Understanding Culture,

Society and Politics

Ms. Aufric Alma N. Navarro
Chapter 1 – Culture, Society and Politics

O Reference: Social Dynamics – A Worktext on

Understanding Culture, Society and Politics,
2016
O Authors: Arthur S. Abulencia and Rowel S.
Padernal
O Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc.
 Objectives:
O articulate observations on human cultural variation, social
differences, social change, and political identities
O demonstrate curiosity and openness to explore the origins
and dynamics of culture and society, and political
identities
O analyze social, political, and cultural change
O recognize the common concerns or intersections of
anthropology, sociology, and political science with respect
to the phenomenon of change
O identify the subjects of inquiry and goals of anthropology,
political science and sociology
 Objectives:
O explain anthropological and sociological perspectives on
culture and society
O describe society and culture as a complex whole identify
aspects of culture and society
O raise questions toward a holistic appreciation of cultures
and societies
O become aware of why and how cultural relativism
mitigates ethnocentrism
O identify forms of tangible and intangible threats to one’s
culture
O Activity 1 – Directions:
O Get one whole sheet of paper. Write your
name inside the circle. Draw figure 1 on
the sheet of paper. Write the following
information of yourself in the 4 spaces:
O Age and Gender; b. Socio-economic class
(Parent’s Occupation); c. Nationality and
Ethnicity; d. Religion
O Activity 2 – Directions: The teacher will group the
students into 4. Each group will choose a leader and a
secretary to consolidate their answers on a table similar
to what is shown below.

Age and Socio-economic Nationality Religion

Gender class (Parent’s and Ethnicity
Occupation)
O Based on the answers that you have gathered
in the preceding activity, you must have
noticed two facts – people have both:
OS ----------
OD----------
O Activity 3 – Directions: Based on the output
from the previous activity, the teacher will ask
the students to discuss their observations based
on the following questions:

O What are the similarities and differences of

every individual?
O Do these similarities and differences affect the
life of the whole community? Why?
Activity 4 – Concept Mapping
 Activity: Instructions will be given by the teacher. (Page 2
of AS)
Page 3-6 of AS

OThe complexity of humans and

societies and the way they exist have
brought scholars into nonquantifiable
studies. It is for this reason that
anthropology, sociology and political
science have been born.
 Anthropology
O Anthropology. “science of humanity”. The
study of human beings, the origin, their
societies, and their cultures.
Branches of Anthropology
O Social Anthropology – studies humans in
relation to societies
O Cultural Anthropology – study of human
cultures
 Sociology
O Sociology. The scientific study
of a society – its origin,
development, networks, and functions.
O Its primary purpose is to explain how different elements
in the environment affect and influence the growth and
life of a person.
O The term was first coined by French essayist Emmanuel-
Joseph Sieyes in 1780 and was later defined by the French
philosopher and “father of Sociology” Auguste Comte in
1838.
Sociology
O In studying society, being human
or grounding your arguments on your
experiences is not enough.
You must look at society in a sociological perspective.
You must conceptually detach yourself from your society
so that you can observe it from an objective point of view.

Like what American sociologist Richard Orborne (1996)

advised, one must look at society like an alien to avoid
biases and prejudices.
 Political Science
O Political Science. The study of politics.
It covers matters relating to the
allocation of power, the roles and
systems of governance, political
behavior and public policies.
 Things to ponder:

O Why do you think is it necessary to study anthropology, sociology

and political science?
O Observe you surroundings. Describe the following cultural and
political phenomena in the country. In your opinion, what are causes
and effects of these phenomena?
O Eating balut
O Istambays or nonworking individuals
O Political dynasties
O “Pinoy Pride”
O How Filipinos choose and elect government officials
O Texting
O Transnational families
O Youth empowerment
OIstambays or nonworking individuals
OHow Filipinos choose and elect
government officials.
OTexting
OYouth Empowerment
O Why do you think is it necessary to study anthropology, sociology
and political science?
O Observe you surroundings. Describe the following cultural and
political phenomena in the country. In your opinion, what are causes
and effects of these phenomena?
O Eating balut
O Istambays or nonworking individuals
O Political dynasties
O “Pinoy Pride”
O How Filipinos choose and elect government officials
O Texting
O Transnational families
O Youth empowerment
 Activity
O Activity: On a piece of paper, try to illustrate
the following thoughts.
Imagine a life without
O School
O Government
O Religion
O Classmates and friends
O Family
 Activity
Some very fundamental institutions would disappear in a world without government
because they could not function under anarchy. Consider capitalism as an example.
Capitalism is based on the idea of private property ownership. Despite not being the
same thing, there are significant similarities between anarchism and communism.
One is that there is no social stratification, therefore nobody actually owns anything.
Ownership of property, resources, labor, etc. is recognized under capitalism. The
majority of private enterprise would likely cease to exist under anarchy since there
would be no one to protect property rights or ownership in the absence of a
government.

In the lack of a government, there would also be essentially no army or police force.
Instead, the person is given autonomy to uphold some type of moral rule or law. This
would probably make it much simpler for criminals to commit murder, robberies, and
other acts that are bad for society.

Finally, since anarchism usually supports stateless states, a world without government
would effectively lack borders. There wouldn't be any barriers, border guards, or
other forms of border security, and it would appear that anyone could claim any land.
 Activity
O Imagine a life of living alone in this world – without
anything, without anyone.
 Activity
O Imagine a life of living alone in this world –
without anything, without anyone.
O What would you feel? How would your way of
life be?
O Try to compare your answer with that of your
present way of living. Which of the two worlds
would you prefer?
In my case it is How do I feel living alone without anyone. I don’t understand what you mean by “without anything” because
nobody is entirely without anything.

