Social change affect on policies Flashcards
What can social change also be called?
Norms values and mores
Cultural change
What is mores?
a set of rules people follow
morals or good ways of behaving
What is decriminalisation (include example)?
when a behaviour is not made legal but the punishment is reduced
1967 homosexuality decriminalised age of consent 21
age of consent lowered to 18 in criminal justice and public order act
age of consent 16 by the sexual offences amendment act
the term is positive for cannabis
What are the 4 examples of social change?
Drink driving
Homosexuality
Women’s rights
Racial relations
What were the norms and values of drink driving in the past?
It used to be the norm to drive whilst intoxicated
Drink driving was normalised
What social change happened in relation to drink driving?
It has become socially unacceptable and deviant
Due to change in technology and campaigns, social attitudes changed
What are the laws around drink driving?
1967, road traffic act, blood alcohol limit
1983, high risk offender scheme, for convicted drivers with an alcohol problem
1991, new offence, causing death by driving while drunk
What were the norms and values of homosexuality in the past?
Used to be illegal and punishable by law
Seen as immoral due to highly religious society
What social change happened in relation to homosexuality?
Secularisation (society became less religious)
the Wolfenden report influenced societal attitudes
What are the laws around homosexuality?
1861, the offences against the person act, reduces punishment for it
1967, sexual offences act, same sex relations legal if both over 21
2004, civil partnership act, same rights as a married couple
What were the norms and values of race relations in the past?
Ethnic minorities received a lot of discrimination and hostility
1.5% of people in Birmingham would rent to a non-white person
excluded by workforce
What social change happened in relation to race relations?
There was a change in social attitudes as people became less prejudiced (young people)
There was an increase in the amount of non-white people in the population
What are the laws around race relations?
1965, race relations act, banned public discrimination and illegal to promote racial hatred
1978, race relations act, cover direct and indirect discrimination
2010, replaced by the equality act, laws on all types of discrimination
What were the norms and values of women’s rights in the past?
Women were seen as less than men
Women were expected to stay at home and obey their husbands
Didn’t vote or go to work
What social change happened in relation to women’s rights?
Suffragettes protests helped the public to realise women deserved more freedom
Had the opportunity to prove themselves during the war
Change in social attitudes
