Understanding Culture Society and Politics

A. Anthropology

ANTHROPOLOGY came from the Greek words, “Anthropos” which means “man” and
“logos” which means study or science. Thus, etymologically, Anthropology is the study of
man. It is defined as the study of man, his body, behavior, culture, values, from the past up
to the present. Anthropology includes topics such as human origin, globalization, social
change, and world history. It is the study of humanity including our prehistoric origins and
contemporary human diversity.

B. Sociology

The word SOCIOLOGY is derived from the French word, “Sociologie” which
originates from the Latin words, “socius” meaning associate or companion and the Greek
“logos”. Sociology is the study of a group of people or a scientific study of human
civilization.Sociology is a systematic study of social groups and societies, their
relationships, and how these affect people’s behavior. It gathers social inputs which are
composed of frequent forms and manners namely: attitude, viewpoints, consolidated
values, of social institutions which form part of the social array.

C. Political Science

For POLITICAL SCIENCE, political came from the Greek word, “polis” which means
city and “scire” for science which means “to know”. Etymologically, it is the scientific study
of a city or state. It is defined as a systematic study of government and politics. Political
Science is a systematic study of a state and its government. It has something to do with
power – who wields it and how it is used.

POLITICS
- It is the social process or strategy in any position of control which people gain, use,
or lose power. Due to the negative connotations of politics, the term is now applied
to many different social situations. For example, politics is present when a teacher is
bribed to include a certain student in the honor list or when an employee spreads
rumors against his/her officemate to get ahead in a promotion.
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Observations about Social, Political, and Cultural Behavior

A. GENDER
- Since childhood we are influenced by society on things about being male or female.
But Gender is a fluid concept. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles,
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behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for
men and women.”
- Sex, on the other hand, refers to the biological characteristic of humans such as male
or female while gender categories are more varied.

Gender Equity - requires equal enjoyment by women and men of socially valued
goods, opportunities, resources and rewards. Gender equity does not mean that women
and men become the same, but that their opportunities and life chances are equal.

B. ETHNICITY
- Ethnicity refers to one’s ethnic group, which is a concept referring to a shared
culture and a way of life. This can be reflected in language, religion, material culture
such as clothing and cuisine, and cultural products such as music and art.
C. SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS
- Socioeconomic status is the social standing or class of an individual or group. It is
often measured as a combination of education, income and occupation. Social
classes range from low to high and often reveal inequalities in terms of power,
influence, and access to resources
D. RELIGION
- Filipinos by nature are religious people, as reflected in our fatalistic attitude and
inherent belief in a higher power. According to research by the University of
Chicago, 9 nine out of 10 Filipinos believe in God. It is a fact that the Philippines is
predominantly a Christian country. Yet even here, there are different religious
denominations. As evidence, here is a table of religious affiliations in the Philippines.
E. NATIONALITY
- Nationality is the identity that is tied to being part of a nation or country. NATION is
a “group of people who share the same history, traditions and language.” Citizenship
is a term denoting membership of a citizen in a political society, which membership
implies, reciprocally, a duty of allegiance on the part of the member and duty of
protection on the part of the State.

A SOCIAL ACTOR is any person who undertakes social action. Social action is about people
coming together to help improve their lives and solve the problems that are important in
their communities. It involves people giving their time and other resources for the common
good, in a range of forms – from volunteering and community-owned services to
community organizing or simple neighborly acts. Social action theory began with the work
of Max Weber. In Economy and Society Weber defines action that is social as actions to
which the ‘acting individual attaches a subjective meaning to his behavior— be it overt or
covert, omission or acquiescence.
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BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
The changes, modifications and variations in the genetic and inherited traits of the
biological population from generation from one generation to another.
Charles Darwin, in full Charles Robert Darwin, (born February 12, 1809, England—
died April 19, 1882, Downe, Kent), he is an English naturalist whose scientific theory of
evolution by natural selection became the foundation of modern evolutionary studies.
3 PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL SELECTION
VARIATIONS
- Every species is made up of a variety of individuals wherein some are
adopted to their environment compared to others.
HEREDITABILITY
- Organisms produce progeny with different sets of traits that can be inherited.
DIFFERENTIAL REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS
- Organisms that have traits most suitable to their environment will survive
and transfer these variations to their offspring in subsequent generations.
STAGES OF HUMAN EVOLUTIONS
HOMINIDS
- The general term used to categorize the group of early humans and other
humanlike creatures that can walk erect during the prehistoric period.
4 Categories of Hominids
SAHELANTHROPUS
- 6-7 million years ago
- It had both apelike and humanlike characteristics
- A skull similar to Australopithecus and modern human.
- Height almost similar with the chimpanzee
- Brain size: 320-380 cc
- Small teeth
- Had the ability to walk upright

