sociology and anthropology

Wednesday, September 14, 2022 5:29 PM

What is sociology?
• Scientific study of human society, origin, structure, function, and direction
• Was taken from two foreign words: "socius" latin term means companion or associate. And
"logos" greek term for study
• Known founder: auguste comte (1778-1857) french philosopher, established and named
the found subject in a systematic fashion.
• It is a social science not a physical science; concentrates on people, social behaviors,
social activities, and social life.
• Categorical and not a normative discipline: a body of language about human society and
not a system of ideas and values.

What is anthropology?
- the systematic study of humanity
- the understanding of evolutionary origins, our distinctiveness as a species, diversity in our
forms of social existence across the world and through time.
- focus: understanding both our shared humanity, diversity, and engaging with diverse ways of
being in the world.

Early scholars na nag contribute sa development ng sociology:

• Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) [one of the faves]

a. British social theorist, Whig writer
b. Often cited as the first female sociologist. [slayed]
c. Translated Comte's work in English
d. Key contribution to the field of sociology was the: assertion that when studying society,
one must focus on all aspects of it.
e. Reffered as the "mother of sociology"
f. Criticized marriage and advocated divorce in spite of the censure of polite society. Harriet
never denied the duties of conscience, and did not hesitate even before the reprehensible
questions of birth-control, illegitimacy and prostitution. [ICON?]
g. In How to Observe Morals and Manners (1838) Harriet described prostitutes as the victims
of a society which proclaimed a false chastity. [in love.]

• Karl Marx (1818-1883)

a. German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, and
socialist. [ang dami legit]
b. Considered as one of the thinkers of modern times
c. Famous for his theories about capitalism, socialism, and communism.
d. originated Marxism is a social, political, and economic theory; that focuses on the
struggle between capitalists and the working class. [love that]

• Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)

a. Proposed that there is the parallelism between how society evolves in the same manner as
animal species (cycle??), this principle is attributed to "Darwin's theory of evolution"
b. introduced the expression "survival of the fittest" in the book The principles of biology by
Herbert Spencer
c. Weinstein says Spencer advocated the idea that “those who survive the struggle are by
definition not only the fittest but also morally the best. So it's defining 'good' as 'survival. '
Whatever survives is by definition; good.”

• Emile durkheim (1858 –1917)

a. French social scientist
b. Developed a methodology (methods used in a particular area of study or activity)
combining empirical (factual) research with sociological theory
c. Founder of the french school of sociology

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 c. Founder of the french school of sociology
d. author of On the Division of Social Labor, The Rules of Sociological Method, Suicide, and
The Elementary Forms of Religious Life.
e. Works focused on how traditional and modern societies evolve.

• Max Weber (1864-1920)

a. Focused on how industrial revolution changed/influenced thoughts and action and how it
brought about a process called rationalization.
b. German sociologist and political economist .
c. best known for his thesis of the “Protestant ethic,” relating Protestantism to capitalism,
and for his ideas on bureaucracy.
d. key idea in Weber was that there was a link between the rise of capitalism and an ethos of
self-control associated with Protestant reformation.

Sociology in the Philippines [FILIPINO PRIDE]

• Serfin M. Macaraig
a. First filipino to acquire a doctorate degree in sociology
b. Published a book entitled "an introduction to sociology" 1938

• Fr. Valentin Marin

a. Introduced sociology in the Ph with the opening of criminology program at university of
Santo Tomas (1950)

• Conrado Benitez and Luis Rivers

a. First teachers of sociology in the Ph

• University of the Philippines (UP???)

a. Offered a bachelor degree in sociology

Self-Actualization
• The need for personal growth and development that exists throughout your life.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Primary Education as a human right

• The human rights have been established that the basic needs of people are met
• Mass illiteracy

Religion and belief system

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Religion and belief system

What is religion? An institution that involves a set of beliefs and practices of a particular social
group.

Belief refers to a conviction or ideal of an individual or group accepts as real or true, regardless
of the lack of verifiable evidence.

Church – universal membership

Sect (sekta??) – exclusive group, refers to a type of religious group that is distinguished by
having broken away from a larger organization, usually a church.

According to Emile Durkheim, religion is "a unified system of beliefs and practices related to
sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden – beliefs and practices which unite
into one single moral community"

Durkheim believes that religion is essential to social cohesion and solidarity. That it holds
society together by means of a set of beliefs that the individuals hold in common.

