UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICS

WEEK 3

LEARNING COMPETENCY
 Explain the importance of Cultural Relativism in attaining Cultural Understanding
IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGIES

Nationality and Ethnicity

 Nationality is the identity that is tied to being part of a nation or country – a ‘’group of people who share
the same history, traditions and language’’ and who inhabits in a particular territory delineated by a political
border and controlled by the government.
 Ethnic Groups within the nation these are the smaller cultural groups that share specific
environments, traditions and histories that are not necessarily subscribed by the mainstream culture.
SOCIAL DIFFERENCES

GENDER refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities and attributes that a given society
considers appropriate for men and women.
SEX biological characteristics of human such as male or female.

TYPES OF GENDER

HETEROSEXUAL a person with this gender is inclined to be sexually attracted to a person of the opposite
sex
HOMOSEXUAL person that is sexually attracted to the same sex.
GAY- romantically and sexually attracted to male.
LESBIAN - romantically and sexually attracted to female
BISEXUAL individuals who are attracted to the opposite sex.
ASEXUAL totally incapable of being attracted to any sex
POLYSEXUAL attracted to multiple types of gender identity.
PANSEXUAL accommodates all types of gender. There are people whose gender identities do not match on their
biological identity as male or female. These people classify themselves as transgender. Their sexual orientation is not
related to their genetalia, which allow them to identify with other type of gender. Under this category are people who
allow themselves as transsexual. These individuals believe that the discord between their internal gender and the
gender role that they have to perform can be addressed through medical sexual reassignment.

SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS
GLOBAL SOUTH also known as developing countries that perceive poverty.
GLOBAL NORTH also known as developed countries and industrialized nations.
The typical determinants of one’s social status include income, value of assets and savings, cultural interest
and hobbies and economic status of his or her peers and relatives.

POLITICAL IDENTITY
POLITICAL IDENTITY refers to the set of attitudes and practices that an individual adheres to in relation to
the political systems and actors within his or her society.

RELIGION the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power especially a personal God or
Gods.
MONOTHEISTIC believing in the existence of one God.
POLYTHEISTIC believing in the existence of multiple Gods

The variation in human conditions promotes diversity and plurality in cultural traditions.

 Cultural Variation refers to the rich diversity in social patterns that different human group exhibit around the world
 Cultural Universals are patterns or traits that are globally common to all societies.

Variation between Cultures

 • Within a human group, certain segments of the society develop cultural patterns that differs from the patterns of the
dominant society.

1. Subculture is a culture that is shared with a distinctive pattern of mores, folkways and values which differ from a larger
society. The group of society who exhibit subculture have a specific and unique set of beliefs and values that set them apart from
the dominant culture.

2. Counterculture is a culture practiced by groups whose values and norms place it at odds with mainstream society or a group
that actively rejects the dominant cultural values and norms.

3.High Culture is a culture practiced and patronized by the upper classes of the society.

4. Popular Culture is a culture practiced or patronized by the middle and working classes of the society.

Many cultures around the world believe that their beliefs, practices are in fact superior to that of others. This mentality
sometime leads to discrimination and ostracism.

Ethnocentrism is the regard that one’s own culture and society is the center of everything and seem as the most efficient and
superior among the cultures in the world.
A person who exhibits ethnocentrism feels that his or her culture is correct and appropriate as compared to other cultures thus an
ethnocentric attitude can be a problem in understanding each other culture and foster misunderstanding and conflicts between
societies.

Culture shock is the feeling of disoriented, uncertain, out of place or even fearful when immersed in an unfamiliar culture.

Cultural Relativism promotes the perspective that cultures must be understood in the context of their locality.
Using this perspective makes you tolerant of the differing attitudes and practices of others.

Advantages of Cultural Relativism

 It promotes cooperation.
 Respect and Equality is encouraged.
 It preserves human cultures.
 Cultural Relativism creates a society without judgement

Cultural Relativism and Ethnocentrism is important in the study of culture because it promotes understanding of cultural
practices that are not typically part of one’s own culture. Using the perspective of cultural relativism leads to the view that
no culture is superior to another culture.

Prepared by:
April Grace S. Santillan
Subject Teacher