I live alone in human terms. I have no family, something that people, and some authorities seem doggedly reluctant to believe
but it is true. That’s about as alone as it gets.

How do I feel about it? Well I have no choice in the matter so there is no point in whining and being negative about it is. (I
have no time for whiners). It is just a fact and not value loaded.

Granted it is difficult living a solitary existence and it is expensive too because I have to pay for jobs that my late husband
used to do and I have to rely on deliveries to protect my safety during the covid crisis. But it is manageable and there are some
distinct advantages.

Let me list some –

I can make my own decisions without having to negotiate/discuss matters with anyone else.

I can eat what I want when I want.

I can drink what I want and as much as I like without criticism.

I can set my own priorities and follow my own schedule.

I can choose who I want to spend time with.

I don’t have to tolerate anyone else’s family or friends.

Trust me, all those things feel good.

Every creature needs
another in order to
survive.
O Society. Group of people living together in organized communities,
following common laws, values, customs, and traditions.
O Socius and societas – (latin) companion
O Societe – (French) companionships
O Every human being belongs to a certain kind of society – including
you, for instance.
O From the moment that you were born, you inevitably became a part
of a society – family, neighbors, friends, classmates, teachers and so
on.
 Social Institutions
O Social Institutions. American sociologists Paul
Horton and Chester Hunt (1964) defined institution
as an organized system of social relationships that
represent a society’s common values and
procedures.
O This is a stable, valued, recurring pattern that
guides the behavior of people in a society. Once
the elements of culture become so integrated that
activities are already formalized on a unit basis,
institutions surface in society.
 Social Institutions
OThere are six generally categorized
institutions in every society.
OFamily. Considered as the bedrock of
foundation of the society.
 Social Institutions
OEducation. The formal
institution designated to
preserve and transfer cultural
knowledge and identity to the
members of a society.
 Social Institutions
OEconomy. The social institution
generally responsible for the
production and the allocation of
scarce resources and services.
 Social Institutions
OGovernment. A
social institution
which states policy
and law is enforced.
 Social Institutions
OMedia. The institution
responsible for the
circulation of vital
information among the
members of the society.
 Social Institutions
OReligion. An organized
collection of beliefs intended to
explain the meaning, origin and
purpose of life and existence.
O “Bayad ho, makikisuyo”
O “Para!”
Many Filipino commuters are very much
familiar with these situations. These are what social
academicians call familiar or shared experiences.
All these experiences and more are just a speck of a
more complicated social phenomenon called culture.
O Culture
O Edward Burnett Tylor in 1871, Culture is
the complex whole which encompasses
beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws,
norms, artifacts, symbols, and knowledge
that a person learns and shares as a
member of society.
O Culture
O ____________________ in 1871,
_______ is the complex whole which
encompasses beliefs, practices, values,
attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols,
and knowledge that a person learns and
shares as a member of society.
O Culture
O ____________________ in 1871,
_______ is the ______________ which
encompasses beliefs, practices, values,
attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols,
and knowledge that a person learns and
shares as a member of society.
O Culture
O ____________________ in 1871,
_______ is the ______________ which
encompasses ________, practices, values,
attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols,
and knowledge that a person learns and
shares as a member of society.
O Culture
O ____________________ in 1871,
_______ is the ______________ which
encompasses ________, __________,
_________, attitudes, laws, norms,
artifacts, symbols, and knowledge that a
person learns and shares as a member of
society.
O Culture
O ____________________ in 1871,
_______ is the ______________ which
encompasses ________, __________,
_________, __________, laws, norms,
artifacts, symbols, and knowledge that a
person learns and shares as a member of
society.
O Culture
O ____________________ in 1871,
_______ is the ______________ which
encompasses ________, __________,
_________, _________, _____, _______,
artifacts, symbols, and knowledge that a
person learns and shares as a member of
society.
O Culture
O ____________________ in 1871,
_______ is the ______________ which
encompasses ________, __________,
_________, _________, _____, _______,
_________, symbols, and knowledge that
a person learns and shares as a member of
society.
O Culture
O ____________________ in 1871,
_______ is the ______________ which
encompasses ________, __________,
_________, _________, _____, _______,
_________, ________, and _________
that a person learns and shares as a
member of society.
O Culture
O Edward Burnett Tylor in 1871, Culture is
the complex whole which encompasses
beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws,
norms, artifacts, symbols, and knowledge
that a person learns and shares as a
member of society.
O Leslie A. White in 1995, Culture refers to an
organization of phenomena that is dependent
upon symbols and includes acts (patterns or
behavior), objects (material things), ideas
(beliefs and knowledge), and sentiments
(attitudes and values). It transcends among
different groups, regardless of age, gender,
economic status, and affiliations.
O Richley Carpo in 2001 who describes
culture as a system of ideas, feelings and
survival strategies shared in a particular
group. Culture is the structure that unifies
a human group and gives it an identity as
a society.
O To an educated, sophisticated Manilan, a tree may be a natural
resource which provides lumber, shades (or anything that would
suffice the latter’s need). On the other hand, to a Tiruray in the
mountains of Cotabato or a Negrito in the hinter lands or Negros
Oriental or Zambales, it may be viewed as a living thing as a
living thing with a spirit of its own and needs, wishes and
perceptions, and even desires. The differences in the perceptions
of things define reality for people, and often that which governs
our actions is not what we actually see but we believe. When a
group of people believe in reality of spirit and omens, then omens
and spirits are real to them and this perception will govern their
actions.
 Activity
OConcept Mapping
OActivity Sheet
OPage 1
OActivity 4
Cultural Social
Variation Difference
 Norms,
Beliefs

Clothes
customs
(Dressing)