Karl Marx believes that religion is something that the elites of the society use in order to keep a
hold on the working and lower classes. a tool that is being utilized by the powerful and the
wealthy to ensure the unequal status quo. As well as considered abolition of religion as part of
the socialist revolution that would pave the way to communism.

according to max weber, people behave based on what they think, their religious ideas or
otherwise Max weber also believes that religion is essential for economic development.

Auguste Comte - proposed secularization theory

Types of religion:

Animism - belief in innumerable spiritual beings concerned with human affairs and capable of
helping or harming human interests. ex: paganism

Monotheism - beliefs depending on the existence of only one god or one metaphysical figure.

Polytheism - multiple gods, polyamorous type vibe ex: Hinduism

Institutionalized religion refers to religious groups that seek to establish a system for actively
believing and in engaging beliefs/god.

Separation of church and state; the government cannot sponsor a religion or require individuals
to practice to a particular faith.

The impact of religion has played a strong role in the development of societies and has
influenced much as well.

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defining culture and society
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 11:23 AM

What is culture?
It is everything made, learnt, or shared by members of a society, including beliefs, behaviors,
and material objects.

Parts of culture:

- Material culture; visible parts of culture (ex: food, clothing, transportation, weapons,
architecture that members of society make, use, and share.

- Non-material; not visible aspects of culture (ex: behavior, languages, values, family
patterns, and political systems

.
The 5 components of culture
1. Technology - manmade products (material culture) that makes life easier.

2. Symbols - cultural representations of reality, meanings to things and events. (ex:

gestures, images, sounds, physical objects, events, etc.)

3. Language - (most powerful of all human symbols, since it connects all components)
expresses meaning of symbols, allows members of society to communicate, and conveys
the beliefs and values of culture.

4. Values - ideas, determines of character of people, standards by which people asses

desirability, goodness, and beauty.

5. Norms - rules-like that guide human behavior, and gives concrete terms on how we
should behave - what we should do or what we should not do.

- Kinds of norms:
Mores - distinguishing between right or wrong
Folkways - distinguishing between kind and rude (adaptation, pakikiisa?)

Laws - established punishments for violating norms to protect the social wellbeing.
- written rules of conduct enacted and enforced by the government.

- Mores Laws: against child abuse, rape, carnapping, etc.

- Folkway Laws: jaywalking, counterflowing, etc.

What's the difference between Culture and Society?

- Society; are the people who interact to share a common culture

- Culture; consists of beliefs, behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to a
group or society.

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The basic features of culture:
Culture is learned, shared, based on symbols, integrated (all aspects included
to consider), and dynamic (interacts and changes).
Cultural Diversity - the presence of multiple cultures and cultural differences within a society.
[respect]

Subcultures - smaller cultural groups that exists from common interests within but differ in
some way (ex: "heavy metal" music devotees, & body-piercing and tattoo enthusiasts)

Countercultures - groups in opposition to the norms and values of the dominant culture.

Assimilation is when dominant culture absorbs subcultural or countercultural

groups while Multiculturalism respects cultural variations rather than requiring
that the dominant culture assimilate the various cultures.
Ethnocentrism involves judging negatively of other cultures against the standards of one's own
culture (comparing other cultures with your own) and Cultural Relativism is the perspective
that a culture should be sociologically evaluated according to its own standards. (judging other
cultures based on their standards as well.)

Toward a Global Culture

- Cultural Diffusion is the spreading of the standards across cultures through travel,
trade, conquests, etc.

Social Groups and Organization

Classification of people:

- Group - consists of two or more people who are distinct in the following way: interact over
time, have a sense of identity or belonging, and have norms that non-members do not
have.

- Aggregate - a collection of people who happen to be at the same place at the same time
but who have no other connection to one another; estranged.

- Category - collection of people who share a particular characteristic but do not

necessarily interact with one another.

Characteristics of a group:
- Social group - members who interact with one another (families, companies, circles of
friends, clubs, etc.

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friends, clubs, etc.

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Social group according to geographical location and degree of relationship:

- Gemeinschaft; social system, in which most relationships are personal and traditional, a
community of intimate, private and exclusive living and familism. More on personal.

- Gesselchaft; social system in which most relationships are impersonal, formal,

contractual or bargain-like, proffesional.

Social organization is a type of collectively established for the pursuit of specific aims or goals.
Or how they relate to one another.

An organization is an orderly relationship.

Importance of a Group - it is a major source of solidarity and cohesion.

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