Understanding

Culture, Society and

Politics
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics – Grade 11/12
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 2: Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
and Politics
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Mark Lester C. Cuayzon, Master Teacher II
Editor: Amalia C. Solis, Education Program Supervisor
Reviewers: Raul F. Espinosa, Master Teacher II (Content)
Alvin Santos, Master Teacher II (Content)
Susana T. Alabastro, English Head Teacher VI, Retired (Language)
Management Team: Malcolm S. Garma, Regional Director
Genia V. Santos, CLMD Chief
Dennis M. Mendoza, Regional EPS In Charge of LRMS
and ADM Coordinator
Maria Magdalena S. Lim, CESO V, SDS
Aida H. Rondilla, CID Chief
Lucky S. Carpio, Division EPS In Charge of LRMS

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 11/12

Understanding
Culture, Society,
and Politics
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Ethnocentrism and Cultural
Relativism

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Introductory Message
For the facilitator:

Welcome to the Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 11/12 Alternative

Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by educators both
from public and private institutions to assist you, the teacher or facilitator in helping
the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming
their personal, social, and economic constraints in schooling.

This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also aims to help
learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking into consideration their
needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body of
the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module.
You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to manage
their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the
learners as they do the tasks included in the module.

For the learner:

Welcome to the Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 11/12 Alternative

Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on Starting Points for the Understanding of Culture,
Society, and Politics!

The hand is one of the most symbolized part of the human body. It is often used to
depict skill, action and purpose. Through our hands we may learn, create and
accomplish. Hence, the hand in this learning resource signifies that you as a learner
is capable and empowered to successfully achieve the relevant competencies and
skills at your own pace and time. Your academic success lies in your own hands!

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This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities for
guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be enabled to
process the contents of the learning resource while being an active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

What I Need to Know This will give you an idea of the skills or
competencies you are expected to learn in the
module.

What I Know This part includes an activity that aims to

check what you already know about the
lesson to take. If you get all the answers
correct (100%), you may decide to skip this
module.

What’s In This is a brief drill or review to help you link

the current lesson with the previous one.

What’s New In this portion, the new lesson will be

introduced to you in various ways such as a
story, a song, a poem, a problem opener, an
activity or a situation.

What is It This section provides a brief discussion of the

lesson. This aims to help you discover and
understand new concepts and skills.

What’s More This comprises activities for independent

practice to solidify your understanding and
skills of the topic. You may check the
answers to the exercises using the Answer
Key at the end of the module.

What I Have Learned This includes questions or blank

sentence/paragraph to be filled into process
what you learned from the lesson.

What I Can Do This section provides an activity which will

help you transfer your new knowledge or skill
into real life situations or concerns.

Assessment This is a task which aims to evaluate your

level of mastery in achieving the learning
competency.

Additional Activities In this portion, another activity will be given

to you to enrich your knowledge or skill of the
lesson learned. This also tends retention of
learned concepts.

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 Answer Key This contains answers to all activities in the
module.

At the end of this module you will also find:

References This is a list of all sources used in developing

this module.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the
module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities
included in the module.
3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are
not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and
gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
understand culture, society, and politics. The scope of this module permits it to be
used in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse
vocabulary level of the students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard
sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to
correspond with the textbook you are now using.

The module is intended for one lesson, namely:

• Lesson 1 – Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

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The Most Essential Learning Competency is:

1. explain the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural

understanding.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. explain the meaning of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism;
2. appreciate and recognize one’s own cultural identity;
3. reconcile the perspectives of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism;
4. analyze situations in the Philippines where cultural relativism must be
practiced through a Case Study; and;
5. observe manifestations of ethnocentrism in different societies by constructing
a data retrieval chart.

What I Know

Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on a separate sheet of
paper.
1. It assumes that each society has a unique and different form of culture that
cannot be judged into one’s own culture.
A. Ethnocentric View C. Historical Particularism
B. Cultural Relativism D. Participant Observation
2. James Rachel made a critical position about accepting cultural relativism.
Which among the following is NOT part of his claims about this perspective?
A. Moral progress is always questionable.
B. Objective criticism of one’s own culture is shallow.
C. Moral progress is slow because of acceptance of other’s culture.
D. Rightfulness of an action within a society is primarily determined by
the moral standards of that society.
3. American President Donald Trump made a “Pocahontas” joke at a ceremony
honoring Navajo native veterans. If were a cultural relativist, what advice
would you give to Donald Trump? Tell him that __________
A. different societies have different moral codes.
B. there are no moral truths that always holds for all people.
C. the moral code of a society determines what is right or wrong within the
society.
D. All of the above.
4. What strategy are you using when you take into account another person’s
thoughts, values, background, and perspectives while you interact with
him/her?
A. Common Courtesy C. Paraphrasing
B. Empathy D. Social decentering