ARDIPITHECUS
“APE ON THE GROUND”
- 5-6 million years ago
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- Height about 4 feet

- Skull size similar to an ape
- Bipedal
- Live in jungles and forest like chimpanzees
AUSTRALOPITHECUS
“THE SOUTHERN APE”
- Size of the mother human brain
- Upright
- Bipedal
- Tool user not tool maker
- Food scavenger
HOMO
- They are classified as human and not humanlike creatures because they had
bigger brains and were bipedal

HOMO HABILIS
“HANDY MAN”
- 2.4-1.4 million years ago
- Scavenging food
- Height: 3-4 feet
- Brain size: half the size of the modern human brain.
- Make and use their own tools.
HOMO ERECTUS
“UPRIGHT MAN”
- Live about 1.89-143,000 years ago
- Adopted to hot climate
- Mostly spread already in Africa and Asia.
- Brain size: 1000 cc
- Walk upright
- 5 feet
- First hunter that improvised tools such axes and knives
- Discover fire

HOMO ERECTUS
- They are the first homo to be considered to use the spoken language
- Exchange of ideas
- Planning
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- Cooperative

HOMO SAPIENS
“WISE MAN “
- 200,000 years ago
- Large brain about 1400 cc
- Live in shelter
- Eat plants and fruits
- Know how to cook shellfish
- Crafted metals

SUBSPECIES OF HOMO SAPIENS

HOMO SAPIENS NEANDERTHALENSIS
“NEANDERTHAL MAN”
- Subspecies with short yet stocky body build adapted to winter climate
especially in icy cold places in Europe and Asia.
- First to practice burial of their dead
- Sewing clothes from animals skin using bones needles
- 200,000 years ago
HOMO SAPIENS-SAPIENS
“CRO MAGNO MAN”
- Anatomically modern humans lived in the last ice age of Europe from 40,000
– 10,000 years ago.
- They were the first to produce art.

CULTURAL EVOLUTION
- The idea that human culture such as beliefs, knowledge, cultures, skills,
attitudes, and languages change over time.

ARCHEOLOGICAL PERIODS
PALEOLITHIC AGE or OLD STONE AGE
- In this age they discover the use of fire.
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- Learned how to hunt for food.

- Learned how to survive by living in the cave.
- Developed small sculptures and monumental paintings, carve designs and
reliefs way of living.

MESOLITHIC AGE or MIDDLE STONE AGE

- Transition period between Paleolithic and Neolithic period.
- Derived form Greek word “mesos” which means middle and “lethal” means
stone.
- Domesticated plants and animals
- Form their own settlements and communities.
- Use microliths for smaller and more delicate stone tools.

NEOLITHIC AGE or NEW STONE AGE

- Agricultural Revolution
- Came from ancient Greek word “neos” which means new and “lethos” means
stone.
- They creates plow and sickles
- Swords
- Spears
- Shield
- Household utensils
- Jars
- Bowls
- Cups
- Tribes, empires, and states
- Used polish stones tools
- Learned how to settle in permanent villages

METAL AGE
- Copper is the first known metal due to its stiffness the materials were used
in using ornaments
- Bronze is a combination of copper and tin which is harder and stronger than
copper
- Several east Mediterranean people discovered the use of these materials as
their civilization progressed rapidly.