Celebrations,
religion
Cultural Festivals

Variation
Arts
Medical cure (Literature,
Folk Arts)

Food (Eating
language
habits)
 Family Life
Processes

Social Value
Status/Strata orientation

Treatment to Clothing
Ethnic (Dressing)
Social
Difference

Gender Roles Work ethics

Urban or
Socialization
Rural setting
(Nature of
(Economy,
Friendship)
Government)
Video
Holistically, culture includes
everything made by man.
Our identity and unique
differences reflect the kind of
culture in our society. In this
lesson, you will have a
glance on the understanding
of culture, society, and
politics.
This is to prove Aristotle’s
notion that we are indeed a
social animal. Different
political, social, and cultural
issues do not stand alone
inside the classroom hence,
they surface beyond that
they need thorough analysis
and interpretation.
 ASPECTS

OCulture is
shared and
contested.
 ASPECTS
OCulture is learned and
transmitted through
socialization or
enculturation.
 ASPECTS
OCulture requires
language and other
forms of
communication.
 ASPECTS
OCulture is dynamic,
flexible, and
adaptive.
 ASPECTS
OCulture is integrated
and at times
unstable.
 ASPECTS
OCulture is a set of
patterned social
interactions.
 ASPECTS
O Culture is shared and contested.
O Culture is learned and transmitted through socialization or
enculturation.
O Culture requires language and other forms of
communication.
O Culture is dynamic, flexible, and adaptive.
O Culture is integrated and at times unstable.
O Culture is a set of patterned social interactions.
 Things to ponder:

OProvide concrete examples of the

aspects of culture in the Philippine
setting.
 Material Culture
O Tangible
O They reveal multiple insights about a society’s conditions
and its adaptation to challenges and threats in order to
maintain stability and order.
O Technological tools, architectural structures, fashion and
accessories, food
O Material inventions and innovations such as tools,
weapons, instruments, and the like.
 Nonmaterial Culture
O Intangible ideas that form within a society.
O Ideas, language and symbols, religion, behavior,
gesture and habits
O Beliefs, perceptions and traditions.
 Things to ponder:
OObserve the society you live in. What
are the material and nonmaterial
cultures that exist in it? Give ten
examples for each.
 Classifications of Culture
O Ideal culture. The ways in which people
describe their way of life.
O Respect the elders by doing pagmamano and
saying po and opo
O Real Culture. Refers to the actual behavior
of the people in the society.
 Ideal vs Real

OTatay, Nanay, Inay, Inang,

Lolo, Lola
OMama, Mommy, Mommy Lola
 Things to ponder:

OObserve your surroundings. Give

other examples of ideal and real
culture in the Philippine society.
 Video
O Symbols, values and norms
 Elements of Culture

O Universally, culture is composed but

not limited to norms, beliefs, social
institutions, and languages. Other elements
may be rituals, histories, heroes, values,
and attitudes.
O A set of norms is a society’s standards of
acceptable behavior. The culture inside the
jeepney is an example of a norm.
O Etiquette, mannerisms, speech, facial
expressions
 Folkways
O Folkways are norms which members of society
have come to accept as the proper way of dealing
with their everyday living and social interaction.
O Customary ways of behaving which usually have
no particular moral significance.
O Eating, fighting, dressing, marriage, birth, death,
art, etc.
 Mores (mo.reyz)
O Mores are the valued folkways that involve moral or
ethical values, respecting authority, marriage and sex
behavior patterns, religious rituals, and the alike.
O Valued folkways; result of long established customs
O Respect for authority, sex and marriage behavior
(monogamy, polygamy), private ownership and property,
division of labor, anti-slavery
 Laws
O Laws are formalized mores that are legislated, approved and
implemented in a society.
O In an engineered state such as Singapore, most of its laws are
deliberately crafted to produce a highly organized society. In fact,
this strict implementation of laws has been one of the primary
engine of its success. Whereas in an organic country like the
Philippines, a significant number of laws evolve from folkways to
mores.
O Societies impose laws regularly to counter all forms of threats and
to establish stability and order. The enactment of laws relevant to
the lives of the people is not enough. The proper implementation is
as good as creating mechanisms so that people will follow them.
O The general public in which we live decides
everything from the food we eat to the decisions
we make. The word society comes from the
latin root socius, signifying "buddy" or "being
with others." A general public comprises of
individuals who share a region, who
communicate with one another, and who share
a culture. A few social orders are, indeed,
gatherings of individuals joined by fellowship or
normal interests. Our particular social orders
show us how to act, what to accept, and how
we'll be rebuffed in the event that we don't keep
the laws or customs set up.
O Furthermore, a Society is a gathering of
individuals whose individuals associate,
dwell in a quantifiable region, and offer a
culture. What's more, a society is a
social framework that shares a
topographical domain, a typical culture,
and a lifestyle (Johnson 1996).". As per
Auguste Comte (1798-1857), it came
from the Latin word 'socius' which
means buddy, partner, accomplice or
mate (or social being with others) and
the Greek word 'logos' or 'logus' which
intends to contemplate (Kendall, 1998).
OLikewise, the humanist
Dorothy Smith (1926)
characterizes society as
the "continuous
concerting and
organizing of people's
exercises" (Smith 1999).
 The function of Education in
Society
ODIRECTIONS: Describe your most
memorable experience while you
were in Elementary, Junior High
School, and Senior High School
that help you become a better
O
person today .
 JUNIOR
HIGH