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5. According to Rachels, if cultural relativism is true, moral knowledge is
__________.
A. very easy to acquire. C. impossible to acquire.
B. an incoherent notion. D. very difficult to acquire
6. The dominant belief that one's culture is superior to others is
called___________________.
A. Assuming Similarity C. Ethnocentrism
B. Enculturation D. Stereotyping
7. Believing that eating balut is a disgusting and gross behavior is an example of
____________.
A. Agency C. Ethnocentrism
B. Cultural Relativism D. Xenocentrism
8. Which of the following explanations is one of the major reasons why people
engage in acts of ethnocentrism?
A. People participate in ethnocentric behavior to fit into a particular group.
B. Ethnocentric behavior comes out of a lack of understanding of other
cultures or a genuine fear of outsiders.
C. Workers participate in ethnocentric behavior because of a poor
economy and the need for a scapegoat.
D. Young people participate in ethnocentric behavior because they see
their friends participating in ethnocentric behavior and they want to be
accepted.
9. The concept of ethnocentrism poses critical issues and concerns until today.
How can you mitigate an ethnocentric behavior through cultural relativism?
A. Read articles authored by non-sociologists with narrow perspectives.
B. Participate in community programs recognizing only your community’s
culture.
C. Be understanding with other people even if their origin and culture are
different from yours.
D. Refuse invitations to participate in community outreach programs
catering to indigenous group of people.
10. Which of the following is FALSE regarding cultural relativism?
A. It is difficult or even impossible to force your own culture's rituals onto
another group.
B. When studying another culture, you must convert to its religious beliefs
to understand its customs.
C. Something that might be taboo in your own society might be perfectly
acceptable in another society.
D. People tend to be more tolerant of another culture's customs when they
learn the meaning behind them.

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 Lesson
Ethnocentrism and Cultural
1 Relativism
You learned the concepts and theories in Sociology, Anthropology, and
Political Science in the previous module. These new understandings will equip you
to have a better perspective on our society especially in dealing with cultural and
societal issues.
The idea of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism challenges the pillars of
anthropology and sociology in terms of universality and common awareness. In this
module, you will learn that reconciling ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
requires rigorous analysis in decision-making and critical thinking.

What’s In

Loop-A-Term!
To prove your understanding from the past lesson, you should be ready to
accomplish this task. You may do the following.

Directions:

1. The 10 words listed below are hidden inside the grid. These words can run on
all possible directions – horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
2. Locate the words and circle them as you find them.

SOCIETY MORES POWER LANGUAGE BELIEFS

MAN CULTURE LAWS POLITICS NORM

S N S C I T I L O P M S
E O D F C U L T U R E F
R R C D Q H A P A C H E
O M X I R E W O P C H I
M A N G E R S E S C J L
D R B N M T H O E G K E
S A G C M O Y R W J L B
K O L O E G A U G N A L

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 Notes to the Teacher
While your students are doing their Case Study, you may ask them to
study the APA Format of referencing through this website
https://apaformat.org/ (Online-learners)

What’s New

Analyze the words and phrases listed inside the box as they will enable you to
gain an easier understanding and deeper appreciation of this lesson.

Cultural Relativism Ethnocentrism Filipino Identity

Ethnocentrism

Luis Jorge De Barbuda published a map in 1584 showing China as the center
of the world. Analyze the map and answer the guide questions in another sheet of
paper.

Figure 1. A new description of China, once called the region of Sina, by Ludovicus
Georgius (Courtesy of Wikimedia. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CEM-
11-Chinae-nova-descriptio-2521.jpg

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Think about this!
1. What can you say about the picture?
2. What does the map tell you about how the Chinese see themselves in relation to
the world?

What is It

The concept of Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism has been a critical

issue of morality in our society for a long period of time. With the complexities of
these topics, it is helpful to analyze the points of view of experts regarding this
concern.

Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is the view that one’s own cultural elements such as norms,
values, ideology, customs, and traditions are dominant and superior to others
(Brown, 2007).

