Sociology: Moral dialogues and normative change

Abstract

Moral dialogues are one mechanism of cultural change, allowing communities to resolve conflicts and revise the fundamental norms and values governing their members’ relationships. This essay illustrates the moral dialogue process with the debates over sexual harassment in the Trump era. Victimized women launched a transnational “megalogue” that pervaded politics, business, entertainment, academia, and other spheres. It transformed norms, institutions, and enforcement of acceptable behavior in employment and in public, resulting in a new shared moral understanding. However, the fact that the President is not punished for immorality demonstrates that normative change ultimately requires the rule of law.

Keywords:

• Moral dialogue
• Norms
• Social change
• Sexual harassment

Notes

1 Address: Professor Emerita of Sociology and Urban Studies, Brown University, 801 22nd Street NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20052, USA.