ABSTRACT
Economic development and other social interventions profoundly impact people and their way of life. Those who envision and orchestrate such transformations often laud the resulting benefits derived from these changes. A dark side, unfortunately, often accompanies these efforts because the same changes that bring a “better life” can also create pain and sorrow because of the unintended and unanticipated impacts upon the people’s, heritage, traditions, and relationships. Although the quest for appropriate and beneficial “progress” is legitimate, hurtful side effects need to be acknowledged and addressed in both preemptive and remedial ways. This book suggests some representative strategies and tactics for doing so. The concept of anomie deals with the fact that significant change can lead to cultural disruption, individual alienation, and a breaking down of the rules and relationships that people live by. When these destabilizing situations occur, the potential for psychological dysfunction grows even if positive advances simultaneously occur.