William Graham Sumner (1906) coined the term ethnocentrism in his work
Folkways that served as the foundation in social analysis of every culture. According
to his definition, ethnocentrism is a technical name to see things in which one’s own
cultural identity is the center of everything over which all must be scaled, rated, and
referred to. This perspective led to conceited behavior and the belief of the superiority
of one’s own group with great prejudice to outsiders. While ethnocentrism takes
universal stage, which propels cohesion and continuity at all levels of social
structure, it provides a rational explanation for attack made on other culture or
subculture in its extreme forms.
Sumner mentioned some characteristics of an individual with an ethnocentric
view. Ethnocentric persons -
 have a dominant cultural element which they see as superior to other
cultures;
 view rigidly their own socio-economic, political, and cultural elements;
 see their cultural elements as normal and acceptable to all;
 consider in-group norms can be universalized;
 discard out-group ethnicities and cultures;
 believe that other cultures are inferior; and
 look at other culture’s elements as inferior and unacceptable

It can be seen in Philippine society that ethnocentrism is still emerging. The

sense of identity seems to be a contributing reason for this. It goes deeper in our
history that the mixture of different cultures has created several identity marks

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resulting in our diverse cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. Also, our
indigenous culture can be categorized as old, non-advanced technology with no sense
of modernity. After the primitive age, we begin to be the melting pot of Western and
Oriental cultures resulting in a shaky and complex identity attributed to us today.
With this characteristic, it is very difficult to blend this type of indigenous culture to
the fast-changing society.

Chinof (2016) made some observations on how to address this growing

concern on Filipino ethnocentrism.

1. Identify indigenous culture that truly reflects Filipino identity.

2. Eliminate foreign influences and stick to “home-grown" practices.
3. If we want to settle our identity, we must accept the good part of the foreign
influences that come to us.

Although colonization by the Spaniards, Americans, and Japanese has caused

a shift in several of our cultural, social, political, and economic policies, it made the
Philippines a single nation. Thus, the Philippines today stands strongly behind our
acceptance of our Filipino identity marked by our appreciation of foreign influences.
Truly, it is difficult to do away with these influences, because if we will totally
disregard them, we will run the risk of being left with nothing but purely our own
native culture and tradition that may alienate us from the globalized world. We need
to acknowledge their part in the richness of the tapestry that is the Filipino culture.

Cultural Relativism
Culture, just like a story, conveys different meanings and it can vary among
the people who created it. It poses a challenge to the idea that culture is the same
for everyone. Also, culture like a story has a life of its own. This notion rejects the
concept of cultural universality.
Cultural relativism refers to an
objective analysis of one’s own culture –
seeing and understanding of one’s beliefs
and traditions from his/her own point of
view. It also entails not to judge the
practices of others based on your own
culture; hence, respecting it in their own
cultural context. For example, you may
find eating insects as an unacceptable
and a disgusting practice. However, in
Thailand, as well as parts of Central
America like Mexico, it is considered a Figure 2. Roasted insects sold at open market
in Thailand (Courtesy of Wikimedia.
delicacy. Instead of being prejudiced, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?
one can pose an interesting question like sort=relevance&search=franz+boas&title=Speci
“Why do some cultures eat fried al:Search&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&advan
cedSearch-
insects?”. current=%7B%7D&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns
14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:FranzB
oas.jpg, 2020).

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 According to James Rachels (2003), the following claims have all been made
by cultural relativists:
1. Each society has a diverse set of moral conducts.
2. The rightfulness of an action within a society is primarily determined by the
moral standards of that society.
3. There is no objective standard that can be used as a basis of comparison
among societies.
4. The moral code of our own society is just part of a larger body of morality and
ethical standards.
5. High tolerance among all culture must be exercised always.

However, in his critical analysis, he also posited some observations and

consequences of accepting cultural relativism.
1. It is difficult to determine if the custom of other societies is morally inferior to
others.
2. The decision whether actions are right or wrong can be done just by consulting
the standards of our society.
3. The idea of moral progress is always questionable.
4. The objective criticism of one’s own culture is shallow.
5. There will be no idea of moral progress because of acceptance of other’s
culture.

The aspect of mutual respect and understanding must be observed. This is the
first step towards a deeper appreciation of one’s culture. Tolerance and acceptance
of cultural diversities within the bounds of our own moral and ethical standard can
be a way to understand individual differences.

