However, this has not achieved much in terms of addressing gender disparity in political positions. It has led to some jurisdictions to draft constitutional laws enforcing the gender parity. The Kenyan two thirds gender rule is a prototype. In the American congress, women hold only 90 of the 535 seats (Stefanie, 2012b). The male gender is evaluated more favorably than the female gender in terms of political positions. Media has aided in propagation of this stereotype by giving more coverage on male political activities than they accord to women (Aaldering, 2016).
Chapter three: Methodology.
3.1 Study area
The research was carried out in an urban area and its outskirts. The outskirts was assumed to be a rural area.
3.2 Study population
The study was limited on adult women. The urban and outskirts designation classified the women into those living in urban areas and those living in rural areas respectively. The researchers obtained information from women in various sectors. In the urban area, the respondents were drawn from those at the workplace and those in various leadership positions. In the outskirts, data was obtained from those in the agricultural sector and those carrying out casual duties.
3.3 Study design
A cross sectional study design was adopted for this study. It merits for this study as information obtained from the sample will be generalized among the women population. It will be used to collect data from the sample drawn from the population. Its strengths are as follows: it is fast, it is cost-effective, there’s no loss to follow-up, it allows collection of data over a short period and there is an in-depth collection of data. Among its weakness is that it is not ideal for testing a hypothesis. Besides, it is difficult to explain a causal relationship from data collected in a cross-sectional time frame.
3.4 Sample size determinationFischer’s et al formula of 1998 for a population less than 3500 was used to determine the sample size.
n=z2 (pq)/d2
Where;
N=desired sample
Z= standard normal deviation set at 1.96 which corresponds to confidence level (1%)
P=proportion of target population estimated at 30% to have characteristic being measured who attend Kabarnet level 4 Hospital. This is 0.30.
Q=1-p
D= margin of error allowed 0.05
In substitution, N = (1.96×1.96) *(0.30[1-0.30]/ [0.05×0.05]) = 322
The desired sample size is 322 women.
3.5 Sampling procedure
Purposeful sampling method was adopted for this study. This was appropriate so as to obtain information only from relevant correspondents.
3.6 Inclusion and Exclusion criteria
3.6.1 Inclusion criteria
Women who are of the adult age (>18 years old).
Women who are of sound mind and were willing to offer information.
Women who were within the designated study area as per the time of data collection.
3.6.2 Exclusion criteria
Women of unsound mind.
Women who fall under the age of minors
3.7 Variables
3.7.1 dependent variable
Impact on engagement on various sectors.
Impact on the perception.
Impact on empowerment.
3.7.2 independent variable
Media.
3.8 Data collection instruments
The researchers administered approved questionnaires so as to help in obtaining information. A total of 330 questionnaires were distributed equally according to the two target groups. Of these, the questionnaires that were obtained back were 301. After cleaning and sorting, a total of 285 questionnaires were used for data analysis.
3.9 Ethical consideration.
The researchers sought permission from the research ethics committee. Upon obtaining permission, the researchers adhered to the ethical code of carrying out a research. The respondents were given information about the research and granted informed consent.
References
Aaldering, L., & Vliegenthart, R. (2016). Political leaders and the media. Can we measure political leadership images in newspapers using computer-assisted content analysis?. Quality & quantity, 50, 1871–1905. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-015-0242-9
Alnjadat, R., Hmaidi, M. M., Samha, T. E., Kilani, M. M., & Hasswan, A. M. (2019). Gender variations in social media usage and academic performance among the students of University of Sharjah. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 14(4), 390–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2019.05.002
Bearman, S. K., Martinez, E., Stice, E., & Presnell, K. (2006). The Skinny on Body Dissatisfaction: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Girls and Boys. Journal of youth and adolescence, 35(2), 217–229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-9010-9
Cortese, A. J. (2015). Provocateur: Images of women and minorities in advertising. Rowman & Littlefield.
De Vries, D. A., Vossen, H., & van der Kolk-van der Boom, P. (2019). Social Media and Body Dissatisfaction: Investigating the Attenuating Role of Positive Parent-Adolescent Relationships. Journal of youth and adolescence, 48(3), 527–536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0956-9
Diiro, G. M., Seymour, G., Kassie, M., Muricho, G., & Muriithi, B. W. (2018). Women’s empowerment in agriculture and agricultural productivity: Evidence from rural maize farmer households in western Kenya. PloS one, 13(5), e0197995. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0197995
Evans J, Heiberger S. Agricultural Media Coverage of Farm Safety: Review of the Literature. J Agromedicine. 2016;21(1):91-105. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2015.1106376. PMID: 26506853.
Hanson, R. E. (2016). Mass communication: Living in the media world. Sage Publications.
Ibrahim, F. (2018). Women, development, and the mass media. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 5.
