UNDERSTANDING CULTURE SOCIETY AND POLITICS

Module 1 (1 WEEK) S.Y. 2021-2022

INTRODUCTION
The nature of culture refers to a theoretical foundation of contemporary anthropology. It has been
observed that the terms "nature" and "culture" can not necessarily be translated into non-western languages.
This module will help you understand the Nature and Goals of Anthropology, Sociology and Political
Science. Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is
diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state. While anthropology is a branch of
sociology, it always describes human, human behavior and human societies around the world. Political
science, by nature, is a social science that deals with humans and their interactions.
Title: Nature, Goals and Perspectives in/of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science.
Target Learners: Grade 12 STEM
Learning Competencies: Discuss the nature, goals and perspectives in/of anthropology, sociology and political
science.
Your Goals:
a. Describe the nature of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science;
b. Know the goals of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science; and
c. Explain the perspectives of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science.
Lesson Proper
LECTURE 1
What is Anthropology?
Anthropology relates to sociology, it always describes human, human behaviour and human societies
around the world. It is a comparative science that examines all societies. The term anthropology means
scientific study of man or human beings.
Cultural anthropology studies human societies and elements of cultural life. An example of cultural
anthropology is the Linguistic anthropology which focuses on language in a certain society. The goal of
studying anthropology is to understand the origin of human evolution and the diverse forms of its
existence throughout time.
Humans studying humans. This is the field of anthropology. Unlike other disciplines of the social
sciences, anthropology promotes a holistic study of humans. Derived from two Greek words antropos (human)
and logos (study), anthropology seeks to answer this primary question: What does it mean to be human? This
allows for an extensive and inclusive approach such that anthropology studies humans as both biological and
social creatures. Biologically, it inquires on the genetic composition of humans, their relationship with other
primates, and their evolution. Socially, it inquires on human behaviors, attitudes, and belief systems, which
range from birth practices to burial rites.
Another key element that makes anthropology holistic is its research time frame, which ranges from the
evolution of humans as a species to our current development. It also studies humans from various ethnic
groupings and geographic locations.
As such, anthropology can be defined as "the study of people- their origins, their development, and
contemporary variations, wherever and whenever they have been found on the face of the earth" (Ember,
Ember, and Peregrine, 2010).
These points of inquiry are addressed by the five sub-disciplines of anthropology: archaeological, cultural,
linguistic, physical, and applied.

1
  Archaeology examines the remains of ancient and historical human populations to promote an
understanding of how humans have adapted to their environment and developed.
 Cultural anthropology promotes the study of a society's culture through their belief systems, practices,
and possessions.
 Linguistic anthropology examines the language of a group of people and its relation to their culture.
 Physical anthropology looks into the biological development of humans and their contemporary
variation.
 Applied Anthropology attempts to solve contemporary problems through the application of theories
and approaches of the discipline.

What is Sociology?
Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is
diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class
to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical change in whole societies. The
purpose of sociology is to understand how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by
surrounding cultural and social structures.
 Sociology is the science of societies. French philosopher August Comte, the founder of the said
discipline, was the first thinker of the modern world.
 Sociology is the scientific study of a society- its origin, development, networks, and functions. It
focuses on the ubiquity (or the “everywhere-ness”) of social forces of the unlikely forms: sex,
gender, religion, class, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and the like.

 Its primary purpose is to explain how different elements in the environment affect and influence
the growth and life of a person.
 It is significant for the person to learn about his/ her society. To co- exist with other people in
peace, one must first discover who he/ she is, who the co- members in society are, understand the
internal and external factors that contribute to their personalities, and their functions in society.

In studying society, being human or grounding your arguments on your experiences is not enough. You
must look at society in a sociological perspective.
Two approaches are employed in exploring human societies: Macrosociology (macro-level perspective)
and Microsociology (micro- level perspective). In Macrosociology, the sociological perspective utilized by
social scientists are functionalist, conflict, and internationalist. Such perspective aid in understanding the
concept of society as a product of human interactions as individual live up to the standards of their culture.
Microsociology in contrast, underscores the important role individuals perform in societies.

