Anthropology

What is the systematic study of

the biological, cultural, and social
aspects of man?
 Political science

What is the systematic study of

politics?
 Sociology

What is the systematic study of social life,

groups, and society?
 TRUE

Social background and identities shape people's

behavior and views about other people and society.
 TRUE

Identities are important because they

shape individual and group behavior.
 LESSON 1:
INTRODUCTION TO
CULTURE, SOCIETY
AND POLITICS
 What is Identity?
• distinctive characteristic that defines an
individual or is shared by those belonging to a
particular group
• People may have multiple identities depending on the groups to
which they belong.

• Identity can also change the course of a person's lifetime.

• Identities are important because they shape both individual and

group behavior as well as people's views about other people and
society.
 What is Culture?

• society's way of life, provides the basis

for forging identities.
It allows people to understand
themselves in relation to other and
provides them a lens through which
they base what is considered the "right
way" of doing things. There are
material and nonmaterial aspects
associated with culture.
 What is Society?
• refers to a group of people living in a community.
• "it is a web of social relationship, which is
always changing.“ (MacIver and Page)
Social, Cultural, and
Political Change
• The concept of identity is related to
social, cultural, and political change.
People's individual and collective
identities have oftentimes transformed
social order and paved the way for lasting
change.
• Rapidly-advancing technology also has
profound implications for sociocultural and
political change.
• The phenomenon of international migration
has also changed Filipino identities and
beliefs.
 Anthropology,
Sociology, and Political
Science
Social Sciences

• the disciplines under which identity, culture,

society, and politics are studied are
collectively
 Anthropology
• derived from two Greek words, anthropos, which means
"man," and logos, which means "study" or "inquiry."

• systematic study of the biological, cultural, and social

aspects of man.
 Social anthropology studies how social patterns and
practices and cultural variations develop across
different societies.

 Cultural anthropology studies cultural variation

across different societies and examines the need to
understand each culture in its own context.
 Linguistic anthropology studies language and discourse
and how they reflect and shape different aspects of human
society and culture.

 Biological or physical anthropology studies the origins of

humans as well as the interplay between social factors and
the processes of human evolution, adaptation, and variation
over time,
 Sociology
• "the study of human social life, groups,
and society.“ (Anthony Giddens )
 Political Science
• is the systematic study of politics, which Andrew Heywood
describes as "the activity through which people make, preserve,
and amend the general rules under which they live."

• Political science focuses on the fundamental values of equality,

freedom, and justice and its processes are linked to the
dynamics of conflict, resolution, and cooperation.
• Public administration
which examines how the government functions and how
decisions and policies are made.
• Political economy
• which evaluates the interplay between economics,
politics, and law and its implications to the various
institutions within society

• Comparative politics
 which compares domestic politics and governance
systems across different sovereign states.
 The discussion on social, cultural, and political
changes highlights the importance of learning about our
society and its processes. In many ways, the disciplines
mentioned above help people understand their social
roles and how they can participate in the changes they
wish to make in their respective societies.