Citizen Participation, Public Policy, and Social Change - Assignment Example

Citizen Participation, Public Policy, and Social Change According to Bishop et al. (2009), change is inevitable in the modern societies. America is one of the developed countries, which have experienced dramatic changes in the past two centuries. Like other countries around the world, America has experienced a vast range of social changes such as alteration of social institutions, social relationships, norms and social values. What has made the American society stands out is how it initiates social changes.

The society interprets social change in terms of how it influences the stability of the whole society. Currently, America emphasizes on consensus and order in the society. America society conforms to the views of functionalist theories by critically examining functions of human behavior as a platform for initiating social change (Bishop et al., 2009).It is common that most people tend to resist change. From PoliceCentral simulation, it is explicit that resistance to change is one of the obstacles that any group encounters when attempting to initiate social change in the society.

This behavior is often closely connected to cultural, economic and technological factors. People would prefer to maintain status quo. Absence of relevant information is another obstacle that has impacted negatively on initiation of social change in the society. People should have right information about the social change that is about to take effect to enable them understand the need for it. Initiation of social change is also undermined by societal norms and expectations, some of which support entrenched social behaviors.

Public policies also impacts initiation of social change (Bishop et al., 2009).From the simulation, it is explicit that anyone attempting to effect social change encounters a great deal of challenges. Resistance to change in the modern societies particularly in the United States of America remains predictably strong. Therefore, it is important to have full knowledge of the ways of handling these obstacles. Effective communication should be embraced when initiating social change. The need for the change should be addressed adequately.

The group effecting change must consider public policies before attempting to effect social change (Bishop et al., 2009). It is also important to allow all citizens to be affected by change to involve themselves in the process of initiating social change. ReferenceBishop, B. J., Vicary, D. A., Browne, A. L., & Guard, N. (2009). Public policy, participation and the third position: The implication of engaging communities on their own terms. American Journal of Community Psychology, 43(1-2), 111 - 121.