Summary of
On Culture and Social Change
by Wiilliam F. Ogburn
Summary written by Conflict Research Consortium Staff
Citation: William F. Ogburn: On Culture and Social Change. Otis Dudley Duncan, ed. Chicago: Phoenix Books; University of Chicago Press, 1964, 347 pp.
William F. Ogburn: On Culture and Social Change is a collection of the work of Ogburn which spans the years 1912 - 1961. This collection is an examination of culture and social change from a sociological perspective.
William F. Ogburn: On Culture and Social Change is required reading for ARSC5010/7010 as taught by Dr. Guy Burgess and Professor Charles Lester. This work will be of interest to those who seek an understanding of the social context within which environmental problems arise and are to be resolved. The collection of twenty-five separate works of Ogburn's are sorted among four topics. The first section contains seven essays on social evolution. Ogburn considers the effect of great (wo)men on the larger society, stationary and changing societies, and cultural lag as theory. He also considers inventions and the resulting technology as environment.
The second section focuses on social trends. The author begins this section with an examination of the responsibility of the social sciences. Ogburn then examines in turn: progress in child-labor legislation, technology and governmental change, inventions and both the state and the standard of living. Three works in this section are devoted to: changing family structures, race relations and social change and southern regional folkways with money.
The third section addresses short-run changes. After discussing the fluctuations of business as social forces Ogburn turns to business conditions in election years and the economic effects of wars. The fourth and final section examines the subjective in the social sciences and some observations on sociological research. After the text, there is a list of the scientific writings of Ogburn as compiled by the editor.
William F. Ogburn: On Culture and Social Change is a sociological examination of culture and social change. As a prominent sociologist, Ogburn's work has been, and continues to be, influential in that field.