Katlyn G. (2014). How Women’s Consumption of Media InfluencesLeadership Development
Khalil, R., Moustafa, A. A., Moftah, M. Z., & Karim, A. A. (2017). How Knowledge of Ancient Egyptian Women Can Influence Today’s Gender Role: Does History Matter in Gender Psychology?. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 2053. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.02053
Patowary, H. (2014). Portrayal of women in Indian mass media: An investigation.
Peroutsi A., Gonidakis F.,psychiatriki. 2011 jul-sep 22(3):231-9
Perse, E. M., & Lambe, J. (2016). Media effects and society. Routledge.
Spettigue, W., & Henderson, K. A. (2004). Eating disorders and the role of the media. The Canadian child and adolescent psychiatry review = La revue canadienne de psychiatrie de l’enfant et de l’adolescent, 13(1), 16–19.
Stefanie S. (2012)Exploring the effect of media images on women’s leadership self-perceptions and aspirations
Uchôa, F., Uchôa, N. M., Daniele, T., Lustosa, R. P., Garrido, N. D., Deana, N. F., Aranha, Á., & Alves, N. (2019). Influence of the Mass Media and Body Dissatisfaction on the Risk in Adolescents of Developing Eating Disorders. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(9), 1508. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091508
Ventola C. L. (2014). Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P & T : a peer-reviewed journal for formulary management, 39(7),
Law and Society POS 240
How Law Changes the Society
Student’s Name
Course Code and Name
Instructor’s Name
Date of Submission
How Law Changes the Society
Introduction
In the framework of the emergence of legal institutions, law and society experts have been working for decades to better comprehend the link between legal and social development. In contemporary society, the law is regarded as both an autonomous and a dependent factor (cause and effect) (Nonet & Selznick, 2017). The relationship between the law and other social systems is emphasized in literature. In today’s society, many individuals are participating in new types of group activities and making new connections, an exemplification of social transformation. The term society refers to this type of situation, where factors that relate to social life change and adapt to current cultures, expectations, and a product of these elements. As a result of societal revolution, people’s attitudes toward work, family, education, government, and the search for ultimate meaning are all changing in profound ways. Beyond legal and social change, additional processes of change such as technological advancement, ideological evolution, competitiveness and conflict; political and economic concerns; and structural tensions are just a few of the many other types of change that may occur. All of these factors relate to the law, how it changes, and how it affects society. Ultimately, the law is an instrument of social change that binds people to a certain way of life governed by rules and expectations, factoring in their cultures and traditions to create a product that is unique to every society.
Defining the Law in the Context of a Society
Law may be defined as a system of regulations that are used to provide some form of direction and governance to a group of people. It is also defined by (Kaushal, 2020) as a system of control to the activities of a group of people. As long as there is a balance between society and the people that live there, control is required in order for them to coexist in an interdependent manner, which will assist in the implementation of social transformation. A society is a diversified group made up of individuals from various social classes, castes, religions, races, colors, genders, and ethnic backgrounds. When it comes to achieving homogeneity, it is vital that no distinction be made between these persons, regardless of their identities (Luhmann & Kastner, 2004). This can only be accomplished by the application of law. A constructive social transformation is always welcomed by every community and its inhabitants, and this is especially true for developing countries. A crucial role for the law in bringing about social transformation cannot be overstated. In a lawless society, there is a lack of harmony and tranquility between individuals and society as a whole.
The law is a creator of balance wherever there is a society. Because of various factors such as money, power, and prestige, one group of people may always be able to exert authority and control over other groups of people who are comparably weak in a society made up of a diverse range of people. In a society made up of diverse individuals, this is known as authoritarianism. This problem is not unusual, since it has occurred at some point in the history of every civilization on the planet. Not only that, but society is confronted with a slew of other difficulties as well (Kaushal, 2020). Among the many problems that people face include crime, poverty, corruption, drug abuse, as well as violent criminal activities including rape, human trafficking, murder, child pornography, and other forms of capital crimes (Barrett et al., 2020). As a catalyst in society, law assists in the elimination of all kinds of obstacles through the creation of laws and statutes that have an influence on today’s and tomorrow’s societies by aiding in the removal of all types of barriers. Despite the fact that society has changed dramatically in recent years, it is vital to recognize that societal challenges are not going away; in fact, they are becoming more severe.
The Law as a Means for Social Control
The fundamental purpose of the law is to maintain communal order and stability, with a secondary goal of defending individual rights as a byproduct of this. It is also a means of making a positive effect on society by adapting to changing requirements. Therefore, the law is a highly efficient social control tool as a result. In order to ensure the wellbeing of all members of society, the society takes precedence above the law. The rule of law, which is enshrined in a constitution, is the foundation of democratic government (Nonet & Selznick, 2017). Because it instills fear in the hearts and minds of the people, the law is an excellent tool for maintaining social control. The law governs how individuals conduct themselves in society. People are made aware of their obligations and responsibilities by the use of force by the law. The law protects a society’s fundamental ideas and ideals. Legal safeguards are in place to protect individuals from being taken advantage of. Governments and nations pass criminal and civil legislation in order to attain this purpose.
