PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

CHAPTER 1
UNDERSTANDING SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to:
1. Adopt an open and critical attitude toward different social, political,
and cultural phenomenon through observation and reflection.
2. Acknowledge human cultural variations, social differences, social
change, and political identities.

Making sense of reality offers students a guide to analyzing social life. It develops a performance-
based perspective (‘doing things with’) that highlights the ever- revised dimension of realities and
links this perspective to a focus on object-relations and an ecological model of culture-in-action.

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

CULTURE
Culture is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found
in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities,
and habits of the individuals in these groups.

Knowledge
To understand man’s social experience, it is
necessary to make a wider analysis of man’s
Morals Beliefs
relationship to his natural environment.

We need to identify the significance of culture, CULTURE

society, and politics in order to appreciate the
different components that are essential to the Customs Arts

total development of a human person.

Laws

SIGNIFICANCE OF CULTURE
1. Culture makes it possible for man to adapt and
Adaptation
integrate himself to his environment.
Integration
2. Culture establishes patterns of acceptable social
behavior.
3. Culture conveys and facilitates meaning through Huma Patterns
n of
Acceptabl
e
verbal and non–verbal communication, written Social
Significanc
and non–written language, forms of expression, e
and symbolisms.
4. Culture produces man-made things.
Productio Conveys
5. Culture contributes to overall human satisfaction n &
of Man Facilitate
as we develop ways to make life more enjoyable, s

more comfortable, easier, and more rewarding.

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Culture refers to that complex whole which include knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals,
laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by men as members of a
society. (Edward H. Taylor)

Two types of Culture

1. Material culture - composed of tangible things like food, tools, dress,
accessories and others.
2. Non-material culture – composed of intangible things such as habits, ideas,
religion, language and behavior.

Cultural Variation refers to the differences in social behaviors that cultures exhibit
around the world. In the Philippines, differences in social behaviors are influenced with
cultures in a specific places and tribes. So, with the different people in different countries
they have also different norms and values that exist within their groups

Examples of Cultural Variation in Dress Styles

Indonesia Philippines Thailand

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Examples of Cultural Variation in Dance

SOCIETY
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large
social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same
political authority and dominant cultural expectations.

The Significance of Society

 It is an avenue for economic inter-dependence.
 It characterizes the totality of a territory.
 It serves as a representation of our identity.
 It is a symbol of political independence.

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Social Differences

Social differences refer to the situation where people are discriminated based on
economic status, social characteristics and qualities. These may include race, ethnicity,
gender, and professions. In spite of these differences people continue to do their
responsibilities as members of society.

These are the common social differences among people in the world:
 Gender – refers to the biological characteristics that distinguish a male from a female
 Gender Role -refers to attitudes and behaviors that the society expect a person based on
his/her sex
 Socio-economic class- the high income, the middle income and the low-income class
 Ethnicity- refers to the ethnic group who have common culture, language and history
 Race –refers to the group of people who shared inherited physical characteristics such as
skin color, facial features and body structure.

Social Change
Social change refers to any significant alteration over time in behavior patterns and
cultural values and norms. This change is brought about by modernization and the impact
of globalization that resulted to cultural change among Filipino people.

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Example:
Filipino way of courtship

POLITICS

Politics 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.

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

FOUR POINTS INHERENT TO POLITICS

(Haque, 2002)

a. Politics is a collective activity, involving people who accept a common membership

or at least acknowledge a shared fate.
b. Politics presumes an initial diversity of views, if not about goals then at least about
means.
c. Politics involves reconciling differences through discussion and persuasion.
d. Political decisions become authoritative policy for a group, binding members to
decisions that are implemented by force if necessary.

Political Identities
Political identities refer to political position based on the interests and perspective of
social groups with which people identify. In the Philippines, we participate in choosing the
political leaders through election and being a democratic country. They are mandated by
law to lead the people and implement good governance for the common good of all
Filipinos.

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Activity 1 We are Culturally Varied

Directions: Describe the human groups below. In a yellow paper, write your descriptions on them on a
table that you will be creating using the model below.

Name: Section:
Date:
Activity 1
We are Culturally Varied

Human Group Physical Features

Filipino

Indian

Chinese

Africans

Americans

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Activity 2 Give me one!

Directions: In your yellow paper, create another table using the model below. Provide the second
column with one (1) example for each social difference in Column A.

Name: Section:
Date:
Activity 2
Give me one!

Social Difference Example

a. Gender
b. Gender roles
c. Socio-economic roles
d. Ethnicity
e. Race

Activity 3 What’s the Effect?

Directions: In your yellow paper, explain in paragraph form the advantages and disadvantages
brought about by modernization as part of social change.

Name: Section:
Date:
Activity 3
What’s the Effect?
Advantages:

Disadvantages:

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Activity 4 Ethnic Groups in the Philippines

Directions: Search for two ethnic groups in our country. Describe their social differences and
similarities that exist among them. Follow the format given below.

Name: Section:
Date:
Activity 4
Two of the Philippines Ethnic Groups

Ethnic Group Similarities Differences

Activity 5 The Local Officials in (Brgy.)

Directions: In your yellow paper, list down the complete names of the local officials in your barangay
following the format below.

Name: Section:
Date:
Activity 5
The Local Officials in (Brgy.)

Barangay Captain:

Barangay Kagawads:

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PHI 120 INTRODUCING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Activity 6 Significant Contributions to the Different Sectors

Directions: In your yellow paper, copy the format of and complete the table by giving one significant
contribution of the specified administrations to the different sectors of the country.

Name: Section:
Date:
Activity 6
Administration’s Significant Contributions to Different Sectors

ARROYO AQUINO, NOYNOY DUTERTE

ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION
SECTOR

Education

Health

Agriculture

Finance

Environment

Labor and
Employment

Justice

Science and
Technology

Tourism

Transportation

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