What’s More

Article Analysis
We are exposed to several societies and cultures making us aware that their
thinking and valuing may be different from our own; therefore, cultural relativism
makes it possible for us to understand these concerns deeply.
Directions:
1. Read and analyze the article.
2. Answer the following guide questions on a separate sheet of paper.

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 CA affirms disciplinary proceedings vs students linked to UP hazing case

Published October 14, 2016 1:07am

The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed its decision allowing the University of the Philippines (UP) to continue
the administrative proceedings against students suspected to have been involved in the fatal hazing of Cris
Anthony Mendez in 2007. Penned by Associate Justice Zenaida Galapate-Laguilles, the CA 10th Division stood
pat on its October 6, 2015 decision reversing the ruling of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court that nullified
the proceedings of the UP Student Disciplinary Tribunal (UP SDT). The petitioners include Ariel Paolo Ante,
Marcelino Veloso III, Keefee de la Cruz, and Armand Lorenze Sapital, who are part of the 13 members of the
Sigma Rho Fraternity accused of participating in the violent initiation rites that took the life of Mendez, a senior
public administration student. In their appeal, the petitioners reiterated that Section 1, Rule II, of the Rules
Governing Fraternities relating to the filing of charges is similar to existing rules on preliminary investigation
in criminal cases. They said deviating from the provision is a violation of due process.

The petitioners also criticized the preliminary inquiries since it was allegedly conducted by the University
Prosecutor instead of a member of the UP-SDT as stated in the Rules Governing Fraternities. The CA said the
case was administrative in nature, thus "it is not subject to the rigorous requirements of criminal due process."
“The preliminary inquiry and the formal charges herein are but components of the investigative and disciplinary
action an academic university is mandated to take against its students suspected of being engaged in hazing
activities,” the appellate court said. "What is at stake here is not the petitioners-appellees' liberty from criminal
incarceration, but their continued admission to an institution of higher learning, which is discretionary upon
a school, the same being a privilege on the part of the student rather than a right," it added. Investigators said
Mendez was seen in a compound at Bonifacio Village, Quezon City along with other young men before he was
brought to the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center on August 27, 2007. Mendez, 20, was pronounced dead on
arrival by doctors noting several hematomas on his wrists, thighs and feet. His death sparked calls for justice
and condemnation from various groups including the UP Diliman administration on the use of violence as a
prerequisite for admission into any organization. — BAP, GMA News

Retrieved from https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/584950/ca-affirms-disciplinary-proceedings-vs-students-

linked-to-up-hazing-case/story/

Think About This!

1. What is the article about?
2. Can one justify that the “culture” of fraternities deserves respect? What are the
advantages and disadvantages of this claim?
3. What are the ill effects of hazing?
4. ABC Fraternity is the most prestigious fraternity in your school. Its members
are high ranking government officials and rich business owners. Your teacher
recruits you on the promise that you will be spared from hazing. Would you join
the fraternity? Why or why not?

Case Study
The notion of cultural relativism allows us to see the variations among
cultures and learn how to give utmost respect to it. In the Philippines where the
foundational identity of a Filipino is a mixture of different cultures, cultural
relativism is a helpful perspective to understand our society.

In this task, you will see different situations where discrimination arises
because of our attitude in promoting our own culture.

Directions:
1. Choose any ONE article from the two topics that can be accessed from the
given URLs.
a. Coping with the Bisayan Accent.

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 Retrieved from
http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/2013/09/18/coping-with-
the-bisaya-accent/
b. Several Reasons Why Filipino Cuisine is Among Least Preferred
Worldwide
Retrieved from https://www.interaksyon.com/trends-
spotlights/2019/03/20/146043/several-reasons-why-filipino-cuisine-
is-among-least-preferred-worldwide/

2. Use these guidelines and format in doing your Case Study.

I. Introduction – In this part, you will give a short background of the
case with a minimum of 10 sentences and a maximum of 15 sentences.
II. Objectives of the Case Study – In this part, you will give a short
explanation why there is a need to resolve the issue presented in the
case with a minimum of three objectives and a maximum of five
objectives.
III. Presentation of the Case – In this part, you have to explain the nature
of the case, the situations experienced by the people, and the
problem/s they encountered. You can write a minimum of 20 sentences
or two paragraphs and a maximum of 30 sentences or three
paragraphs.
IV. Proposed Solutions and Recommendations – In this part, you will
give possible solutions and recommendations to resolve the problem in
the case. You can give a minimum of three and a maximum of five
solutions and recommendations.
V. References – In this part, you write the references or sources that you
use in your Case Study. Make sure that you follow the APA format in
preparing your bibliography.