In order to comprehend societal development via the lens of law and the legal system, it is vital to comprehend the workings of the legal system in the context of the political, social, and economic components of India’s constitution. Through the prism of legislation, we can see how people’s values, what they hold dear, and how they establish their own sense of security are all demonstrated. When it comes to drafting legislation, the government must act in conformity with public opinion (Coglianese, 2001). The public’s perception reflects the wishes of the general population. The laws are created by the people. For example, the amendment of laws in the United States and other Industrialized countries to allow same sex marriage is an example of how the will of the people constitutes the law, thereby impacting social control and the overall culture to bring about social change.
The Law as a Social Change Instrument
The law reflects the desires and wants of a certain society. Every society’s standards may be used to determine if it is developed or unruly, by studying its legal patterns and other related issues. The law, which is a product of society, is the catalyst for social transformation. However, there are two ways to this problem that must be properly understood: Preliminary consideration should be given to the fact that the “law changes a society,” which means that the law defines how individuals should spend their lives (Vago et al., 2017). By contrast, or looking at the flipside of this issue, “society changes the law” in accordance with its own judgment (Barrett et al., 2020). Therefore, there is a clear link between the law and the society, showing these two as interrelated yet independent aspects where each catalyzes the development of the other. It is absolutely necessary that the law and the society coexist. According to this viewpoint, the law is formed by society as a whole, either via legislative action or by customs, cultures, traditions, expectations, and their use. When legislation has an impact on society, it marks the beginning of the growth and maturity of civilization through the legal system. Modifications to a country’s legal framework due to societal change provide evidence of development and maturity of the society.
The rule of law is the most important formal tool for social control. Despite the fact that early civilizations relied on informal social control, as societies developed in size and complexity, they were compelled to develop rules and regulations that defined acceptable patterns of conduct and specified the consequences for those who broke those rules and regulations. Law is a set of regulations that have been established by legally sanctioned organizations and are being enforced by legally sanctioned governments. Individuals’ rights and duties, as well as the consequences of failing to comply with them, are clearly defined in this document (Coglianese, 2001). The span of modern civilization is enormous. It is comprised of a complex network of groups, organizations, institutions, and entrenched interests that make up their organizational structure. Informal social control methods are no longer sufficient to sustain social order and peace in today’s society.
In today’s culture, relationships are viewed as secondary to other things, an element that must be also reflected in law. Standards must be defined in order to ensure the safety of people and property, as well as the orderly management of interpersonal interactions (Nonet & Selznick, 2017). The law sets the norms and consequences of a social order that are continuous across time. After being founded on traditions and mores, they have been codified via the passage of legislation. Certain behaviors are prohibited by law, even though they might be a key part of the society (Honoré, 2002). For example, the mainstream culture allows people to make remarks on general social living, yet the law prohibits one to, for instance, speak against the sexual orientation of a person. In another example, the use of alcoholic drinks in public places is strictly forbidden, although it is perfectly legal to consume alcohol. When it comes to individual behavior in contemporary civilizations, regulation has a significant impact on how people act and behave.
Conclusion
In this discussion, it is clear that the law is an instrument of social change that binds people to a certain way of life governed by rules and expectations, factoring in their cultures and traditions to create a product that is unique to every society. therefore, it can be summarized to be a product of the society. in another view, the society can also be defined by the laws it has. this concept is not complex but the very simple core that has defined human existence. While today the legal system is presented clearly through legislative processes and other doctrines, the same was present before through laws and customs that defined human existence. Therefore, the law is indeed a part of the society and the reverse is true for the society. Because of this relationship, the law is a catalyst for social change and transformation. As long as there is a balance between society and the people that live there, control is required in order for them to coexist in an interdependent manner, which will assist in the implementation of social transformation. A society is a diversified group made up of individuals from various social classes, castes, religions, races, colors, genders, and ethnic backgrounds. The law provides uniformity of treatment, subjecting every society member to the same rules and regulations.
References
Nonet, P., & Selznick, P. (2017). Law & society in transition: toward responsive law. Routledge.
Coglianese, C. (2001). Social movements, law, and society: The institutionalization of the environmental movement. University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 150(1), 85-118.
Kaushal, S. (2020, June). Punishment for Crimes: An instrument of Social Change. In Proceedings of International Young Scholars Workshop (Vol. 9).
Barrett, J., Gaus, G., Langvatn, S. A., Sadurski, W., & Kumm, M. (2020). Laws, norms, and public justification: the limits of law as an instrument of reform. Public Reason and Courts, 201-28.
Vago, S., Nelson, A., Nelson, V., & Barkan, S. E. (2017). Law and Society: Canadian Edition. Routledge.
Luhmann, N., & Kastner, F. (2004). Law as a social system. Oxford University Press on Demand.
Honoré, T. (2002). The necessary connection between law and morality. Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 22(3), 489-495.