Sociological Concepts
Just like anthropology, sociology also has discipline-based concepts that aid in the understanding of
human behavior and groups. The basic concept that sociology interprets is that of society.
Society
Society can be defined as a product of human interactions as humans subscribe to the rules of their
culture. It is an organization that caters to a human's need for belongingness in a group. The following table
presents the varying understanding of society as prescribed by sociologists.
Comparison of Theories on Society
Sociologist Perspective on Society
August Comte Society as a social organism possessing a harmony of
structure and function.
Emile Durkheim Society as a reality in its own right. Collective
consciousness is of key importance to society, which
society cannot survive without.
Talcott Parsons Society is a total complex of human relationships in so
far as they grow Out of the action in terms of means-end
relationship.
2
 George Herbert Mead Society is an exchange of gestures that involves the use
of symbols.
Morris Ginsberg Society as a collection of individuals united by certain
relations or mode of behavior that marks individuals off
from others who do not enter into these relations or who
differ from them in behavior.
George Douglas Cole Society as the complex of organized associations and
institutions with a community.
Robert Maclver and Charles Page Society as a system of usages and procedures of
authority and mutual aid of many groupings and
divisions, of controls of human behavior and liberties.

Social Interaction
Within the framework of society is a process called social interaction. This is a compilation of ways
and means by which humans interact with each other within the confines of a society. Hence, the prevailing
culture within a society dictates the forms of interaction used by individuals with one another.
Interaction is not merely defined by an actual physical contact, as it covers every human interchange that
is within a mutually subjective orientation. This implies that as long as the parties involved are aware of each
other, interaction is possible.
Social Organization
This concept refers to the interrelationship of parts of society. As a society is an organization in itself,
it is structurally divided into layers of contexts and positions that help perpetuate its existence. The positions
created within a society constitute the category of status. This may include being a student, a son, and a parent.
Each status prescribes a set of accepted behaviors that define the individual's responses and
inclinations. This set is called roles. The role of a government official is to ensure that the people's needs are
addressed through government projects and policies. If the government official fails to perform this role, then a
conflict occurs as the norm was not followed. In some instances in our country, government officials were
evicted from their positions (statuses) as they failed to perform the roles expected of them.
A group is a basic unit of an organization. It involves at least two individuals who are in constant
interaction based on their statuses and roles. Your school typically consists of two groups: teachers and
students. You interact with your teachers based on your role as a student. Hence, your manner of speaking and
the content of your statements are different when you are interacting with your classmates from when you
interact with your teachers.
Institutions are established when roles, statuses, and groups are perpetuated within the context of a
society. Institutions are the building blocks of a society, as it is through these that norms are produced from the
consistent exchanges of individuals and groups. These institutions are also in constant recreation as human
interactions are affected by external forces such as environmental shifts. Family, marriage, education,
religion, and government are all examples of institutions. To be more specific, the concept of a parent and a
child (family) is well-established as an institution in the Philippines. As such, activities that do not conform to
the prescribed behavior of individuals toward the creation of a family are frowned upon by society. These
activities include abortion, separation of spouses, and extramarital affairs.

Sub-disciplines of Sociology
Within the field of sociology are specific inquiries on human behavior in groups. Studies that involve
social structures such as institutions, social groups, social stratification, social mobility, and ethnic groups fall
within the scope of social organization. The study of the impact of group life to a person's nature and
personality is the focus of social psychology. Social change and disorganization is the branch of sociology that
inquires on the shift in social and cultural interactions and the interruption of its process through delinquency,
deviance, and conflicts. Human ecology pursues studies that relate human behavior to existing social
institutions. This is different from social psychology and social organization in that the social institutions in
which human subjects belong to are treated in the context of an ecological/ environmental element that defines
3
human behavior. Population or demography inquires on the interrelationship between population
characteristics and dynamics with that of a political, economic, and social system. Applied sociology uses
sociological research and methods to solve contemporary problems. It often uses an interdisciplinary approach
to better address social problems.

What is Political Science?