3. Whichever is available, you can print or write your answers in a short bond
paper.
4. If you don’t have internet access, you can request your teacher/facilitator to
provide you a hard copy of the articles.

Article 1:

Coping with the Bisaya Accent

by Ethnic Groups Philippines

18 September 2013

Quezon City – Koya… Ati… are a couple of dead giveaways that the speaker is Bisaya
(Visayan). Those from "down south," be it the Visayas or Mindanao group of islands, who are
living in Metropolitan Manila, take pains to hide their regional accent, lest they become the
butt of jokes. The famous Bisaya pronunciation is basically the switching of vowel sounds:
"e" to "I," "o" to "u," and vice versa — a very merry mix-up.

And since there are quite a lot of Visayans in greater Metro Manila, the accent is heard
almost everywhere every day. Tricycle drivers being interviewed by roving news teams, senior
executives chairing meetings, lawmakers at their filibustering best, salespeople at the malls.
In many a city scene, someone rolls the Visayan accent, and someone else mimics it. Or
giggles, at the least. The Bisaya sound is standard fare in radio, television, and the movies —
the stereotypical way of portraying housemaids or "hillbillies" who are new to city life.

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 For Lisa, a housewife who has lived in the Land of Promise for more than 30 years,
moving to Manila in 1997 was one of the hardest adjustments she had ever made. Learning
the Tagalog language was tough for someone like her who was born and raised in Samal
Island province of Davao del Norte. She and her husband decided to move to the big city for
good to give their two daughters the good education they deserved. The moment they arrived
in Manila; her Mindanao twang suddenly needed a drastic makeover.

"Being a Bisaya in Manila was very challenging, especially during the first six months.
The traffic, pollution, and need to adjust to a new language that I wasn’t familiar with were
major difficulties. Every day I would get a headache from trying to converse in Tagalog with
my neighbors and people at the market. Honestly, I would have left the city the day after we
arrived were it not for my family," the Davao native explains.

Tagalog, on which Filipino, the national language, is based, is widely used on the
island of Luzon, particularly in the Metropolitan Manila area. Lisa's experience made her feel
that Bisaya was inferior to Tagalog. She was often misunderstood when buying an item at a
store, and she would often hear mocking comments about her quirky pronunciation. The
most disparaging remark she has ever heard is that Bisaya is “low-class” compared to
Tagalog. Perhaps this is because of the way TV portrays speakers of the language. But despite
all the discrimination she has endured, Lisa has maintained her equanimity among those
who ridiculed her language.

To learn Tagalog quickly, she tuned in to local radio stations and imitated the way
Tagalog was spoken. She read books and mingled with people to beef up her vocabulary. She
gained new friends who not only helped her adjust to the new language, but also assisted her
in coping with the stressful life in the city. In just six months, Lisa, who had spoken nothing
but Bisaya for more than 30 years before migrating to Manila, had managed to absorb the
new language and ditch her Visayan accent. She confesses, though, that the “funny” Visayan
accent still slips out from time to time. Nevertheless, she feels lucky and confident now about
her ability to communicate and switch back and forth between the two languages.

The truth is, no language is inferior or superior to another. Diversity is, after all, what
makes our country unique and attractive to many people around the world. Many Filipinos
are bilingual or even multilingual because the country boasts more than 100 languages or
dialects. We should all be proud of all of our languages.

Article 2:

Several reasons why Filipino cuisine is among least preferred worldwide

By Jeline Malasig - March 20, 2019 - 6:03 PM

Despite the international attention it has been getting, Filipino food was ranked
among the least popular cuisines in a recent survey conducted by a London-based global
market research firm. YouGov surveyed over 24,000 participants from 24 countries on their
most preferred cuisine and Filipino dishes came in among the least favored meals. It received
the lowest mark among the Japanese, whose preference for the Filipino cuisine was only 21
percent.

