Covid-19: applied sociology of the pandemic and the dynamics beyond ‘the new normal’ in the context of the social pen theory of structural change (Published)
There is strong niche for inference supported by empirical and theoretical grounds from profiled data, both primary and secondary, that one fact is universally eminent about COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time in the history of mankind a phenomenon came to dominate and change man’s life so momentarily with obnoxious burden and consequential effects which is overwhelming while cutting across all facets of man’s life and institutions. COVID-19 has induced newer culture and fine-tuned social group networking attitude and behaviour as well as gradually changing the working and interdependence of institutions in phases. The research on Sociology of COVID-19 employs an integrated theoretical framework thus: (I) Social PEN Theory of Structural Change to provide analysis and change in social structures and relationship among members of the society and family as primary unit structure and by extension communities’ needs and expectations as support under lockdown during the pandemic. (II) Social Evolutionism, the impact of COVID-19 is overwhelming, shaping structures and gradually changing the human society and in that process social evolution is unavoidable and unstoppable, it’s not sudden but a gradual process increasing, from strength to strength, intensity to intensity and from time-to-time to inform further change of the society, a transition from modernism-to-postmodernism and into ‘The New Normal’ and beyond to establish Comteam positive stage of the society that is highly scientific. Again, ‘The New Normal’ is also synonymous to Marx Webers Ideal Society build on the basis of rationalization. Corollary to this complex process is explained by social evolutionism. (III) Postmodernism as a philosophy to define the dynamics of ‘The New Normal’ and beyond post COVID-19 society. (IV) Ecological theory to explain man’s social and physical environment deserted for COVID-19 pandemic and its consequential effects at various levels during the lockdown and beyond into ‘The New Normal’ and postmodernism. The theories were intermittently paraphrased with data and variables analysed at different ranges of analysis and measured at appropriate levels of measurement of variables during the study and demonstrate the nexus with elements of COVID-19 as a social phenomenon and presented thematic areas of general Sociology and issues that are sociological. This brings about change in man’s life and relations to groups, socio-economic and political structures in parts and as a whole, reminiscent of ‘structuralism’ in Sociology and newer culture reaffirming the social thoughts of Edward B. Taylor. For example, ‘work from home’ has changed organizational culture, consequentially transformed behaviour and to some extent attitude of staffers and by extension the structures. Social distancing has reduced social group homogeneity and heterogeneity and the attached benefits around social grouping reminiscent of W.A.Ghazali’s sociological thoughts with effects on fundamentals which sustain social relationship among diverse human race from around the world. This research examines COVID-19: the sociology of the pandemic. It is a social impact research which seeks to investigate the momentum of the pandemic on social structures, relationships and institutions. It extensively dwells on thematic areas identified in this survey as areas of interests to sociology to explore its suitability for applied Sociology of COVID-19. The research examines four key areas that are thematic and methodologically cross sectional and real-time-narratives to explore on the social impacts and changes that have taken place and those likely to occur as a result of the pandemic. Analysis of qualitative data has established the nexus with empiricist finding that leadership response around containment of the pandemic as global emergency which was (and still is) found unparallel in the fight against COVID-19 within the continent of Africa and other nations to stamp it out. The research design is qualitative. It considers primary and secondary data, interview, electronic sources and content analysis were utilized to explore on Sociology of COVID-19 as a new vista of social impact research to aid policy bearing, direction and enhance academic credentials. Also, Sociology of COVID-19 integrates narratives and observations as some methodological consideration on thematic areas analyzed in general sociology entangled with cross section of the society as study population and randomly sampled respondents as snowball for study. This study employs mixed method of triangulation as method discovered and reflected in ‘Haralambus and Holborn Sociology’. It combines both qualitative and to some degree elements of quantitative blend with real-time narratives as some data utilized are measured at nominal level. Ratio and percentile are utilized which depict the quantitative bearing of this research and active utilization of verbal narratives or content analysis that are qualitative in posture and derivatives. The research highlights key challenges as problematic areas for examination and consideration was made around justifying the approach and research design scaffolding the architecture for the study. Broader objectives are formulated and broken down to specific to enable us achieve the most appropriate result. Key terms such as; modernism, modernity, postmodernism, post modernities, social PEN Protoneous p+, positive social value, social PEN electroneous (E-) social value are defined and operationalized and provide sociological perspective to ‘social distancing’ which debunk the terms physical distancing as inappropriate while