ELEMENTARY Senior High

 O The footprints of the education system of
the Philippines can be traced from the
countries that colonized it, namely Spain,
America, and Japan. The education system
was highly influenced by the years the
Philippines was under these occupations. The
most lasting and powerful change that occur
in the area of education was in the period of
American occupation, where English was
used as the primary language of instruction
and a system of public education was first
established. (Education in Philippines, n.d)
 FORMAL EDUCATION- in the
Philippines
O A formal education comprises an institution (school)
and trained teachers that will facilitate the learning
process.
O Previously education in the Philippines usually
spans 14 years, 6 years in the primary, 4 years in
secondary, and 4 years in higher education leading to a
bachelor’s degree. But since the implementation of the
K12 program, the span of the year students spend in
secondary had increased to two years. So the additional
years had made the span of 16 years, and plus the early
entrance of 5 years old pupils to start the K 12 program.
 O “The Foundation Policies of K 12 program
is found in President’s Campaign’s 10 point
Agenda for Education, Social Contract with the
Filipino People, includes; making education the
central strategy for investing in people,
reducing poverty and building national
competitiveness. Becoming trilingual as a
country: Learn English well and connect to the
world. Learn Filipino well and connect to your
country. Retain your dialect and connect to
your heritage” (Sarvi, 2015)
 NON –FORMAL EDUCATION –in the
Philippines
O The Bureau of Continuing Education was created from the
Education Act of 1982 Section 24 from the office of
Nonformal Education. Under the Aquino government the
Bureau of Nonformal education was created under the
Executive Order No.117, in Article 14 sec 2(4) of 1987
Philippine Constitution; “The state shall encourage, formal,
indigenous learning system, as well as self-learning,
independent and out of school study programs, particularly
this that respond to community needs; and provide adult
citizens, the disabled and out of school youth training in
civics, vocational efficiency and other skills” (“Philippines
Nonformal Education” , 2019)
OThe creation of NFE leads to the
establishment of the Technical
Education and Skills Development
Authority known as TESDA. This agency
is created to promote non-degree
technical programs. Furthermore, it is
also in charge of the skill orientation,
training, and development of out-of-
school youth and unemployed adults.
OAnother non-formal school is ALS (Alternative
Learning System) it is parallel to an existing
formal instruction only it is offered for those
students who were not given a chance to
complete their basic education due to many
reasons. “The Governance Act for Basic
Education otherwise known as the Republic Act
9155 stipulates the establishment of the
Alternative Learning System (ALS) to provide
out-of-school children, youth and adults
population with basic education.” (About
Alternative Learning System, Deped, n.d.)
Primary Functions of Educations:

ODevelop a Productive
Citizenry – A productive
citizen is greatly
influenced through
his/her education.
OPromote self-actualization – In
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the
last to be achieved must be self-
actualization, where a person
must realize the sense of self-
sacrifice, where the person no
longer thinks of himself/herself
but what he /she can contribute to
the community.
 EDUCATION AS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT

OIt is common knowledge that education

is a basic human right for everyone. All
nations would agree that the answer to
poverty is education. However there are
those who opted to hold guns than
pencils due to exposure to wars and
conflict, so the idea of education as an
answer to poverty and as a basic human
right is set aside.
OIn the Philippines, education has
become fairly important to many
deprived families. Since this is their
only hope to uplift their condition
economically. Unfortunately due to
many reasons, the quality of
education is affected by cycles of
societal problems such as worsening
of poverty condition and
deterioration of family values.
OAll the same, the Education for
All movement lead by UNESCO in
2015 endeavors that all children,
particularly in difficult
circumstances, and those
belonging to ethnic minorities
should have an access to a free
and compulsory education of
good quality.
 Activity 1:
DIRECTIONS: Complete the Venn Diagram of Formal Education
and Non-Formal Education
Activity 2:
A. DIRECTIONS: Write the function of
education in the proper heading.
B. DIRECTIONS: Answer the following by
writing 5 sentences about it. Write your
answer in ½ crosswise.
What can you say about the
phrase “Education for all” ?
 What I Have Learned
O 1. A formal education comprises of an institution (school)
and training teachers that will facilitate the learning
process. And K 12 program is an education system under
the Department of Education
O that aims to enhance learners' basic skills, produce more
competent citizens, and prepares graduates for lifelong
learning and employment.

O 2. Under the Aquino government the Bureau of

Nonformal education was created under the Executive
Order No.117, in Article 14 sec 2(4) of 1987 Philippine
Constitution
O 3. NFE leads to the establishment of
Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority is known as
TESDA. This agency is created to
promote non-degree technical programs

O 4. ALS ( Alternative Learning System) is

parallel to an existing formal instruction
only is offered for those students who
were not given a chance to complete their
basic education due to many reasons
O5.There are two primary
functions of education namely;
develop productive citizenry and
promote self-actualization

O6. Everyone is entitled to

education because it is a basic
human rights
Assessment:
A. DIRECTIONS: Make a group of 3
then make a survey among your family
(compose of student and parent ) that
will describe the function of education.
After which consolidated and make a
report on your findings.
Sample Questionnaire:
 Rubrics for grading
Category 5 4 3 2
Content The presentation The presentation The presentation The
had an had a good had moments presentation
exceptional amount of where valuable
amount of valuable material material was contains little
valuable material and benefited presented but a to no valuable
and was the class whole content material
extremely was
beneficial Lacking
to the class

Presentation The report is The report is The report is The report shows
well organized organized and not so little to no
and contains contains organized and organized and
does not contains
accurate quotations and lack quotations accurate
quotations and facts taken and facts taken quotations and
facts taken from the survey from the facts taken from
from the survey the
survey survey
B. DIRECTIONS: Make a poster, showing the importance of
education to you.
 Rubrics in Poster making
5 4 3 2
Graphics All graphics Most graphics Some Graphics
Relevance are related to are related to graphics
the topic but it does not
do not
the topic and relate to
is not easier to relay on
make it the topic.
understand. message
easier to connected to
understand the topic.