Australians, on the other hand, had the highest preference of the cuisine at 56
percent, second to the Filipinos themselves. We asked 25,000 people in 24 countries how
much they liked 34 national cuisines. Here are the top 5: 1. Italian cuisine - average of 84%
in each country who have tried it say they like it, 2. Chinese - 78%, 3. Japanese - 71%, 4.
Thai - 70%, and 5. French - 70%

“We asked people which of 34 national cuisines they had tried and whether they liked
or disliked them, with Italian food being the most well-liked. The cuisine received an average
popularity score of 84% across the 24 nations we studied,” Matthew Smith, a lead data

9
journalist, reported. Other least favored cuisines in the world are Saudia Arabian, Finnish
and Peruvian.

Filipino cuisine is heavily influenced by different countries such as Spain, the United
States, China, India and other Southeast Asian nations. It is considered the original “Asian
fusion” before the concept existed, as stated by Smithsonian Magazine.

A food-oriented blog in July 2016 revealed various reasons as to why Filipino dishes
do not seem to appeal to foreigners despite international features about it. JP Anglo, a chef
and patron at Sara Kitchen, noted that “Pinoy ingredients are hard to come by outside of the
Philippines.” “You can’t get tuba, Batwan etc. overseas. Even the lemon grass tastes
different,” he shared. Myke Sarthou, a chef and cookbook author, attributed it to the
complexity of the cuisine as a whole.

According to him, Filipino cuisine does not merely mix and match ingredients and
different cooking methods of foreign dishes. One must also understand how the “perspectives
and philosophies” of various cultures blend as well. This makes the Filipino cuisine difficult
to describe in just a line or two, he said. Sarthou also claimed that the country lacks the
“marketing and business acumen” required to make local dishes popular in a global sense,
as well as the Philippines’ lack of support in the agricultural sector. “To make a cuisine shine
globally, it should be backed by a strong agricultural sector which is evidently weak in the
country,” the chef said.

A restaurant owner based in New York City attributed it to the Filipinos’ supposed
lack of entrepreneurial skills necessary to make the cuisine recognized in the international
market. “We were not raised to be entrepreneurs. We were raised to be doctors, lawyers —
risk-averse careers,” Nicole Ponseca said. She speculated that it might be due to the Filipinos’
sense of shame towards their own cuisine brought about by being heavily colonized for so
many centuries. “That’s why [some restaurants] give the ‘white-man menu’ [to customers]
because they think they’re not going to like dinuguan, which is a pork blood stew,” Ponseca
said. “It is because when you’re colonized over so many years, you don’t value your own
culture, even though we have so much pride,” she continued.

What I Have Learned

Directions: Read and analyze each question. Write your answers on a separate sheet
of paper.

1. Cultural relativism tends to promote one’s own culture. Which of your

ancestral culture and traditions are you most proud of?
2. In our divided world of perspectives and points of view, how can we maintain
respect despite cultural differences?
3. James Rachel made some critical observations regarding cultural relativism.
In the Philippines where we highly respect cultural differences, suggest some
good points that contradict Rachel’s assertions.
4. In our present society where some leaders use their ethnocentric ego to
establish rules and authority, as a youth, how can you uplift laws and
democratic principles which should be applied equally to all, regardless of
one’s religion, political beliefs, gender, economic, and social status?
5. What do you think are the root causes of ethnocentric view? What can you
suggest to prevent people from having this characteristic?

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 What I Can Do

World Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is a worldview that can be observed in several countries. To
see this, do the following activity using the given guide questions.

1. Research on how the concept of ethnocentrism is being observed or done in

the following countries.
You may follow this format to make your research organized. Please use
another sheet of paper to answer this activity.

Ethnocentric Views
Countries
Culture Society Politics

United States of America

Japan

China

United Kingdom

Think About This!

1. What did you discover after your research?
2. Can you see some observations similar to our own culture?
Alternative Q: Which countries have similar ethnocentric views with
us? Which countries have different ethnocentric views with us?
3. Why do you think they have these ethnocentric practices? What benefit
can they get from doing these?
4. As a Filipino, what practices or values you are proud of that are worth
sharing with others?
5. How will you promote these values and practices?

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 Assessment

Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. What is an attempt to judge behavior according to its own cultural context?

A. Cultural Identity C. Culture Shock
B. Culture Indoctrination D. Culture Relativism
2. Which among the choices is true about the statements on Cultural Relativism?

A. Cultural Relativism contends that judging a culture should be based

on our own standards of what is right or wrong, strange or normal.
B. It understands cultural practices of other groups in its own cultural
context.

