LEON GUINTO MEMORIALCOLLEGE, INC.

UCSP
Teacher Tiano's UCSP Class
 THEORETICAL
FOUNDATIONS OF
CULTURE,
SOCIETY, AND
POLITICS

 EXPLORE

Just Pure Luck or…?

Ethan, an engineering student, woke up late. He rushed to
the bathroom to take a quick shower, then wore his uniform and
ate his breakfast of rice, eggs, and hotdog in a flash. Grabbing his
backpack, it took him five minutes to catch a jeepney. He arrived
just in time for his class to start.
Ethan knows that he has made it a habit to always rush every
morning for his classes but so far, he has been lucky. “I am seldom
late,” he said
FIRM UP Macro versus Micro View
Sociologists may study human society
by focusing on the large social
phenomena or “the big picture,” such as
social institutions and inequality, to see
how it operates. This is the macro view.
They can also zero in on the immediate
social situation where people interact
with one another, or looking at the
situational patterns of social interaction.
This is the micro view.
FIRM UP
Sociology offers three major theories. The first
one is structural functionalism or simply
functionalism, the society is seen as a complex
system whose parts functions and works in
harmony, bringing stability in the process. Each
part of the society – the family, school,
economy, or state – performs specific and
important functions for the society as a whole.
All parts are interdependent, the family, as the
basic unit of the society, ensures that there are
children who will become the next generation,
the school prepares this next generation for
their careers, and religious groups help provide
a moral compass to them, and so on.
FIRM UP American sociologist Robert Merton
(1910-2003) differentiates the two kinds
of functions. Manifest function is the
intended, recognized, and obvious
function. Latent function is the
unintended and unrecognized function.
For example, student goes to college to
earn a degree. This is the manifest
function. However, it is also true that
while in college, they may meet their
future wife or husband, and thus the
school may be seen as the biggest
marriage market. This is the latent
function.
FIRM UP
Functionalism focuses in social
order. If something happens to
disrupt this social order, its part will
adjust in a way that produces new
stability. Social consensus, a
condition in which most members
of the society agree on what would
be good for everybody and
cooperate to achieve it, holds the
society together, thereby
producing social order.
 Emile Durkheim differentiates two
FIRM UP forms of social orders. The first one
is mechanical solidarity. It is a type of
social cohesion that develops when
people do similar work. Most often, it
exists in small-scale traditional
societies. The second is organic
solidarity. It is a type of social
cohesion that is formed in a society
whose members work in specialized
jobs. Because of this specialization,
they have to depend on each other
for their needs.
 Social dysfunction, the
FIRM UP undesirable effects of a
social pattern on the
operation of society, may
result but society has the
ability to adjust. After
some time, society will
regain social order and
stability.
 The second theory is the structural
FIRM UP conflict of conflict theory. This
originated largely from the works of
Karl Marx on class conflict between
the capitalists (the owners of
factories) and the proletariat (the
factory workers. As a macro theory, it
is based on the assumption that the
society is an arena of inequality and
division resulting to conflict. Social
change is then desired. The present
system is forcefully on the powerless,
because they gain from it.
 The third theory is symbolic interactionism,

FIRM UP using the micro view; this theory argues that

society is continuously recreated when
humans interact.
Symbolic interactionism is founded on the
premise that we respond based on the
meanings that we attach to the surrounding
world; people assign meaning to each other’s
words and action. One of the forerunners is
Max Weber, a German sociologist who said
the verstehen (sympathetic understanding) is
the way to understand people. Hence, its
focus is on how people make sense of the
world, on how they experience and define
what they and others are doing, and on how
they influence and are influenced by others.
 PHILOSOPHY OF
POLITICS: IDEALISM,
RATIONALISM,
REALISM,
EXTREMISM

FIRM UP Philosophy of Politics: Idealism,

Rationalism, Realism, Extremism
The philosophy of politics embraces
different ideologies, which are
characterized by the common political
culture and standards followed by the
people and government. These
ideologies explain the political
blueprint for social order in the society.
Thus, it is important to understand the
different political ideologies.
FIRM UP Idealism is an approach that
Idealism
envisages ideals and tries
realizing them. It tells what is
right. In idealism, the greatest
welfare for the greatest
number is considered in the
exercise of power and
influence.
FIRM UP Rationalism Rationalism
is an approach
based on the exposition of
principles. This proposes power
of reason over the reason of
power in every relationship of
men and states. The exercise of
power and influence is based
on logical viewpoints,
dialogues, and judgments.
FIRM UP Realism is an approach based
Realism

on the facts and reality. It

believes that the object of
sense perception really
exists. The exercise of power
and influence should be
founded on reality.
FIRM UP Extremism Extremism
is an approach
beyond what is ordinary. He
exercise of power and
influence is far from the
context and the reality of the
existing social era.
 DEEPEN
Concept Question
Explain substantially.
1. Manifest and latent functions of advertisements.
2. Analyze religion using functionalist perspective.
3. Analyze the following lyrics of “Take a Vow” by Rihanna. Note that the song is from
the female perspective, as it is a female who is the “speaker” in the song and it is
for her boyfriend. How are females depicted here? What theory can you relate to
the message of the song?
Grab your clothes and gets gone
(you better hurry up)
Before the sprinklers come on
Talkin’ ‘bout “Girl, I love you you’re the one”
This just looks like a re-run
(please)
What else is on?
And don’t tell me you’re sorry cause you’re not
Baby when I know you’re only sorry you got caught
 TRANSPER
Situational analysis
Fernando Poe Jr. once said in an interview that he had no intension of
running into politics. According to him, he can serve his fellow
countrymen even if he is not into politics. Nevertheless, in 2004, he ran
for Presidency, although he lost.
Leni Robredo, wife of the late Department of Interior and Local
Government secretary Jessie Robredo who is known for good
governance, likewise believed that she can serve her fellowmen even if
she is not into politics. However, she still run for vice president and won
as such.

Questions:
1. Do you need power to serve people?
2. How can leaders effectively influence their constituents?