Attractiveness The poster is

The poster acceptably
The poster is isThe
attractive
poster is attractive though it
The
be aposter is
The poster is
The poster inattractive
terms ofin may
messy.
bit
distractingly
is exceptionally design, acceptably
exceptiona layout,
termsand
of messy
lly attractive in neatness. attractive
or very poorly
attractive
interms
termsof design,
of design, though it
designed. It is
design,
layout, and layout, and may be a bit
layout, and not
neatness.
neatness. neatness. messy.
attractive.
 How Sociologist view Society?
O Sociologists utilize this term from a
particular perspective and in an exact
manner. In sociologies since
nineteenth century there is a long
discussion about the utilization of the
idea 'society'. It was interpreted as
meaning as tissues of habits and
customs that hold a gathering of
individuals together.
Sociologists have characterized society
with two points:
In conceptual terms, as an
O 1.
organization of connections
between individuals or
between gatherings.
O 2. In substantial terms, as an
assortment of individuals or
an association of people.
OA previous social researcher,
L.T. Hobhouse (1908)
characterized society as
"tissues of connections".
R.M. Maclver (1937) likewise
characterized it in pretty
much similar terms as "web
of social relations which is
continually evolving".
O Refining this definition, MacIver, alongside
his co-essayist Charles Page, later on
characterized it in his new book Society:
An Introductory Analysis (1949)
subsequently: "It (society) is an
arrangement of uses and techniques, of
power and shared guide, of numerous
groupings and divisions, of controls of
human conduct and of freedoms. This
steadily changing, complex framework we
call society."
OFor Maclver and Page,
society is a theoretical
element as they state, "We
might see individuals yet
can't see society or social
construction however just its
outer angles … society is
unmistakable from actual
reality".
 SOCIOLOGIST PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES

Auguste Comte (1798- 1857)

“I am the Founder of Sociology; I
coined the word sociology from
the Latin word ‘Socius’ and the
Greek word ‘logos’ to describe the
science of social life Society is
something other than the sum of
individual” actions.”
 SOCIOLOGIST PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES
Marx (1818-1883) “I developed a
complex theory of history and
society which has great influenced
the modern sociology. Three of my
contributions to social theories
are: (1) the organic totality of
society, (2) the relative importance
of the economic sector, and (3) the
historical process of proceeding
through necessary series of modes
production, culminating in
communism.
 SOCIOLOGIST PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES
George Simmel (1858-
1916)
“For me, society was the
patterned interactions
among members of a
group, the sum of
responses to ordinary
life events.”
 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF SOCIETY
O ✓ SOCIETY is ABSTRACT: In case society is seen as
web of social relationships, it is particular from actual
element which we can see and see through faculties. As
composed before, Maclver contended, "we might see
individuals yet can't see society or social design, yet
just its solitary outside perspectives". Social
connections are imperceptible and theoretical. We can
simply acknowledge them yet can't see or contact them.
Accordingly, society is conceptual. Reuter stated:
"Similarly as life isn't a thing yet an interaction of
living, so society isn't a thing yet a cycle of partner".
O ✓ LIKENESS AND DIFFERENCE IN SOCIETY:
Society involves both likeness and difference. If
people are all exactly alike, merely alike, their
relationships would be limited. There would be little
give-and- take and little reciprocity. If all men
thought alike, felt alike, and acted alike, if they had
the same standards and same interests, if they all
accepted the same customs and echoed the same
opinions without questioning and without variation,
civilization could never have advanced and culture
would have remained rudimentary.
O Thus, society needs difference also for its
existence and continuance. We can
illustrate this point through the most
familiar example of family. The family
rests upon the biological differences
between the sexes. There are natural
differences of aptitude, of capacity, of
interest. For they all involve relationships
in which differences complement one
another, in which exchange take place.
✓ COOPERATION & CONFLICT IN SOCIETY:
Collaboration and struggle are general components in
human existence. Society depends on cooperation but
since of interior contrasts, there is struggle likewise
among its individuals. This is the reason, Maclver and
Page saw that "society is cooperation crossed by
conflict". We know from our own experience that an
individual would be impaired, displayed down, and
feels baffled in case he is required to do everything
alone, without the guide of others. "Participation is
most rudimentary interaction of public.
✓ SOCIETY IS A PROCESS NOT A
PRODUCT: "Society exists just as a period
arrangement. It is becoming, not a being; an
interaction and not an item" (Maclver and
Page, 1956). At the end of the day, when the
interaction stops, the item vanishes. The
result of a machine suffers after the machine
has been rejected. Somewhat the equivalent
is valid not just of material relics of man's
past culture however even of his unimportant
social accomplishments.
✓ SOCIETY IS A SYSTEM OF
STRATIFICATION: Society
gives an arrangement of
definition of situations with
classes that every individual has
a moderately steady and
unmistakable situation in the
social construction.
 CONCEPT of POLITICS
O The term 'politics‟, is gotten from the Greek word
'Polis‟, which implies the city state According to
Greek Rationalists, Politics was a subject which
managed all the exercises and undertakings of the
city state. Their City States were known as 'Polis‟.
City state was a comprehensive term, as the old
Greeks saw no difference amongst the state and the
Government on one hand, and State and Society on
the other. They never separated between close to
home life and public activity
To study politics is generally to contemplate
government or all the more extensively, to
consider the exercise of power. Politics is the art
of government, the activity of control inside the
society through the settling on and authorization
of aggregate choices. (Heywood 1997) The
domain of legislative issues is limited to state
entertainers who are deliberately roused by
philosophical convictions, and who try to propel
them through participation of a formal
association like a political association.
This is the sense wherein politicians are
depicted as "political" while government
employees are viewed as "non-political", the
state as "public" and the common society as
"private". The organizations of the express (the
mechanical assembly of the public authority, the
courts, the police, the military, the general
public security framework thus forward) can be
viewed as "public" as in they are answerable for
the aggregate association of the local area life.
CHARACTERISTIC of POLITICS