lacking social niche in this endeavour and imperatives of social grouping in designated high risks society and difficulties of community members to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines and nonchalant attitude of not deploying face masks and other personal protective equipment gear (PPEG). The research also examines difficulties around adherence to social distancing guidelines, social grouping complexes and dynamic structures and community systems in vulnerable and designated high risks societies and inability of human to adhere to guidelines is to struggle for survival, social solidarity and biological issues also hinders adherence to social distancing, natural instinct and desire for social cohesion, human feeling, emotions, habituations confirming theoretical support from George Simmel’s sociology on ‘ sociation’ and the survey has proffered solutions that are sociological as value addition to policy issues and recommendations based on stronger evidence; empirical and theoretical on the grounds of evidence of what works. When science is mention in social sciences management and development for change and Sociology in particular, it’s to the credit of Auguste Comte; the founder of Sociology and master of positivism who reinvigorated his philosophy on the pedestal of science with emphasis and relevance on sense perception. Literature and facts behind this research have supported the establishment of ‘The new normal’ and beyond postmodernism as a society driven by normative scientific cultural standards with pattern in its operations are indicatively procedural to determine man’s life and existence and operation of things. This is a proof to the confirmation of Auguste Comte’s scientific stage scaffolding the establishment of the apex of societal progress to depict change enabled by post modernities. The human society is evolving and changing. This is to the credit of Charles Darwin Evolutionism enabled by social PEN energy (+-n) for moves of static phenomenon to get into a dynamic state of affairs as exponentially propounded by Herbert Spencer. Similarly, responsibility and commitment at the level of the high powered authorities: WHO, PTF and CDC to combat COVID-19 is marvelous with minimal gaps which are naturally unavoidable. The leadership and authorities have deployed huge P+ (protoneous capital funding) as supports and E- (electroneous human resource capacity medical and otherwise for containment of the pandemic). Citizens’ cooperation was splendid at the height of the pandemic and suddenly dropped when palliatives seem to be insufficient to cover most vulnerable communities to alleviate their suffering, especially at the time of the lockdown. There is strong evidence to support the facts that, there is sustained compliance to guideline, especially by government officials and private sector on skeleton service and enlightened individuals. Some countries in Africa such as Nigeria, Madagascar, Kenya and Ghana have made curative and innovative attempts deploying indigenous know-how of design of basic equipments such as motorized ventilators and sanitizers among other countries who have done their very best to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. The first phase of ease of lockdown and the dynamics of reopening along the curve was dramatic shooting-up while changing and frustrating countries around the world such as COVID-19 ease of lockdown has degenerated as hangover while pushing the USA under fire to contain geometric increase of confirm cases coupled with Blacks’ uprising for racial discrimination as post COVID-19 social degenerations and issues of depression, stigmatization, anxiety and loneliness due to work from home, boredom and suicide issues are expected to be high by longitudinal projection and ‘Internet of Things’ (IoTM2M) is actively changing the world and many are becoming jobless as Telecom Technology is taking the lead in almost all institutions and societies. The research has operationalized concepts and explained variables and is measured at different levels to suit the architectural framework for the study. Investigation has been made on COVID-19 precautionary measures and burden on the society. This research has examined the dynamics around isolation centers, facilities and gerontological consideration in relation to COVID-19 pandemics, the position of political sociology vis-à-vis imperialism and development strategies. The social impact of COVID-19 on family and labour force and labour power is immeasurable. The research has stressed the significance of discouraging human traffic connection, the essence and difficulties on ramping up testing, case identification and contact tracing for COVID-19 cases and conscious effort to flatten the curve to reduce the intensity and dynamics of the X and Y Axis complexes for achieving perfect ‘New Normal ‘and beyond that postmodernism and to Comtean positive stage. The survey on sociology of COVID-19 has showcased the critical issues and radical departure from metanarratives; public views and opinion were measured at different levels of data but predominantly dominated by nominal data with gender categories as male and female. To this end, the research has interrogated black uprising around the world for racism, protest staged, group behaviour and its escalation, police and manhandling of Ranshard Brook’s and George Floyd by kneeling down on his neck, killing him. Finally, the research has presented summary of major and minor findings, conclusion and provided recommendations as policy guide going forward dealing with COVID-19 pandemic and beyond ‘The New Normal’ postmodernism and Comtean positive stage of societal developments. Lastly, references are provided as sources of data; qualitative and quantitative to cover the thesis.
