Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Region I
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF PANGASINAN II
Canarvacanan, Binalonan, Pangasinan

Understanding
Culture, Society &
Politics
Quarter 1 - Week 3
Module 3
The concept, aspects and changes in/of
culture and society

Most Essential Learning Comptency:

Explain the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural
understanding.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview 1

Content 1

Competencies 1

Pretest 1

Lesson 1 2

Activity 1 2

Activity 2 4

Activity 3 5

Additional Activities 6

Answer Key 7

References 8

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3
 OVERVIEW

For the Learners

Congratulations! You have completed the previous module! You are now
ready for the next step which is learning the importance of cultural relativism in
attaining cultural understanding. Have some fun to learn more effectively, enjoy
learning. Good luck!

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

This module will help you understand the importance of cultural relativism in
attaining cultural understanding. The knowledge you will gain from this module will enhance
your ideas upon relating to the changes of culture and society, thus will improve your in-
depth understanding of culture and social aspects on our very own life setting. The learning
competency of this module is:
1. Explain the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural understanding.

WHAT I KNOW? (PRETEST)

This activity will enable you to assess your prior knowledge from the
topic that will be discussed in this lesson.

Direction: Read the following statement. Write IN if the statement is correct

and write OUT if the statement is wrong.

IN 1. Culture in every society should be understood and regarded on its own terms.
OUT 2. In philosophical notions all cultural belief is not equally valid and truth itself is
relative, depending on the cultural environment.
IN 3. Ethnocentric individuals judge other groups relative to their own ethnic group or
culture, especially with concern for language, behavior, customs, and religion.
IN 4. Examples of ethnocentrism include religiocentric constructs claiming a divine
association like "divine nation".
OUT 5. Different cultures have the same moral codes often is used as a key to
understanding morality.
IN 6. Ethnocentrism is the view that one ethnic group is somehow superior to all others.
IN 7. Discrimination plays a direct role in the ethnocentric belief.
IN 8. Ethical ideas in our society may have changed over the years.

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IN 9. An ethnocentric attitude can be an obstacle to understanding each other culture and
foster tensions within or between societies.
IN 10. Cultural Relativism is the principle that an individual person's beliefs and activities
should be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture.
OUT 11. Ethnocentrism is the regard that one’s own culture and society is the center of
everything and therefore far more inferior than others.
IN 12. The concept of cultural relativism underscores the idea that the culture in every
society should be understood and regarded on its own terms.
OUT 13. The concept of Ethnocentrism is more analytical and methodological rather than
being a moral principle.
IN 14. Anthropologists apply the concept of cultural relativity in investigating and comparing
societies without declaring one being better or preferable to the other.
IN 15. When people find cultural practices and values not their own as disturbing and
threatening, that can be regarded as ethnocentrism.

Lesson EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL

RELATIVISM IN ATTAINING CULTURAL
1 UNDERSTANDING.

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

At the end of the lesson, you are expected
to:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
 Defined Cultural Relativism; and
 Explain the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural
understanding.

WHAT’S NEW?
Activity 1. CLASH OF CULTURE!
Direction: Read the following example of Culture from the different parts of
the World. Briefly explain what makes them unique, odd, or different.

1.) In Bolivia, 14-year-old girls can legally get married. In China, men must wait until
they're 22.

I think it's not better to get married when you are 14 years old, as a teenager we
need to enjoy our teenage life and we should focus on our study and do everything

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 what the best for us to a better future. In other hand we need to prioritize first our
brighter future to the right person we want to be.

2.) In America, eye contact suggests that you are paying attention and interested in
what a person has to say. Yet, in other cultures, eye contact can be considered
rude and a challenge of authority.

I don't think there is anything wrong with eye contact to the someone you interset,
the imporatant thing is that you don't do anythung bad or wrong motive that you can
show someone. And I can also say that this action not be do it to everyone, because
there are some people or groups that is violate thier cultural beliefs. Just like the
muslim that they believes that if you see or eye contact to thier women it means you
have something intention or profanity for them.

3.) In many cultures, like the Philippines, it is all right to ask for salt to add to your
food. But if you are dining with friends and colleagues in Egypt, keep in mind to
avoid asking for salt. It is taken as an insult to the host, as Egyptians take it to mean
that you are repulsed by the taste of the meal served to you.

My opinion to this situation is that we must respect what culture or beliefs they
haved, if we want to respect them too. We all know that we have different cultures
that we are follow that we need to consider to keep doing in our everyday lives.

4.) The value of being on time depends on the country. In Venezuela, it is actually a
norm to arrive about 10 to 15 minutes late for a dinner invitation. Being early for the
Venezuelans means the person is either overly eager or greedy. Americans are a
stickler for punctuality, just like the Germans, South Koreans and the Japanese.

It depends of us if what time we want to go either if we arrive late or on time. But for
me it is best we go arrive on time or we have the attitude of being punctuality because it can
be more good. We have follow different things, here in the Philipines our parents call us
when we are ready to eat or sometimes we eat anytime we want. And our parents always
told us to be punctual in every situation because we know what parents the best thing to do
for us.

5.) For many cultures, children are told to keep their baby teeth under their pillow
and the Tooth Fairy will give them money in exchange for their teeth. But Greek
children are told to toss their tooth onto their roofs. The cultural tradition is meant for
the child to have a healthy tooth as well as good luck to the family.

I can say is that whatever culture we grew up with and believe in, we should do in pick up
bacause through it. It becomes more imprinted in our minds because there is nothing wrong
if we try it. I will admit that even a Filipino like me do this kind of beliefs mostly for a children.
It is the one memorable I can do it when I was in my childhood days.

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 WHAT’S NEW?
What have you noticed on the activity above? These have something to
do with Cultural Relativism.

What is Cultural Relativism?

 The concept of cultural relativism underscores the idea that the culture in
every society should be understood and regarded on its own terms. Societies
are qualitatively different from one another, such that each one has its own
“unique inner logic” (Eriksen 2001: 14) Cultural traits can only be known and
valued in the context of the society by which they emerge and are practiced.
 Cultural relativism promotes the idea that a society must be viewed from the
inside so that inner logic can be better explained. A society’s idea of a good
life will not likely be shared by another society that interprets the notion of
“good” from a sharply different social perspective. In other words, each
society has a different yardstick in appreciating the value of its own cultural
trait. Cultural relativism, however, cannot be regarded as the flip side of
ethnocentrism. The concept of cultural relativism is more analytical and
methodological rather than being a moral principle. Anthropologists apply the
concept of cultural relativity in investigating and comparing societies without
declaring one being better or preferable to the other.
Moreover, appreciating and accepting the uniqueness of one society’s cultural
trait does not mean that universal human moral traits of right or wrong no longer
apply. For instance, cultural traits that promote subjugation of women by hurting or killing
them do not necessarily mean that they are right by virtue of one society’s inner logic.
There are underlying patterns of human cultural traits that are common and
universally acceptable to humanity. The violent subjugation and elimination of human life or
traits are broadly unacceptable to the rest of humanity. Through a relativist approach
consciously balanced by a universalist understanding of what is humanely acceptable,
the dangers of ethnocentrism can be addressed.
How Cultural Relativism is different from Ethnocentrism?
Cultural Relativism is a principle that an individual person's beliefs and activities should
be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture, rather than judge against
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the criteria of another. Culture in every society should be understood and regarded on its
own terms. It is also a view that no culture is superior to any other culture when comparing
system of morality, law, politic etc. In philosophical notion all cultural belief is equally valid
and truth itself is relative, depending on the cultural environment. While Ethnocentrism is
the regard that one’s own culture and society is the center of everything and therefore far
more superior than others. It is understandable that people laud and hold importance to the
cultural values that were taught them by their parents, elders, and other institutions of their
society. The problem is when a person or groups of people regard their own society’s set of
cultural values as the only agreeable, acceptable, and highly respectable set of convictions.
Such a perspective can harden into chauvinism, a position that everything about the other
culture is wrong, unreasonable, detestable, and even wicked. From this perspective, the
practices, and institutions of people from other societies are regarded as inferior, less
intelligent, and even vicious. An ethnocentric attitude can be an obstacle to understanding
each other culture and foster tensions within or between societies.

WHAT’S MORE
Activity 2: MY POINT OF VIEW!
Direction: Explain and discuss by providing clear arguments and examples
on he issues regarding Racial Discrimination.

A.) During the exploration period the discrimination against blacks by whites was a major
controversial issue. In England many believed that the darker a person is the "dirtier and
impure" they are. Some people believed that some races were not even races. Instead they
were considered animals and not humans.

What I can say on this issue is that we must stop or eradicate discrimination in this world.
Regardless of our color or culture, we are equal in God's eyes, so what God thinks of us is
how we should treat our fellow human beings. Because Discrimination strikes at the very
heart of being human. It is harming someone’s rights simply because of who they are or
what they believe. Discrimination is harmful and perpetuates inequality.

We all have the right to be treated equally, regardless of our race, ethnicity, nationality,
class, caste, religion, belief, sex, gender, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex
characteristics, age, health or other status. Yet all too often we hear heartbreaking stories of
people who suffer cruelty simply for belonging to a “different” group from those in positions
of privilege or power.

B.) COVID-19 for people of African descent and certain national or ethnic minorities, there
has been a significant increase in racial verbal abuse, harassment and violence in public
spaces, particularly targeting people of Asian descent in the context of the current crisis.
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What I can say on this issue is that we should not commit racial discrimination such as
verbal abuse, harassment, public spaces and many other wrongdoings against our fellow
human beings. Especially now that we are going through a pandemic, it feels better if we
show our neighbor love and concern for each other, rather than discrimination. So we must
stop and get rid of discrimination in this world because we know that it has so many
negative effects on our neighbors.

WHAT I CAN DO
Activity 3: THINK AND DRAW!
Direction: Explain the following questions.
Direction: Using the blank space below make a Poster Slogan regarding
Cultural Relativism. The slogan must consist of 7 to 10 words and a short
description of your masterpiece.

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 ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES!
Activity 4: LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
Direction: Using smart phone. Make at least 2 minutes Skit video regarding
Ethnocentrism or Cultural Relativism. You may involve your family remembers in
making skit as additional characters. (Note: Video will send to teacher via
Messenger.)

Activity 5: MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Direction: Compare and contrast Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
through Venn Diagram.

Ethnocentrism Cultural Relativism

Contrast Contrast

Compare

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 ANSWER KEY

ACTIVITY 1: IS’T IN OR OUT

1. In 6. In 11. Out
2. Out 7. In 12. In
3. In 8. In 13. Out
4. In 9. In 14. In
5. Out 10. In 15. In

Activity 2: & Activity 3: (ESSAY RUBRIC)

Criteria Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1)

The essay is very Most of essay
Organizatio clear, organized content is clear and Some of the content The content is
n and well-written organized. is clear and unclear and
organized. disorganized.
The content did
Strength All arguments are Most of the Only some
not provide any
and strong, convincing arguments are arguments are
convincing
Relevance and relevant. strong, convincing convincing and
arguments.
of and relevant. relevant.
supporting
argument

Use of All arguments are Most of the Only some The content did
examples supported with arguments are arguments are not provide any
clear examples supported with supported with clear factual support
clear examples examples. or examples.

Activity 4: POSTER SLOGAN (RUBRICS)

Criteria Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1)

Design/Graphics Graphics are all All graphics are Some graphics are Graphics are
original and original and relate original but many are not original
masterfully relate to Cultural borrowed from the or do not
to Cultural Relativism. work of friends, other relate to
Relativism. The posters or Cultural
poster looks advertisements. relativism.
professional.

Slogan Slogan on the Slogan on the The poster has a The poster
poster is catchy, poster does a slogan but it does not does not
and strongly good job of send a very strong send a
conveys a sending a message about message
message about message about Cultural Relativism. about
Cultural Cultural Cultural
Relativism. Relativism. Relativism.

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Activity 5: RUBRIC FOR VIDEO SKIT
CRITERIA Exceptional Admirable Acceptable Attempted
(5) (4) (3) (2)
Understandin  Factual  Factual  Factual  Information is
g information is information is information is inaccurate.
of Topic accurate. mostly somewhat  Presentation is off
 Indicates a accurate. accurate. topic.
clear  Good  Fair
understanding understandin understanding
of topic. g of topic. of topic.
Video  Shows  Shows some  Lack of  Portrayal stalls
Presentation confidence. confidence Confidence  Lacks information
 Informative  Presents  Somewhat  Mumbles
 Speaks loudly some informative  Body language is
and clearly. information  Hard to hear lacking;
 Appropriate  Can be heard  Some inappropriate.
use of body  Some use of movement
language. body
language

References:
A. Book
Government of the Philippines, Department of Education, Understanding Culture,
Society, and Politics, Teacher’s Guide-First Edition 2016

B. Online Resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlyS4zrklww
https://www.slideshare.net/miatheresa/cultural-relatvism-41561132
https://www.slideshare.net/beansomoray/cultural-relativism-38449104
https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/20-traditions-around-the-world/
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Racism/COVID-
19_and_Racial_Discrimination.pdf