Use or threat of use

of legal force
it allows the legal authority to use
force. If David Easton speaks of
“authoritative allocation of values”,
Dahl of “Power, “rule” and authority”.
All these definitions imply that legal
authority can use force to compel
anybody to obey its orders.
 Interactions
“Political system is that system of interactions to
be found in all independent societies which
perform the functions of integration and
adaptation (both internally and vis-a-vis other
societies) by means of the employment or threat
of employment or more or less legitimate
physical compulsion”. Thus, the political system
not only includes governmental institutions such
as legislatures, executives, courts, administrative
agencies but all structures in their political
aspect.
 Interdependence of Parts
when the properties of one component in
a system change, all the other
components and the system as a whole
are affected. In political system the
political parties having a wider base and
mass media (Television, radio and
newspapers) change the performance of
all other structures of the system and
affect the general working of the system.
 Actitivity: Who Says It?
DIRECTIONS: Give the proponent of the following
perspectives.

Three of my contributions
to social theories are: (1)
the organic totality of
society, (2) the relative
importance of the
economic sector
 "that complex whole which
includes knowledge, belief,
art, law, morals, custom,
and any other capabilities
and habits acquired by man
as a member of society."
Describe the science
of social life. Society
is something other
than the sum of
individual actions
 Culture as cultivation the
process of transmitting and
acquiring traditions as a result
of which society is perpetuated
 For me, society was the
patterned interactions
among members of a group,
the sum of responses to
ordinary life
OAuguste Comte
OGeorge Simmel
OEdward Burnett Tylor
ORadcliffe Brown
OKarl Marx
Video - Singapore
 Things to ponder:
O Give at least three laws in the
Philippines which you think are
based on folkways and mores.
O Do you think these laws are being
strictly implemented and followed in
the country. Prove your answer.
 Beliefs
OBeliefs – means by which people make
sense of their experiences, or ideas that
people hold to be true, factual or real.
Classification
ONonscientific
OScientific
 Nonscientific Beliefs
O Nonscientific – most cases, are based on
religious, mythical, and/or metaphysical
ideas that try to explain the realities of the
world, cosmos, and even universe. Usog,
sukob, bati, kulam, and barang are
manifestations of these beliefs in the
context of Philippine culture.
 Black cat
O ORIGINS: Though some cultures, like the ancient
Egyptians, held black cats in high regard, during the
Middle Ages public opinion on black cats took a turn for
the worse. In 1233, Pope Gregory IX
decreed that black cats were diabolical. They were
perceived as conspirators of witches or evil demons. Due
to this new paranoia, black cats were killed in great
numbers and their owners faced harsh punishments.
Today’s superstition stems from the almost 800-year-old
belief that if a black cat crossed your path, it would block
your connection to God — and thus your entrance to
heaven
 13
O ORIGINS: It’s all biblical — at least according to scholars. Judas, the
apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th person to be seated at the
Last Supper. In addition, many Christians have traditionally been
wary of Friday because it was the day that Jesus was crucified. Some
theologians believe that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit on a
Friday, and that the Great Flood began on a Friday. In
contrast, ancient Egyptians saw 13 as a lucky number, as they
believed in the 12 stages of life, and the 13th step represented
enlightenment. The fear of the number 13 persists today. Many hotels,
office buildings, and apartments will “omit” the 13th floor by
referring to it as the 14th. There’s even a term for the fear of the
number: triskaidekaphobia.
https://www.littlethings.com/superstitions-ordinary-history/1
 Broken Mirror
O ORIGINS: Before mirrors, people were only able to see their
reflections in water. Reflections represented the soul; thus, distorting
the image was seen as a damage to not only the image, but to the soul
as well. The ancient Greeks, Hebrews, and Romans created
unbreakable mirrors out of materials like silver, gold, brass, and
bronze — all of which were not only considered to be mystical, but
extremely valuable possessions as well. Glass mirrors in 15th-century
Venice were difficult to replace as they were very expensive. If a
servant broke their master’s mirror, the typical punishment was to
serve seven years as the master’s indentured servant. By the time
France and England had created inexpensive mirrors in the 1600s, the
superstition was firmly in place.
 Lucky 7
O ORIGINS: Our love of the number seven has both ancient and
religious origins. Before telescopes were invented, we could see only