Political Science is a social science that deals with humans and their interactions. It is a branch of
sociology; it essentially deals with the large-scale actions of humans, and group mentality.
Political Science comes from the two Greek word: polis and scire. Polis refers to the city-state in ancient
Greece. The political activities within polis are later termed as politikus (Latin). Scire means “to know”.
Combining the two meanings, political science aims to know the activities within the state. Such activities
include the following: human interaction and conflict, human and state relations, and power distribution.
The American Political Science Association defined its discipline as "the study of governments, public
policies and political processes, systems, and political behavior" (2013). These topics are covered by the
subdisciplines of political science such as political theory, comparative politics, international relations, political
behavior, public policy, and public administration.
 Political theory
It examines the contemporary application of political concepts such as human rights, equality,
peace, and justice. It seeks to address the variance of its implementation in societies with the aim of
understanding the nature of these concept and the elements that affect it. This field is significant in
furthering theory building in the discipline as much as it provides a conceptual critique of commonly held
concepts. For example, the Global North concept of justice is not universal. In some societies in the Global
South, conflicts are not resolved by meting justice in the context of punishment but in the form of
reconciliation of parties.
 Comparative politics
It is a branch of political science that aims to provide context to the differences in government and
political systems. It examines the parallelism and divergence of political systems to provide analyses on the
factors that make governments efficient and the factors that make them fail. This field provides a scientific
comparison of governments and political institutions that could help aid policy formulation that is locally
relevant. For example, the practice of democracy in the most members of the Global North is oftentimes
different from how it is practiced in democratized countries of the Global South as it is embedded in local
political culture. Hence, campaigns for the democratization of all societies may be perilous for some, whose
local culture is at odds with the framework of democracy.
 International Relations
The study of state-to-state relations and the wider margin of the impacts of globalization and
climate change such as terrorism, piracy, and democratization of non-Western territories fall into the
category of international relations. This field also covers the interaction between states and non-state global
actors such as international organizations and human groups. The case of China and Philippines on the
Scarborough Shoal is an example of an internal relations issue in the Philippines as much as the 9/11 attacks
on the World Trade Center that spawned transnational campaign of the United States against terrorism.
 Political Behavior
This field covers the attitudes, knowledge, and actions of an individual in response to political
variables such as policies created by the government, behavior of politicians, and general political
environment. Works on the political action repertoire of individuals are categorized under this field as it
examines their psychology toward the system. These types of studies are important for drafting election
campaigns and gauging the electorates' inclination to support a policy.
 Public Policy

4
 This field inquires on the types of governmental policies and the underlying motivations for their
enactment and implementation. Due to the nature of this field, it operates with other sub-disciplines to create
a comprehensive analysis. The general perspective that policies are created to better the living conditions
within a territory is at times inaccurate, as political actors behind policy-making are also motivated by
personal interests.
 Public Administration
This branch examines the various administrative schemes implemented by government existing
officials. It analyzes the strategies applied by administrative units in implementing the existing policies and
the feedback mechanism that they use to gain the opinion of the public. This field is important in providing
scientific evaluations of the efficiency of administrative units in fulfilling their functions and the factors that
affect them in their pursuit of accomplishing their deliverables.

IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING ANTHROPOLOGY, POLITICAL SCIENCE AND SOCIOLOGY

The main objective in the study of Anthropology is to acquire an understanding of cultural

differences. It is significant in recognizing the uniqueness of human beings and societies. Hence, a deeper
knowledge of humankind that enables us to appreciate our diverse cultures and ways of living is obtained.

Studying how human beings govern themselves through making sound decisions is the most essential
contribution of Political Science. First and foremost, the knowledge of human rights educates the citizens about
their roles in the political affairs of the state, specifically regarding political rights (e.g., right to vote, due
process of the law, and provisions of basic services). In addition, such discipline motivates citizens to
participate proactively in political activities- a participation which consequently contributes to nation- building.

It is important to study Sociology because it is necessary for social planning. Such discipline is
considered an instrument of social reform primarily because it is concerned with human relationships.
Sociology thus, gives emphasis to the role of institutions in the development of individuals. Furthermore,
Sociology highlights the intrinsic worth and dignity of humans. Such discipline has been responsible for
changing our attitudes towards our fellow human beings which are manifested through the values of patience,
respect, and tolerance regarding cultural differences. As a result, conflicts and gaps have been reduced within
and among societies.