Keywords: Applied Thematic Sociology of COVID-19, PEN visibility and PEN Indivisibility, Social PEN Invisibility, Social PEN Theory, Social distancing, Sociology of COVID-19, The New Normal
The Social Atomic PEN Structural Theory of Change (Published)
The Social PEN structural theory of change is constructed on the very foundation of (Karl Popper’s, 1959) deduction method of social scientific theorizing. The theory is derived from the reflection of properties of an Atom. It has been tested and proved to be sociologically stable and ontologically rooted for the explanation of change in human behaviour in the society through social PEN Structural analysis that is highly social PEN invisible, visible and PEN indivisible. The theory shows how to notice social PEN structures through sociological lens with contemporary examples on the context of Socio-economic and political fundamentals of our everyday lives. The social PEN structural dynamics take place in our offices, homes and in our cars. Individual member of the society creates social PEN structures every day, everywhere and at all time and it is a social phenomenon suigeneris. The social PEN theory has established a three class model as its nomological network. The theory is highly parsimonious-Ockham Razors theory for practice. The cardinal principle of the Social PEN structural theory of change has provided an opportunity for its utilization in Social investment and utility. The theory emerges from the weaknesses of structuralism and as reflection of the properties of an Atom and the method utilized in the discovery is an enhanced exploratory deductive method that is Sociologically elastic to allow the elements of inductive method as mixed or triangulation such as Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to illicit data for comparison, contraction and to cover pitfalls or chasms to enable sufficient explanation, description and prediction of human life. The theory has concepts and variables to allow phenomenal classification and for credible definition, explanation and predictions thus; Social PEN invisibility, social PEN visibility and social PEN indivisibility. Furthermore, this thesis has captured introduction, the Social PEN theory balancing natural, social phenomenon, a sociological handshake with chemistry in social scientific theorizing. Compelling sociological questions are presented to achieve both specific and overarching objectives. Problematic statements and justifications for the discovery of the social PEN theory of change are presented. The basic assumption, the social PEN theory and power outage and man in the dark spot are examined to notice change in behaviour of human in darkness. The social PEN theory argues that, humans produce social PEN structures and those structures are Atomic in nature and men continue to do so everyday and everywhere. Those structures are around them and they create them on daily basis through social interactions in their homes, offices, cars and everywhere. The transformation of those structures is determined by the individual members of the society’s activities and their relations to those structures produce tremendous meaning as social facts, some are seen while others are not very apparent, but have the social strength to migrate to the PEN visible stage provided there is perfect interplay of the PEN social energy of (+-n) for change. The social PEN structural theory of change has with it the characteristics of social PEN visibility, PEN invisibility and social PEN indivisibility of giving description of a structural change and they exist as we relate with members of the society in our everyday social life to produce meaning with consequential effects on other possible social relationship to cause change or modify individual behaviour. The thesis has presented analytical examination of array of sociological thoughts: what necessitates structural change. To simplify and improve on comprehension for better understanding of the theory, a discourse and operational definition of basic components of the theory has been highlighted as follows: social PEN protoneous (p+), (ii) social PEN electroneous (E-), (iii) social PEN neutroneous (n), social PEN energy (+-n); Social PEN invisibility and its inverse relations to PEN visible structures and social PEN structure. More so, the cardinal principles of the social PEN theory has been highlighted. The thesis has captured deduction as a process of reversal of existing phenomenon only, the one discovered through systematic step-by-step stages of Induction and methodological design has been highlighted. Also examined here is the social PEN structural theory of change at a glance and a standard view of social PEN structural theory of change with examples on suicide phenomenon in the context of subcultural pluralism and presented five classification of suicide as (i) PEN Lone-Pathological suicide, (ii) PEN molecular suicide, (iii) PEN elementary suicide, (iv) PEN composite suicide and PEN indivisible suicide. To gauge the strength of the theory, the following were interrogated and discussed thus; the social PEN theory; socio-economic and Political Fundamentals of everyday Life, social utility and investment, the Social PEN theory and its relations to objects around us while citing example with the Interior of a car, social PEN structural approach; interagency collaboration and change, specimen grounding; logical