The Concept Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

Ethnocentrism
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- Is a perception that arises from the fact that cultures differ and each culture defines
reality differently.
- Example: using of spoon and fork while others use chopsticks
Cultural Relativism
- Is the attempt to judge behavior according to its cultural context.
- Example practices and beliefs of a community that are correct to them.
WHAT IS CULTURAL HERITAGE?
- It refers to the totality of cultural property preserved and developed through time
and passed on to posterity.
- The legacy of attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past
generations maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future
generations .
HERITAGE
- That which comes or belongs to one by reason of birth.
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THREATS
1. Lack of income generation can lead to abandonment of certain practice expressions.
2. Laws of political or economic significance of a particular practice due to
development of emerging market economy or political structures of nation states.
3. Lack of valorisation or pride in the culture among the younger generation.
4. Education.
5. Rural-to-urban or international migration.
6. Spread of world religions or of secular/humanist worldview.
7. Tourism.
8. Wars extreme poverty disease.
9. Environmental degradation.
SAFEGUARDING
● Specific expressions of ICH, there are often specific elements of the process which
are the important elements to safeguard.
● Identifying these ‘core’ elements/processes is crucial for safeguarding measures.
● Since the focus of heritage safeguarding is the knowledge/practice the issue of
intergenerational transmission is vital in safeguarding measures for all domains of
ICH.
● Important also to note that change does not necessarily mean the ICH is lost or
distorted, change can be a sign that a culture is vibrant.
● Cannot ‘freeze’ ICH - safeguarding measures should not seek to do so.
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REVITALIZATION
- Is an important element of safeguarding and can be encouraged by governments in a
number of ways
PROMOTION or VALORIZATION
- Recognition to a practitioner's skills and competencies among the larger
community or on a national level.
SETTING UP OF MECHANISMS FOR INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSMISSIONS
- Training institutions are important to work with mainstream schools.
- Collaborations between custodian communities and researchers, heritage
specialists or institutions .
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SYMBOLS & SYMBOLISM
Symbols – it is an object, word, or action that stands for something else, without natural
relationship, that is culturally defined.
Symbolism – is when something represents abstract ideas or concepts.
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•SOCIAL SYMBOLS are used to transfer culture, ideologies or beliefs from a group to
another group of people, or from our elders to the new generations of people.
•SYMBOLS are used to preserve traditions or beliefs of a certain group of people.
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CULTURE PRACTICES
- These are the manifestations of a culture or subculture.

Examples
- Religious and spiritual
- Medical treatment
- Culinary
- Child-rearing
-
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS HAVE MANY SYMBOLS WITHIN THEIR DOCTRINES AND BOOKS.
 Understanding Culture Society and Politics

● Traditional Medical Practice – belief in “Albularyo”, herbal medicines, alternative

medicines, and other home remedies.
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SOCIALIZATION
● Socialization is a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal
identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to
his/her social position.
● “Womb-to-Tomb”
● Socialization is the process that encompasses both teaching and learning.
FERAL CHILD
- A feral child is a human child who has lived isolated from human contact from a very
young age, and so has had little or no experience of human care, behavior, or human
language.

According to George Herbert Mead

- it develops through social interactions – a set of situations

Agents of Socialization
FAMILY
- Family is the smallest and basic unit of society
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- The first individuals we interact with are our immediate and extended
family.
SCHOOL
- A person’s personality is also influenced by classmates, teachers,
administrators and friends.
PEER GROUP
- Peer group who has the same age bracket as yours and shares your interest
and social status also influences you as a person.
MASS/SOCIAL MEDIA
- Social media as an agent of socialization plays a crucial role in shaping your
personality.

Types of Socialization
Primary Socialization(Childhood Socialization)
- Type of socialization when a child learns the values, norms and behavior that
should be displayed in order to live according to a specific culture.
Secondary Socialization(Adolescence Socialization)
- This type of socialization occurs when a person learns appropriate behavior
or to be displayed within a smaller group which is still part of larger society.
Anticipatory Socialization
- This refers to the process of socialization in which person “rehearses” for
future positions, occupations, and social relationships
- Research suggests that parents are the main source of anticipatory
socialization in regards to jobs and careers.
Developmental Socialization(Professional Socialization / Adulthood)
- It involves a learning process where adults have to face new situations and
roles with new expectations and roles.
Re - Socialization(Professional Socialization / Adulthood)
- The process of discarding former behavior patterns and reflexes, accepting
new ones as part of transitions in one’s life.

ENCULTURATION
● Enculturation is the process of being socialized into a certain culture.
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● This is the process by which we learn the requirements of our surrounding culture
and acquire the behaviors and values appropriate for this culture.

NORMS
- It is a rule that guides the behavior of members of society or groups.