COMMON CONCERNS OF ANTHROPOLOGY, POLITICAL SCIENCE, AND SOCIOLOGY WITH

RESPECT TO CHANGE

The major concerns are commonly experienced in the fields of Anthropology, Sociology, and Political
Science. The problem of understanding institutional concerns based on (1) empirical details and (2) causal
issues that produce such concerns. It is important to know the context and process by which such concerns can
be understood and thereafter effectively addressed. Knowing the needs of the community helps in recognizing
their respective capacities, thus paving the way for a basis for policies for these have a meaningful prospect of
addressing social problems. Such policies should be driven by a cognizance of the context and process on how
these are implemented. Capacity is needed to facilitate the progress of both policy formulation and
implementation, which again imply that understanding both context and process are indeed critical. Similarly, it
is imperative that the Social Sciences provide a feedback mechanism (i.e., assessments) to assess probable
consequences of proposed policies.

LECTURE 2

Perspectives of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science

1. Anthropological perspectives are culture, cultural relativism, fieldwork, human diversity, holism, bio-
cultural focus. The four main perspectives of Anthropology are the cross-cultural or comparative
emphasis, its evolutionary/historical emphasis, its ecological emphasis, and its holistic emphasis
(Dudgeon). An example for the analysis and solutions of the different aspects of the society such as
the environment issues of pollution, the issues on health and medicine and other issues related to
the human activities.

5
  Cross-cultural or Comparative emphasis
A cross-cultural or comparative approach is central to anthropological understanding. This emphasis also
makes anthropology unique among the social sciences. Unlike sociologists, psychologists, economists and
political scientists, anthropologists look beyond the confines of our own society and compare it to the
beliefs and practices of other societies, past and present. Where a sociologist, for example, may attempt to
explain social organization with reference only to their own society, an anthropologist would almost invariably
go on to compare and contrast our own patterns of social organization with other societies.
This comparative emphasis is important. It helps anthropologist to avoid equating "human nature," for
example, with the peculiarities of our own contemporary society. Quite simply, just because we all take some
belief or style of behavior for granted in the present, does not mean human beings everywhere, or throughout
human history, would have agreed. As John Bodley (1999) puts it, an examination of the wide diversity of other
societies encourages anthropologists "to view their own culture through an outsider's eyes." In other words,
studying other cultures with very different understandings of the world, very different customs and styles of life,
leads to what anthropologists refer to as "defamiliarization".
Defamiliarization refers to the process through which you develop an ability to look at our own culture
as though it were a foreign culture through the study of other societies. That is, extensive cross-cultural
study allows one to think more critically about one's own culture, and to understand that many aspects of one's
own beliefs or ways of doing things, which we all take for granted on a daily basis, are actually not only
completely arbitrary, but also far from universal throughout human history, or even in the present day in many
cases. For example, when creating a product it is important to consider the cultural perspective of the different
groups of people who may purchase it and be able to buy easily.
 Evolutionary/Historical Emphasis
The second major emphasis which is distinctive of anthropology as a social science is its
evolutionary/historical approach. This approach, coming from archeology and physical anthropology, focuses
upon both the biological and cultural evolution of human beings and of human societies. It is also one of
the reasons why a four subfields approach is as important to the discipline as a whole.
An evolutionary/historical approach is "diachronic." In other words, it is focused upon the understanding
of and description of patterns of change over time. This approach provides time depth to an anthropological
perspective which, along with its cross-cultural emphasis, helps to put contemporary society and contemporary
patterns of social development into an historical context.
For example, Lola Chayong came from the generation X that was born 1965-1980. Through that time they
did not have a technology/machines to be used. But through the years our world is changing over the period of
time. We already have technology/machines that is helpful for us to work easily. Another example is before:
marriage-sex, now: Pre-marital Sex or Single Parent. The society is gradually showing compassion for sing
parents instead of judgement.
 Ecological Emphasis
An ecological approach, which views human societies or cultures within the context of larger natural
systems. Example, the study of paleoecology examines human interaction with the environment from an
archaeological perspective. Other topics addressed include problem solving environmental issues, creating
better understanding of native perceptions of their own ecosystem, and sustaining on available resources.