A. Sentence A is correct while Sentence B is incorrect.

B. Sentence A is incorrect while sentence B is correct.
C. Both sentences are correct.
D. Both Sentences are incorrect

3. Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar are said to be illegal immigrants and

described as the “world’s most persecuted people”. What kind of inequality is
BEST described in this situation?
A. Gender inequality, because it is characterized by having some people
deprived of privileges.
B. Social inequality, because they experience unequal access to various
resources and privileges.
C. Global inequality, because a discriminatory practice in the community
can cause a significant alarm in a global scale.
D. Ethnic minority inequality, because their civil, political, economic,
social, and cultural rights are violated due to discrimination based on
their ethnicity.
4. Which among the following is NOT an original Filipino culture?
A. Eating pork adobo
B. Bayanihan practice
C. Dancing to K-POP songs
D. Watching Ramon Obusan’s shows.
5. Karen used to tease her newly transferred Mangyan classmate because of his
kinky hair and tanned skin. What kind of cultural view did Karen have?
A. Culture B. Cultural Relativism C. Ethnocentrism D. Society
6. In New Zealand, broadcasters refuse to stop using Maori language despite
complaints from English speakers. Respecting the language of others is MOST
significant because ________
A. it is used to understand each other.
B. it relates to a person’s interaction with others and the world.
C. it is the basic tool of communication and transmission of culture and
is known as the storehouse of culture.
D. it is attached to the people’s historical and cultural roots which served
as their identity as members of society.

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 7. Understanding female circumcision as a significant rite of passage for women
as opposed to a kind of mutilation is an example of _______________.
A. Agency C. Enlightenment
B. Cultural relativism D. Ethnocentrism
8. Learning to take the role of the other person gives one the ability to see the
perspective of the other before articulating or giving judgement. To do this, it
is MOST important to __________
A. study the cultural context where the action occurs.
B. look into the reasoning behind any cultural element.
C. determine the circumstances of place, time, and condition surrounding
it.
D. all of the above.
9. The feeling of stress and anxiety that most people experience when
encountering a culture different from their own is referred to as
______________.
A. Acculturation C. Ethnocentrism
B. Culture Shock D. Enculturation
10. Who coined the term ethnocentrism which served as the foundation in social
analysis of every culture?
A. Edward Tylor B. Emile Durkheim C. Max Weber D. William Sumner

Additional Activities

PINOY AKO! Pinoy Tayo! The Ethnocentric Encounters

We cannot avoid ethnocentric views and practices because of our diverse cultural
backgrounds and limited knowledge of the culture of others. You can clearly see
some of these common manifestations of ethnocentrism in your own community. To
have a clear grasp of this concept, you perform this task.
You may do the following:
1. Think of Filipino ethnocentric practices you have encountered in your
community or in your life.
2. You can present these observations through a semantic web.
3. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Filipino
Ethnocentrism

3
Think About This!
You may answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper.
1. What did you discover when you did your task?
2. Did you share what you personally encountered in your community?
3. What did you feel when you encountered these situations? How do you
think these ethnocentric practices can be eliminated from our Filipino
values system?
4. As a student, what plan can you suggest to prevent the spread of these
observable practices in your community?

3
References
Online Sources

Brown, S. (2007). Ethnocentrism. Retrieved

from https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeose069

Copez, S. (2013, Oct.5). Discrimination of Igorots. Retrieved from

https://musicsimon.weebly.com/blog/discrimination-of-igorots

Coping with the Bisaya Accent. (2013, Sept. 18). Retrieved from
http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/2013/09/18/coping-with-the-
bisaya-accent/

Chinof. (2016). What Problem with Filipino Identity? Retrieved from

https://www.getrealphilippines.com/2016/02/filipino-identity/

Malasig, J. (2019, Mar 20). Several Reasons Why Filipino Cuisine is Among
Least Preferred Worldwide. Retrieved from
https://www.interaksyon.com/trends-
spotlights/2019/03/20/146043/several-reasons-why-filipino-cuisine-is-
among-least-preferred-worldwide/

Rachels, J. (2003). The Elements of Moral Philosophy. Retrieved

from https://vulms.vu.edu.pk/Courses/ETH202/Downloads/The%20Eleme
nts%20of%20Moral%20Philosophy.pdf

Valiente, T.G. (2015, Mar 14). When Folk Songs are Called Cheesy, the
Nation Goes Stale. Retrieved
from https://businessmirror.com.ph/2015/03/14/when-folk-songs-are-
called-cheesy-the-nation-goes-stale/

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

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