deductive approach of abstraction; discovering the social PEN theory of structural change, social PEN theoretical approach and organisational fundamental, social PEN theory as a driver for the enhancement of interactive situation and the social PEN structural theory of change; students’ life and then concluded with critique. When social PEN are entrenched to play role equivalent to suggest invisible structural issues are reasoned, identified, tackled and to be dealt with to achieve desired change and for a society to experience social progression to the uppermost structural stage while rescuing individual members who are less empowered from being lone-pathological (E-) drain incapacitated members of the society. The social PEN structural theory of change also, holds the belief that our quest for better description and prediction about the social world should be as ‘inside outside sociological’. Concrete concepts are discovered in social PEN structures as sociological concepts viz; social Protoneous (+) with positive social value of capital resource element, social Electroneous (E-) with negative social value of human resource element and social Neutroneous with (N) social value of societal norms for calibration and recalibration of any situation to change to context and relative equilibrium and constructs were formulated to enable description of elements of social phenomena. Logical deduction process of theorizing applying a theory founded on the basis of induction utilized the specimen and inferred on ‘Atomic properties’ for sociological study. Another feature which makes the social PEN structural theory of change formidable is its characteristics of ‘invisibility of the visible stage of phenomenal investigation and the capacity to change from one form to another to inform subsequent change at macro stage of a social phenomenon. This suggests classifications of social life as containing structures that are socially PEN invisible, visible and PEN indivisible with social energy (+-n) of PEN to synthesis social phenomenon. It explains much of social bonding to enhance harmony of the social PEN structure to reproduce social capital in the process of change chain. The theory carves its niche based on the reversal of an empiricist phenomenon of an atom in relation to social life which characterizes sociological handshake with natural physical phenomenon in chemistry in social scientific theorizing. Constructs, variables and concepts are presented to ensure the social PEN structural niche for sociological theorizing. The social equation has ensured theoretical saturation by logical deduction process of abstraction. The social theory of Atomic PEN structural change shouldn’t be misconstrued for symbolic interactionism of Herbert (Blumer and George Mead), which emphasises the production of meaning out of interacting with symbols, but the social PEN structural theory of change sees change from the perspectives of Atomic properties in relations to social structures, which are socially PEN visible, invisible and social PEN indivisible.The interactionist perspective provides dichotomy which suggest classification of self along the theoretical plane of ‘the me’, ‘the I’ and the generalised ‘others’ point of view. However, beyond that, the social theory of Atomic PEN structural change has provided concrete variables as PEN structure of P+, E- and N for better description and prediction of a phenomenon. The theory has nexus with other social theories as the (Charles Right Mills,) Sociological Imagination but significantly different from the social thoughts of Mills in many respects.Mills sociological imagination sees change from the perspectives of others’ opinion with variables such as social economic and political antecedents of the demography for change which have been over flogged by previous researches, but the social PEN structural theory of change argues that change is driven by social energy of (+-n) spectrum and it is inherently built in all mega structure at the Atomic level change with the strength of coiling to form and combine social webs of relations with elements of a phenomenon to cause change to inform upper level stage in change series. The social PEN structural theory of change is not the learning modeling of (Evans Pavlov and B.F Skinner’s) operant and classical conditioning theory, nor the cognitive mapping theory of imagination, but it’s a social theory, which contains the social P+, the social E- and the social N to serve as societal norms as calibre to calibrate and further recalibrate the social system to context and relative equilibrium, ensuring peace for developmental activities to take place. The social PEN theory is also not the Maxwell Atkinson theory of ‘coroners’ of suicide deductive of ethnomethodolog of (Harold Garfinkel and Zimmerman,) driven by ‘mind as the reflections of the pattern reflexive’ but the social theory of PEN argues that humans produce social PEN structures and those structures are Atomic in nature and they are around them created on daily basis through interactions in their homes, offices, cars and everywhere. Lastly, further illustrations and discussions on social PEN structural theory of change has been presented alongside a Critique.
Keywords: Social PEN Electroneous ( E-), Social PEN Energy (+-n), Social PEN Indivisibility, Social PEN Invisibility, Social PEN Protoneous (p+), Social PEN Structure, Social PEN Visibility