UNDERSTANDING CULTURE,

SOCIETY AND POLITICS

 LEARNING OBJECTIVES.

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. Identify the nature of Anthropology, Sociology
and Political Science;
2. Know the goals of Anthropology, Sociology and
Political Science
 This course uses insights from Anthropology, Political Science, and
Sociology to develop students’ awareness of cultural, social and political
dynamics, and sensitivity to cultural diversity; provide them with an
understanding of how culture, human agency, society and politics work; and
engage them in the examination of the country’s current human development
goals. At the end of the course, students should acquire ideas about human
cultures, human agency, society and politics; recognize cultural relativism
and social inclusiveness to overcome prejudices; and develop social and
cultural competence to guide their interactions with groups, communities,
networks, and institutions.
 ACTIVITY 1. TELL ME WHO YOU
ARE!

Directions: Answer the figure. Always remember

there is no wrong answers. All of your answers
considered as correct.
Gender Socio economic class

Name
Ethnicity Religion
What important role does the activity
emphasize?
THE THREE FACES OF THE
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Society
 In its broader sense
involves social (actions
and interactions)
Culture (Anthropology)
 Practices and traditions
Political Science
 Power relations
CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS AS
CONCEPTUAL TOOLS

 Culture, society, and politics are concepts. They exist in

the realm of ideas and thoughts. As such, they cannot
be seen or touched and yet they influence the way se
see and experience our individual and collective lives
as social beings.
STUDENTS AS SOCIAL BEINGS

 Our categories as male/female, rich/poor, tall/short,

and even the problematic effect of the color of our
skin are evidences of the operation of these social
forces. In other words, our sociality is defined by the
very categories that we possess, the categories
assigned to us by the society at large.
SOCIAL REALITIES: BEHAVIOR AND
PHENOMENON
There are times that we find ourselves in a situation
unlike other situations. We personally encounter
different ways of doing things, behaving, and making
sense of events. Observing them, we cannot help but
ask. Why do people do such things? What makes it
normal and acceptable to some people in some places
and unacceptable to others in other places?
THE NATURE AND GOALS
OF ANTHROPOLOGY
 ANTHROPOLOGY
Is the scientific study of the
origins of humans, how we
have changed over the years,
and how we relate to each
other, both within our own
culture and with people from
other cultures.
 Anthropology is a behavioral science that deals with
the study of culture - its components, characteristics,
functions, modes of adaptation, cultural values, and
practices. Culture is a complex whole which
encompasses the beliefs, practices, values, attitudes,
norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything
that a person learns and shares as a member of society.
ANSWERS THE QUESTION
What does it mean to
be human?

Who we really are?

Where do we come from?

 WHERE DID IT START
Let it be clear that anthropology started as the study
of non- European people by European people
(outward).
During their colonial encounter with these people,
Europeans started to make a written records about non-
Europeans. They focus on kinship, language, race,
religion, cultural perceptions, and others.
 WHO STARTED THIS FIELD

Franz Boas –considered as the father of modern American anthropology.

His study led to the doctrine of “historical particularism,” where he

stated that each society is considered as having a unique form of culture

that cannot be understood under an overall definition of general culture.

 CONCEPT
 Anthropology is the study of people and their culture.

It uses a special research method known as

ethnography in which anthropologists are required to
live with their subject of study for a long period of
time in order to make their writings more reliable and
credible.
 SUBJECTS OF INQUIRY
 Biologicalanthropology refers to the study of
human origins (genetics, race, evolutions, fossils,
primates).
Cultural anthropology is the study of living
people (religion, social system, language,
clothing, foods, beliefs, traditions, etc.).
 Linguistics is the study of language, its
evolution, its connection to other languages, and
others.

Archeology refers to the study of dead culture

(religion, social system, language, how they
dress, foods, beliefs, traditions, etc.).
 THE GOALS OF ANTHROPOLOGY ARE THE
FOLLOWING.

 Seethe commonalities among people (tradition,

language, kinship, etc.).

Look at what makes us the same to understand

more about human nature.
 Discover what makes people different from each
other in order to understand and preserve
diversity.
Produce new knowledge and new theories about
mankind and behavior.
Look at one’s own culture more objectively.
 WHY DO YOU THINK IS THIS
SUBJECT/ COURSE OFFERED TO
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS?