SOCIAL SCIENCE PERSPECTIVES, INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE, CIVIL

SOCIETY PERSPECTIVE AND LOCAL/GRASSROOTS

I. SOCIAL SCIENCE
Social science is the branch of science devoted to the study of societies and the
relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to
refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of society", established in the 19th
century. In addition to sociology, it is now encompasses a wide array of academic
disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, economics, human geography,
linguistics, management science, media studies, musicology, political science,
psychology, welfare and nursing studies[1] and social history.
Sociology is the study of human social life. Sociology is a branch of the social
sciences that uses systematic methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to
develop and refine a body of knowledge about human social structure.
The perspective of sociology involves seeing through the outside appearances
of people’s actions and organizations (Berger, P. 1963). It is the way of looking at the
society and the social behaviour—the subject matter of sociology. It goes beyond
identifying patterns of social behaviour. It also attempts to provide explanations for such
patterns.
What is a social science perspective?
The Social Science Perspective is viewing life through the tinted spectacles of
the speculations passed off as “science” by bullying academics. In sad truth, they cannot
predict wars, social changes, elections, or anything else. And certainly they are incapable
of creating or manipulating anything significant.
They call themselves “scientists” because they explain the world in complex
language and invented words that they pretend to understand. In reality, they have no
science because science means to be able to predict without error and to manipulate or
create phenomena.
A lens maker can create a lens for a specific function because he knows the
materials, the math, and the laws of optics. An astronomer can predict eclipses and the
path of planets. A chemist can synthesize new chemicals, and predict reactions and the
energies involved. Always, without error.
However a social scientist can only generate large volumes of garbled prose, too
thick to be called a lie and without the work ability required of the truth.
What is Anthropology?
Anthropology is the study of what makes us human. Anthropologists take a
broad approach in understanding different aspects of the human experiences, which we
call holism. They consider the past, through archaeology, to see how human groups lived
hundreds or thousands of years ago and what was important to them. They consider what
makes up our biological bodies and genetics as well as our bones, diet, and health.
1. ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE -focuses on the study of the full scope of
human diversity and the application of that knowledge to help people of different
backgrounds. These are culture, cultural relativism, fieldwork, human diversity, holism,
bio-cultural focus.
2. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE -involves the investigation of the problem on micro
and macro levels. At micro level, sociology studies how individuals behave in social
situations—at work, at play, at home, or in school, or in small and large groups. It deals
with people’s everyday interactions (social interactionist, ethno methodological and
phenomenological approaches of study).
At macro level, sociology focuses on patterns of behaviour and forms of organisation
that characterise entire societies (classical and grand theorist’s approaches). At this level,
sociology deals with large-scale structures (such as bureaucracy), broad social
categories, institutions, social systems, and social problems such as war, unemployment,
poverty, corruption, and solutions to these problems are sought at the structural or
organisational level. In their studies, sociologists utilise both approaches of study, i.e.,
qualitative (introspectiveparticipant method) and quantitative (statistical, interview and
survey techniques).
3. POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE
Politics (from Greek: Πολιτικά, politiká, 'affairs of the cities') is the set of activities
that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations
between individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The academic study
of politics is referred to as Political Science.
Perspectives on politics seeks to provide a space for broad and synthetic discussion
within the political science profession and between the profession and the broader
scholarly and reading publics. Such discussion necessarily draws on and contributes to
the scholarship published in the more specialized journals that dominate our discipline.
At the same time, Perspectives seeks to promote a complementary form of broad public
discussion and synergistic understanding within the profession that is essential to
advancing research and promoting scholarly community. Perspectives seeks to nurture a
political science public sphere, publicizing important scholarly topics, ideas, and
innovations, linking scholarly authors and readers, and promoting broad reflexive
discussion among political scientists about the work that we do and why this work matters.
II. INSTITUTIONS
A society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar
purpose. It is an established organization or corporation (such as a bank or university)
especially of a public character financial institutions
The 5 Major Social Institutions and Their Functions
The five major social institutions and their functions are fairly universal, but could
vary depending one’s culture or geographic location. However, it is likely that there be
some common or overlapping social institutions, each with its relevant set of functions,
which vary somewhat depending on social values, moral standards, and level of
civilization.
Traditionally, sociology identifies the following major types of social institutions:
The Five Basic Social Institutions
1. The Family
2. Education
3. Religion
4. Economics
5. Politics
Functions of major institutions
1. Family - Responsible for reproduction to replace members, provides protection,
socialize the young.
2. Economic- Produces and distributes goods and services.
3. Political- Assists group in decision making.
4. Education - A way to pass on culture, knowledge, and values.
5. Religion - Helps people find purpose in their lives. Develops spiritual side of people.
Provides guidelines for personal behavior and social interaction.
III. CIVIL SOCIETY PERSPECTIVE
Civil society refers to the space for collective action around shared interests,
purposes and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for profit actors.
Civil society includes charities, development NGO’s, community groups, women
organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trade unions, social
movements, coalitions and advocacy groups. However, civil society is not homogeneous
and the boundaries between civil society and government or civil society and commercial
actors can be blurred. There is certainly no one 'civil society' view, and civil society actors
need to contend with similar issues of representativeness and legitimacy as those of other
representatives and advocates.
1. MANIFESTATIONS OF CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS
The emergence of civil society groups is well received by development
practitioner in varied forms. Such groups are formed based on the customs and norms of
the prevailing society. Groups that are formed under these have individuals who can
freely choose to associate with not just one but as many as he or she likes. Since people
have the liberty to do such, the groups act like leverage for particular individuals to be
with like-minded citizens. Think of these groups as an intermediary of the citizens in their
relationship with their government and the private sector. An individual alone will not have
the same lobbying power as when he or she is with a group that has more social capital
as an enabler. This combination of networks and relationships promotes clout in order to
carry out the group’s advocate and goals.
2. ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION
The role of civil society in good governance is to apprise people of their
fundamental rights and responsibilities. In addition, civil society is instrumental in making
people aware about the role of the government and state institutions, as well as the
responsibilities of state functionaries. Without that knowledge, most people are unaware
of governance, public issues and the administrative structures and functions.
3. NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
NGOs are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs
and associations which provide services to its members and others. They are usually
nonprofit organizations. Many NGOs are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences.
Surveys indicate that NGOs have a high degree of public trust, which can make them a
useful proxy for the concerns of society and stakeholders. However, NGOs can also be
lobby groups for corporations, such as the World Economic Forum. According to
NGO.org, (the non-governmental organizations associated with the United Nations [),
NGOs are any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a local, national
or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs
perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to
Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation
through provision of information.
Some NGOs rely primarily on volunteers, while others support a paid staff.
Two broad groups of NGOs are identified by the World Bank:
 Operational NGOs- which focus on development projects.
 Advocacy NGOs- which are organized to promote particular causes.
How NGOs are Funded?
As non-profits, NGOs rely on a variety of sources for funding, including:
 membership dues

 private donations
 the sale of goods and services
 grants
Despite their independence from government, some NGOs rely significantly on
government funding. Large NGOs may have budgets in the millions or billions of dollars.
Some common characteristics of NGOs according to Ball and Dunn are:
 They are formed voluntarily.
 They are independent of government.

 They are not for private profit or gain.

 Their principal is to improve the circumstances and prospects of disadvantaged people.
4. SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
A social movement is a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to
achieve a particular goal, typically a social or political one. Interest group, also called
special interest group or pressure group, any association of individuals or organizations,
usually formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared concerns, attempts
to influence public policy in its favor. All interest groups share a desire to affect
government policy to benefit themselves or their causes. Their goal could be a policy that
exclusively benefits group members or one segment of society (e.g., government
subsidies for farmers) or a policy that advances a broader public purpose (e.g., improving
air quality). They attempt to achieve their goals by lobbying—that is, by attempting to
bring pressure to bear on policy makers to gain policy outcomes in their favour.
5. INTEREST GROUPS
Interest groups are a natural outgrowth of the communities of interest that exist in
all societies, from narrow groups such as the Japan Eraser Manufacturers Association to
broad groups such as the American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial
Organizations (AFL–CIO) and to even broader organizations such as the military. Politics
and interests are inseparable. Interests are a prevalent, permanent, and essential aspect
of all political systems—democratic, authoritarian, and totalitarian regimes alike.
Furthermore, interest groups exist at all levels of government—national, state, provincial,
and local—and increasingly they have occupied an important role in international affairs.
Some interest groups consist of individuals such as ranchers or fruit growers who
may form farm commodity organizations. In other instances, an interest group consists
not of individuals but of organizations or businesses.
The term interest rather than interest group is often used to denote broad or less-
formalized political constituencies, such as the agricultural interest and the environmental
interest—segments of society that may include many formal interest groups. Similarly,
interest is often used when considering government entities working to influence other
governments (e.g., a local government seeking to secure funding from the national
government). In authoritarian and developing societies, where formal interest groups are
restricted or not as well developed, interest is often used to designate broader groupings
such as government elites and tribal leaders.
The common goals and sources of interest groups obscure, however, the fact that
they vary widely in their form and lobbying strategies both within and across political
systems. This article provides a broad overview that explains these differences and the
role that interest groups play in society.
6. Local and International Organizations
There are variety of legal types of organizations, including corporations,
governments, non-governmental organizations, political organizations, international
organizations, armed forces, charities, not-for-profit corporations, partnerships,
cooperatives, and educational institutions. An organization is an entity, such as a
company, an institution, or an association, comprising one or more people and having a
particular purpose.
Local International
Government Organizations International Organizations
Local organization means an An international organization
organization whose activities are limited to (intergovernmental organization) is an
this state or to a specific geographical area organization established by a treaty or
within this state. other instrument governed by international
A local government is a form of public law and possessing its own international
administration which, in a majority of legal personality, such as the United
contexts, exists as the lowest tier of Nations, the World Health Organization
administration within a given state. The
term is used to contrast with offices at
state level, which are referred to as the
central government, national government,
or (where appropriate) federal government
and also to supranational government
which deals with governing institutions
between states. Local governments
generally act within powers delegated to
them by legislation or directives of the
higher level of government. In federal
states, local government generally
comprises the third (or sometimes fourth)
tier of government, whereas in unitary
states, local government usually occupies
the second or third tier of government,
often with greater powers than higher-level
administrative divisions.
Non-government Organizations
Organizations which are independent of
government involvement are known as
non-governmental organizations or
NGOs or non-government
organizations. NGOs are a subgroup of
organizations founded by citizens, which
include clubs and associations which
provide services to its members and
others. They are usually nonprofit
organizations. Many NGOs are active in
humanitarianism or the social sciences.
Surveys indicate that NGOs have a high
degree of public trust, which can make
them a useful proxy for the concerns of
society and stakeholders. However, NGOs
can also be lobby groups for corporations,
such as the World Economic Forum.
According to NGO.org (the
nongovernmental organizations
associated with the United Nations), "[an
NGO is] any non-profit, voluntary citizens'
group which is organized on a local,
national or international level ... Task-
oriented and driven by people with a
common interest, NGOs perform a variety
of service and humanitarian functions,
and NATO. International organizations are
composed of primarily Member states, but
may also include other entities, such as
other international organizations.
Notable examples include the United
Nations (UN), Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE),
Council of Europe (COE), International
Labour Organization (ILO) and
International Police Organization
(INTERPOL).
International Non-government
Organizations
An international non-governmental
organization (INGO) extends the concept
of a non-governmental organization
(NGO) to an international scope.
NGOs are independent of governments
and can be seen as two types, advocacy
NGOs, which aim to influence
governments with a specific goal, and
operational NGOs, which provide
services. Examples of NGO mandates are
environmental preservation, human rights
promotions or the advancement of
women. NGOs are typically not-for-profit,
but receive funding from companies or
membership fees. Many large INGOs
have components of operational projects
and advocacy initiatives working together
within individual countries.
 bring citizen concerns to Governments,
advocate and monitor policies and
encourage political participation through
provision of information

IV. GRASSROOTS LEVEL

A grassroots movement is one which uses the people in a given district, region,
or community as the basis for a political or economic movement. Grassroots movements
and organizations use collective action from the local level to effect change at the local,
regional, national, or international level. Grassroots movements are associated with
bottom-up, rather than top-down decision making, and are sometimes considered more
natural or spontaneous than more traditional power structures.
Grassroots movements, using self-organization, encourage community members
to contribute by taking responsibility and action for their community. Grassroots
movements utilize a variety of strategies from fundraising and registering voters, to simply
encouraging political conversation. Goals of specific movements vary and change, but
the movements are consistent in their focus on increasing mass participation in politics.
These political movements may begin as small and at the local level, but grassroots
politics as Cornel West contends are necessary in shaping progressive politics as they
bring public attention to regional political concerns.
The idea of grassroots is often conflated with participatory democracy. The Port
Huron Statement, a manifesto seeking a more democratic society, says that to create a
more equitable society, "the grass roots of American Society" need to be the basis of civil
rights and economic reform movements.[6] The terms can be distinguished in that
grassroots often refers to a specific movement or organization, whereas participatory
democracy refers to the larger system of governance.
STRATEGIES OF GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS
Grassroots movements use tactics that build power from local and community
movements.
Below is a list of strategies considered to be grassroots because of their focus on
engaging the populace.
 Hosting house meetings or parties

 Having larger meetings

 Putting up posters
 Talking with pedestrians on the street or walking door-to-door (often involving
informational clipboards)
 Gathering signatures for petitions
 Mobilizing letter-writing, phone-calling, and emailing campaigns
 Setting up information tables

 Raising money from many small donors for political advertising or campaigns
 Organizing large demonstrations
 Asking individuals to submit opinions to media outlets and government officials

 Holding get out the vote activities, which include the practices of reminding people to
vote and transporting them to polling places.
V. COMMUNITY ACTION INITIATIVE
What is community action?
Community action is any activity that increases the understanding, engagement
and empowerment of communities in the design and delivery of local services. It also
includes a broad range of activities and is sometimes described as ‘social action' or
‘community engagement'. These activities can vary in their objective, the role the
community plays, the types of activities involved, their scale and their integration within
the council. What they have in common is that they all involve greater engagement of
local citizens in the planning, design and delivery of local services.
Why is community action important?
Community action is about putting communities at the heart of their own local
services. Involving communities in the design and delivery of services can help to achieve
a number of objectives, including:
 Building community and social capacity – helping the community to share knowledge,
skills and ideas.
 Community resilience – helping the community to support itself.
 Prevention – a focus on early access to services or support, engagement in design,
cross-sector collaboration and partnerships.
 Maintaining and creating wealth – for example helping people into employment or
developing community enterprises.
WHAT ARE THE CORE VALUES OF COMMUNITY ACTION INITIATIVES?
It focuses on community-action initiatives such as community engagement, solidarity, and
citizenship as guided by the core values of human rights, social justice, empowerment
and advocacy, gender equality, and participatory development.
The types of activity can include:
 Asset transfer (either through formal transfer to bodies such as parish councils or
community interest companies, or transfer of their management to local community and
voluntary groups).
 Making better use of physical resources, such as council-owned buildings, to support
community-led activities.
 Community engagement in decision-making (for example through public engagement
events where the community helps to decide local priorities, codesign or co-commission
services).
 Community networks

 Community grants