 Holistic Emphasis
A holistic approach, which is very closely related to an ecological approach philosophically. In fact,
anthropology was the first social science to begin to incorporate ecological insights into its studies of human
behavior and society. Ecology has been part of the discipline at least since the 1960s. Anthropology also
remains the only social science which continues to incorporate ecology in a significant and integral way (even
though all anthropologists wouldn't agree that we should be ecological). So if you are interested in learning
about how socio-cultural systems interact with natural or ecological systems, anthropology has the longest
history of studying this problem.
The reason so many anthropologists are also ecologists is not difficult to understand. The simple reason is
that, as sciences, both ecology and anthropology are "holistic."

6
 As a philosophical principle, "holism" simply refers to the assumption that no complex entity can be
considered to be no more than the sum of its parts. Holism in anthropology, then, is the assumption that any
given aspect of human life is to be studied with an eye to the way it is related to other aspects of human life. In
other words, holism is a synonym for a relational emphasis; an emphasis upon studying the /relationships/
among all aspects of culture-rather than whole" cultures.
Anthropology's holistic emphasis is also the main reason that it was the social science that most readily
adopted an ecological approach. After all, ecology defines itself as the study of the relationships/ among living
organisms, and between living organisms and the inorganic environment. A holistic and anthropological
approach simply takes the same premise, and applies it to the study of humanity and human societies.
Of course, anthropology doesn't focus only upon the relationships between human societies and their
organic and inorganic environments, but also upon the social relations among the members of societies, the
relationships between societies, and the relationships between various aspects of culture. For example, the
relationships between particular patterns of subsistence, particular technologies, particular economic and
political systems, and particular ideologies, or patterns of belief.
Anthropology doesn’t focus only upon the relationships between human societies and their organic and
inorganic environments, but also upon the social relations among the members of societies, the relationships
between societies, and the relationship between various aspects of culture. For example, the relationships
between particular technologies, particular economic and political systems, and ideologies, or patterns of belief.

2. Sociological perspective introduces the discipline of sociology, including something about its history,
questions, theory, and scientific methods, and what distinguishes it from other social science
disciplines. Central features include social interaction and relationships, social contexts, social structure,
social change, the significance of diversity and human variation, and the critical, questioning character
of sociology. It also explores what sociologists do.

Sociology includes three major theoretical perspectives:

 The functionalist perspective

According to the functionalist perspective, also called functionalism, each aspect of society is
interdependent and contributes to society's functioning as a whole. The government, or state, provides education
for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. That
is, the family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and
support their own families. In the process, the children become law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn
support the state. If all goes well, the parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If all does not
go well, the parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order, stability, and productivity. For example,
during a financial recession with its high rates of unemployment and inflation, social programs are trimmed or
cut. Schools offer fewer programs. Families tighten their budgets. And a new social order, stability, and
productivity occur.
Functionalists believe that society is held together by social consensus, or cohesion, in which members of
the society agree upon, and work together to achieve, what is best for society as a whole. Emile Durkheim
suggested that social consensus takes one of two forms:

7
 Mechanical solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises when people in a society maintain similar
values and beliefs and engage in similar types of work. Mechanical solidarity most commonly occurs in
traditional, simple societies such as those in which everyone herds cattle or farms. Amish society exemplifies
mechanical solidarity.

In contrast, organic solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises when the people in a society are
interdependent, but hold to varying values and beliefs and engage in varying types of work. Organic solidarity
most commonly occurs in industrialized, complex societies such those in large American cities like New York
in the 2000s.

Functionalism focuses on social order. Emile Durkheim differentiates two forms of social order. The first
is mechanical solidarity. It is a type of social cohesion that develops when people do similar work. Most, often
it exists in small scale traditional societies. The second is organic solidarity. It is a type of social cohesion that
is formed in a society whose members work in specialized jobs.