seven planets in the sky. This may explain why so many ancient
cultures have seven gods or deities. For example: the ancient Arabs
built seven holy temples, the Bible indicates God created the world in
six days and rested on the seventh, there are seven sacraments, seven
seals in Revelations, seven deadly sins, seven stars, seven heavenly
virtues, and seven last plagues. In the Hebrew Torah, every seventh
year is considered to be a holy year.
O Coincidentally, we have identified only seven wonders of the world.
Nevertheless, every culture doesn’t exactly agree that the number
seven is lucky so much as it is significant — in Chinese culture, for
example, seven symbolizes death.
 Knocking on wood
O ORIGINS: Some believe that knocking on wood can ward off bad
outcomes or evil spirits and that it may even tempt fate and bring good
fortune. The ancient Greeks worshipped the Oak tree, so touching it
was thought to bring good luck. In Irish folklore, touching wood is a
means of sending a thank you to the leprechauns, and you can’t get
much luckier than them.
O Some scholars believe that the superstition can be traced back to the
Spanish Inquisition of the 15th century, when Jews fled to hide in
synagogues built out of wood and came up with a special knocking
code to get in. Other scholars think the practice has something to do
with Jesus and the wooden cross, as touching a crucifix may grant a
little luck. In the 19th century, many children’s games involved riddles
and rhymes about knocking on wood for good fortune.
 Scientific Beliefs
O Scientific – based solely on rational and logical
explanations and the workings of the social
institutions and processes where a person belongs.
Scientific beliefs work on the premise that any
event or phenomenon is a logical cause of
preceding event related to it, not because of a
supernatural and metaphysical intervention or
being.
 Moon Halo
O While it may look like a ghostly ring, you're
actually just seeing the light of the moon
refracting (or bending) through ice crystals. ... In
other words, seeing those icy clouds refracting
light around the moon means cirrus clouds are
present, which might indicate a coming storm.
 Oarfish
O According to Japanese mythology, the oarfish is a messenger from the
dragon god of the sea. In concordance with the messenger theme, in
the two years preceding the Tohoku earthquake in March 2011, an
unusual number of oarfish stranded themselves on the coastal beaches
of Japan. The Japan Times on March 6, 2010, reported that in folklore
the fish comes to the beach as an omen of an earthquake. Love says
that his own favorite theory is that the fish got caught in a current that
carried them into shallow water where the waves and turbulence
damaged them.
O https://www.thedailybeast.com/fishy-mystery-are-beached-oarfish-tryi
ng-to-tell-us-something
 Symbols
O Symbols – are illustrations used to represent a
particular meaning of something.
O Anything that is used to represent, express, and/or
stand for an event, situation, person or idea.
O Example: Kissing the hand of an elderly among
Asians – symbol of respect; rings for married
couple – denote commitment between the two
individuals
 Things to ponder:
Observe your surroundings. List
symbols and their corresponding
meanings.
 Language
O Language – system of symbols that
individuals utilize to communicate,
interact, and share their views, thus,
creating an understanding among
individuals.
O Philippines has 180 individual languages,
its cultural experience is far different
compared with a monolingual society.
 Values
O Values – desirable, transsituational goals
that vary in importance and serve as
guiding principles in people’s lives.
O Values help shape a society by suggesting
what is good and bad, beautiful and ugly,
sought or avoided.
O Since the culture of a society varies from
that of another society, so their values. A
set of values in a specific society may be
different from the set of values in its
neighboring society. For example, saying po
and opo while conversing with an elderly or
authority is a Filipino value that signifies
respect. However, this significant Filipino
value means nothing to international
societies.
Balut (fertilized Salt or vinegar Philippines
duck egg)
Hot vit lon Salt, lemon Vietnam
juice, pepper
Pong tia koon Lime juice, Cambodia
pepper
Laos
China
OA society is a group of people bound
together in a more or less permanent
association organized for collective
activity.
OCulture is a system of shared
behavior while a society is a group of
people who share a common culture.
 Cultural Universals
O Cultural Universals – cultures that share
patterns or traits that are quite common to all
societies across the globe. Details may differ but
the principles are essentially the same.
O Example: The use of language as a medium of
communication is absolute among societies;
celebration of births and weddings, concept of
personal names.
 Things to ponder:

OCite examples of cultural

universals.
 Ethnocentrism
O Ethnocentrism – belief that one’s native culture is
superior to or the most natural among other cultures.
O Interestingly, Many Filipinos also exhibit ethnocentrism
toward non-Filipino cultures. For instance, in most
Western cultures, it is normal for a child to call his/her
parents by their first names. However, in the Philippine
setting, this is rude. The display of respect among cultures
are different. In this regard. Many Filipinos tend to be
ethnocentric toward the Western culture.
 Cultural Imperialism
O Cultural Imperialism – where a person imposes
his/her own culture upon another person with
intentions to “help” him/her detach from what the
former thinks is an essentially inferior culture.
O Example: The Spaniards forced the natives to
adapt to Spanish culture, which eventually became
a part of the Philippine culture in modern setting.
 Culture Shock
O Culture Shock – difficulty to adapt to the new
cultures and may feel severe confusion and
disturbance. Culture shock happens when a person
does not expect or accept cultural differences.
O In reality everyone has a bit of ethnocentrism; it
cannot be avoided. Ex.: OFW and expats
O Why do Koreans use toilet paper on the table?
O You may be shocked when you see toilet paper in the
living room or even on the meal table. You may be a lot
more shocked if some Korean friends suggest that you use
the toilet paper or wipe you off out of affection or
kindness. In Korea, toilet paper is used anywhere in
houses, offices and classrooms. Please don't think it is
dirty. Each culture has different ideas about what is clean
or not clean. So don't decide that it is dirty but try to
accept that difference with an open heart.
O Why do Koreans eat all together from the same dish?
O It may be really shocking and strange for you that Koreans eat all together
from the same dish without using any individual plates. Koreans share all food
together. For Koreans, having a meal together is not only eating but also
sharing mind together and getting closer to each other. If you feel
uncomfortable using the same dish together, you should ask someone to give
you another plate beforehand. They will be happy to do that. Furthermore,
these days the western-style eating culture has been spreading over Korea. So
Koreans truly understand that eating from the same dish together can give
negative impression to westerners and even some other Koreans. So, do not
hesitate to say "Can I have my own dish?" before eating. Or if you are open-
minded enough, you can try to eat one meal together like Koreans to be close
to them and to experience new culture.
O Gap between two people while queuing. You should stand far enough
away that one more person can fit between you. Personal space is very
important.
O Driving on the right side of the road.
O The gravity of fire alarms.
O Professors coming to summer class wearing shorts.
O Make-up exam if you have legitimate reasons —medical, playing for
school in varsity, etc. Believe me, sports are big deal here.
O Pronunciation of vitamin, semi-, anti-, schedule, Z, aunt, commentary,
battery etc. Spelling of aluminum, story and many other words.
O How important is it to understand the meaning of the word “minor”
and the laws around it.
O Varieties of food. You go to Subway, there are five types of bread for a-
foot-long. It’s very difficult to order something if you are new here.
There are lot of details.
O Tipping everywhere.
O Teaching is pretty much through PowerPoint. It expedites the process
but makes very difficult to keep track of the lecture.
O No holidays on elections. It’s very big deal in my country.
O Universities have their own cops, unique mascot, colors, and nickname
for the student body.
O Jaywalking is a big deal.
O It’s just the opposite of what I thought—Nobody mocks you for your
accent or bad English.
O Exams are easy but assignments aren’t. Things used to be just
opposite in my country.
O People using authentic text book. Generally cost more than 100$.
They are fun to read with hard cover, high quality pages with colorful
diagrams and illustrations—if you get it for free. I generally use e-
text if available.
O Greeting professor by his name. Good morning, Dr. Nims. We used to
call Sir. The relationship Relationship with professor is more informal
and friendly. Yeah, you can drink with professor.
O No haggling. Don’t buy it if you cannot afford.
O Health care cost. Insurance is a must.
O You can return goods to vendor saying—I don’t like it. They will do it
easily. There is time limit though.
O Customers are treated very good.
O Importance of punctuality and culture of appointment to meet people.
O Politeness of people. Even staring for few seconds would be
considered rude.
O Football means different game. Ironically, they play with it with their
hands. What I understand as football is called soccer or European
football here. Sorry but nobody cares about cricket. It’s a bigger deal in
an Indian sub-continent.
O Sitting with your legs on table and eating in class are acceptable.
O Holding door for people who are immediately coming
after you. If not, chances are you will be branded a
douchebag.
O Greeting strangers. Smiling and saying, “Good morning,
how you doing?” Or saying “You have a great day” or
“Have a good one” when parting ways with someone.
O Social security numbers.
O Plagiarism is big deal. Never do it.
O No cash. Money is pretty much digital through credit card,
debit card, Apple Pay, Android Pay, messenger, you name
it.
O Rampant obesity.
O Someone saying “bless you” after you sneeze and you
saying “thank you”.
O People love having tanned skin. They work hard for it.
Running shirtless on summer is common.
O Free pizza and pop before seminars, presentations, and
meetings. Pop meaning Coke, Pepsi, etc.
O Automobiles are pretty much automatic.
O Mass in lb, distance in mile, volume in gallon, fl oz.,
temperature in Fahrenheit. Very difficult for intuition if
your background is metric—both for daily life and
engineering career.
O Professor saying “Thank you for attending class.”
O Americans love cheese.
O Culture of sorority, fraternity and Honors
Society in universities.
O Calling petrol and diesel “gas”, dustbins “trash”,
GB’s “gigs”, pavement “sidewalk”, and
invigilator “procter”.
O Pondering what PED-XING means. I know it
now.
 Xenocentrism
O Xenocentrism – belief that one’s culture is inferior to
another.
O A xenocentric person usually has a high regard for the
other cultures but disdains his/her own or is embarrassed
by it.
O Example is the penchant of many Filipinos – especially
teens – for East Asian culture, such as Japanese, South
Korean, and Taiwanese. The wider popularity of J-pop, K-
pop, and the like, over the Philippine pop culture is an
evidence of a high level of xenocentrism of many
Filipinos.
 Cultural Relativism
O Cultural Relativism – the practice of
viewing another culture by its own context
rather than assessing it based on the
standards of one’s own culture.
O Cultures as neither inferior nor superior.
O Cultural relativism requires an open mind and enthusiasm
to adapt to new cultures. An example is an American
traveler who encounters balut for the first time. Although
told what balut is, the tourist has never tried eating it
before.. Instead of being grossed out or terrified, he/she
may instill in mind that balut is just as edible as the
burgers and corndogs in his/her own country. He/She then
tastes the delicacy to get acquainted with its flavor. This
is what cultural relativism is all about – to immerse
oneself in another culture in order to appreciate fully.
O It has been said that ethnocentrism is natural for
many people. The culture that one has been
brought up to has become the most natural culture
for him/her. But, if one practices cultural
relativism and detaches oneself from his/her own
culture to see more of another, then ethnocentrism
is mitigated or becomes less severe. Cultural
relativism can be associated with the value of
respect – respect for another and his/her culture.
O However, there are also cases where cultural
relativism may be hard to practice. There are
cultures, especially the pain inflicting ones, in
some parts of the globe which majority – even the
most culturally relativist people – cannot
understand. Examples are the practice of female
genital mutilation in many African countries and
the tradition of some Pampango men to be
crucified during the Lenten season.
 IMPORTANT
OThe idea behind cultural relativism
reminds everyone of the importance
of cultural tolerance, especially in a
globalized age where interaction is
considered most important.
 Things to ponder:
OObserve the Philippine society. Cite
examples of Filipinos viewing other
cultures in the manner of:
OEthnocentrism
OXenocentrism
OCultural relativism
 Objectives:
O articulate observations on human cultural variation, social
differences, social change, and political identities
O demonstrate curiosity and openness to explore the origins
and dynamics of culture and society, and political
identities
O analyze social, political, and cultural change
O recognize the common concerns or intersections of
anthropology, sociology, and political science with respect
to the phenomenon of change
O identify the subjects of inquiry and goals of anthropology,
political science and sociology
 Objectives:
O explain anthropological and sociological perspectives on
culture and society
O describe society and culture as a complex whole identify
aspects of culture and society
O raise questions toward a holistic appreciation of cultures
and societies
O become aware of why and how cultural relativism
mitigates ethnocentrism
O identify forms of tangible and intangible threats to one’s
culture