 The conflict perspective

The conflict perspective, which originated primarily out of Karl Marx's writings on class struggles,
presents society in a different light than do the functionalist and symbolic interactionist perspectives. While
these latter perspectives focus on the positive aspects of society that contribute to its stability, the conflict
perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists who
defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists
challenge the status quo, encourage social change (even when this means social revolution), and believe rich
and powerful people force social order on the poor and the weak. Conflict theorists, for example, may interpret
an “elite” board of regents raising tuition to pay for esoteric new programs that raise the prestige of a local
college as self-serving rather than as beneficial for students.
Whereas American sociologists in the 1940’s and 1950’s generally ignored the conflict perspective in favor
of the functionalist, the tumultuous 1960’s saw American sociologists gain considerable interest in conflict
theory. They also expanded Marx's idea that the key conflict in society was strictly economic. Today, conflict
theorists find social conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality exists: racial, gender,
religious, political, economic, and so on. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting
values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups
forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society.
Critics of the conflict perspective point to its overly negative view of society. The theory ultimately
attributes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive aspects of society to
capitalistic designs to control the masses, not to inherent in preserving society and social order. For example is
the capitalism, there is a conflict on capitalism considering that only rich people is the only one who will be
benefited. In short, capitalism can cause – inequality, market failure damage to environment and gaps between
the rich and the poor.

 The symbolic interaction perspective

The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic interactionism, directs sociologists to
consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each
other. Although symbolic interactionism traces its origins to Max Weber's assertion that individuals act
according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world, the American philosopher George H. Mead
(1863–1931) introduced this perspective to American sociology in the 1920s.
According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, people attach meanings to symbols, and then they
act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols. Verbal conversations, in which spoken
words serve as the predominant symbols, make this subjective interpretation especially evident. The
words have a certain meaning for the “sender,” and, during effective communication, they hopefully have the
same meaning for the “receiver.” In other terms, words are not static “things”; they require intention and
interpretation. Conversation is an interaction of symbols between individuals who constantly interpret the world
around them. Of course, anything can serve as a symbol as long as it refers to something beyond itself. Written
8
music serves as an example. The black dots and lines become more than mere marks on the page; they refer to
notes organized in such a way as to make musical sense. Thus, symbolic interactionists give serious thought to
how people act, and then seek to determine what meanings individuals assign to their own actions and
symbols, as well as to those of others.

Consider applying symbolic interactionism to the American institution of marriage. Symbols may include
wedding bands, vows of life-long commitment, a white bridal dress, a wedding cake, a Church ceremony, and
flowers and music. American society attaches general meanings to these symbols, but individuals also maintain
their own perceptions of what these and other symbols mean. For example, one of the spouses may see their
circular wedding rings as symbolizing “never ending love,” while the other may see them as a mere financial
expense. Much faulty communication can result from differences in the perception of the same events and
symbols.
Another example, critics claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro level of social interpretation
—the “big picture.” In other words, symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by focusing
too closely on the “trees” (for example, the size of the diamond in the wedding ring) rather than the “forest”
(for example, the quality of the marriage). The perspective also receives criticism for slighting the influence of
social forces and institutions on individual interactions.

3. Political science perspective studies the tendencies and actions of people which cannot be easily
quantified or examined. Political science is more focused than most social sciences. It sticks to the
political arena and to the realm of politics, either dealing with situations with two competing sides or the
lateral decisions that affect the group as a whole. An example is the study of democracy as a form of
government and why is democracy considered as the best form of government.

REFERENCES:
https://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/introtosociology/UnitPages/UnitISocio lPerspective.html.
Accessed May 28, 2020
https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/nature-scope-political-science-464861. Accessed May 28, 2020
Hudelson, Patricia M. “Culture and quality: an anthropological perspective” International Journal for Quality in
Health Care, Volume 16, Issue 5, October 2004, Pages 345–346, https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzh076.
https://academic.oup.com/intqhc/article/16/5/345/1822533
www.google.com/search?ei=hVfFXuuFEuWFr7wPkLmA4&q=nature+%2C+goal+and
+perspectives+of+anthropology&oq=nature+%2C+goal+and+perspectives+of+anthropology
&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQDDoECAAQ. Accessed May 28, 2020
www.quora.com › What-are-the-differences-between-nature-and-culture
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Exit-Slip-Ticket-Lesson-Reflection1800033. Accessed June 5,
2020. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/culture-and-development/the-futurewe-want-the-role-of-
culture/the-two-sides-of-the-coin/. Accessed June 1, 2020
Understanding Culture Society and Politics Quarter 1 – Module 1, First Edition 2020, Jorey L. Ludena, Jenifer
O. Pacamalan and Mark Chilou M. Omandac, et. Al. Published by the Department of Eduaction (Alternative
Delivery Mode) – Region X – Northern Minadano

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE SOCIETY AND POLITICS

Module 1 (1 WEEK) S.Y. 2021-2022

Name: ______________________________ Class No: ______________________

Grade & Section: _____________________ Teacher: Ms. Jessa Mae F. Sobrevega
Barangay: ___________________________ Date Assigned: AUGUST 9-13, 2021

9
 ACTIVITY NO. 1
Directions: Modified Venn Diagram: Identify the concerns that are common to the three fields of Sciences as
well as those that are different from one another. Answer the questions that follow.

1. Discuss the similarities among Anthropology, Sociology, and Political Science.

2.

What are other common concerns of the given disciplines with respect to change

3. How do such concerns affect modern human societies in general?

10
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

ACTIVITY NO 2.
Directions: Define the Perspective of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science based on your own
understanding.
1. Anthropological Perspective
2. Sociological Perspective
3. Political Science Perspective

11
 ACTIVITY NO. 3
Reflective Questions.
1.
2. How do the perspectives of Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science help you?

for me it will help me to understand how the society,how other cultures work,how other cultures reacts to
my culture,it will also help me to understand politics.which will provide me with a great improvement of
seeing how society and solve social problems properly

3. Why is it necessary to examine the said disciplines in the context of social change?
4. Why do you think is it necessary to study anthropology, sociology, and political science?
These disciplines help us in creating better communities and social organizations for society to
thrive. It also helps in fixing societal gaps with the society itself and understand better about how
parts of the society function and interact with one another.

ACTIVITY NO 4.
Directions: There are five words that you can find below; however, the letters are jumbled. A short description
is provided to help you identify the words. Kindly write the correct word/phrase on the blanks provided.
1. GYOLOPORTHAN- Scientific study of man or human beings.
ANTHROPOLOGY
2. GYOLOICOS- Study of human social relationships and institutions.
SOCIOLOGY
3. CALITILOP ECNEICS- A social science that deals with humans and their interactions.
POLITICAL SCIENCE
4. ERUTLUC- Consists of beliefs, behaviours, objects, and other characteristics common to the members
of a particular group or society.
CULTURE
5. SFEILEB- A state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing.
BELIEFS

ACTIVITY NO 5.

Directions: True or False. Rad carefully each statement. Write T If the statement is true and write F if the
statement is false. Write your answer in the space provided.

___T__1. Culture is defined as how people relate to nature and their physical environment.
___F_2. The term “Politics” means scientific study of man or human beings.

12
___T__3. Theoretical perspective is used to analyse and explain objects of social study, and facilitate
organizing sociological knowledge.
___T__4. Anthropology always describes human, human behaviour and human societies around the world.
___T__5. Beliefs refer to the state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or
thing.
___F__6. Cultural perspective sees social life as a competition, and focuses on the distribution of resources,
power, and inequality.
___T__7. Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions.
___T__8. Sociological theory attempts to explain how the social world operates
___T__9. Political Science, social science that deals with humans and their interactions.
___F__10. Nature of politics refers to a theoretical foundation of contemporary anthropology.

ACTIVITY NO. 6
MATCHING TYPE: Match the correct field/ subfield in column B with its corresponding definition in column
A. Write the letter of the correct answer on the line before each number.

Column A Column B
___L___1. Study of societies which highlights human behaviors and relationships a. Anthropology
______2. Study of legal systems b. Archaeology
___B___3. Study of the emergence and evolution of human beings c. Constitutional Law
______4. Study of politics among nations d. Cultural Anthropology
______5. Study of classical and modern politics e. International Relations
___H___6. Study of societies at micro level perspective f. Linguistics
______7. Study of past cultures through tangible remains g. Macrosociology
___D___8. Study of human beings and ancestors through time and space h. Microsociology
______9. Study of the interplay of politics and economics i. Physical Anthropology
___F___10. Study of languages j. Political Anthropology
k. Public Policy
l. Sociology

13