Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
in
Understanding Culture, Society
and Politics (UCSP)
Name of Student:
________________________________
Strand:
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MODULE 1
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THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND THE THREE FACECS OF THE SOCIAL
Fig. 1.1 The social as the merging as the merging point of the
LD sociological, anthropological and political reflections
LESSON DISCUSSION
Society in its broader sense involves social (i.e., actions and interactions), cultural (i.e,
practices and traditions) and political (i.e., power relations) realities. As formal and systematic
studies of society, these three facets are referred to as the “social science”, also known in
academia as “disciplines.” These disciplines may be likened to a lens, which changes the way the
wearer sees things in terms of color, focus and details. In other words, they change a person’s
perspective.
In a way, each discipline provides unique ways of seeing and a equality unique way of
zooming in on social details. Regardless of their distinctive angles of looking, they share a common
goal: to understand the “social” and to explore how it drives the unfolding of society as we know it
(see Fig. 1.1). Let us take a closer look at each of them.
Together these sciences show the three faces of the social, with discipline representing
unique facet of it. And given their disciplinal foci, they provide a precarious yet captivating portrayals
of social life as (i) Impinged upon by social forces (ii) Routinized by cultural practices (anthropology)
and (iii) Constantly enmeshed in power relations (political science)
The junctures of this depictions of the social are sought by multidisciplinary approaches in
the analysis of the dynamics of interactions and institutions.
Examine the two sets of word/concept below. Match each word/concept in set A with the word
concept in set B by connecting their perspective dots with a line.
A B
Sociological imagination the search for the social
Social map Political Science
Traditions Sociology
Power relations social lens
Social forces Anthropology
Social Sciences perspective
Life with history social location
LESSON 1:
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UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICS:
SOME KEY OBSERVATIONS
LESSON MOTIVATION
Charles S. Pierce – (American Philosopher) - Describes the concept as the “Rational Purport of a
word or a conception.” This simply suggest that to turn a phenomenon into concept means, for one
thing, to make it more rational. Instead of using a word more or less automatically, an attempt is
now made to scrutinize it and try to decide what is essential to it.
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Just like any other words, concepts are initially invented as icons to capture (or represent)
phenomena and in the process assist their users/inventors to describe facets of social experience in
relation to the phenomena concerned. As their sharpness as icons became indubitably useful and
practical, they began not only to be used as a tool to explorer social experiences and phenomena;
their “organizing effects” are utilized as well in making sense of social realities altogether.
Max Weber– (German Sociologist) To deconstruct old ones and replace them with something new.
This concept is perhaps the reason he admitted that concept is one of the great tools of all scientific
knowledge.
testament to the operation of these forces which leave us unsuspecting of their intrusive and
punitive implications in our lives. Our categories as male/female, rich/poor, or tall/short and even
the problematic effect of the color of our skin are evidences of the operation of these social forces.
Our sociality is defined by the very categories that we possess, the categories assigned to us by the
society at large. These labels so to speak, function, as tags with which our society read our worth
and value. These categories that we possess are not natural; rather they are socially constructed.
The personal traits and social positions that members of a society attach to being male or female
reflect this insight. Even before we see the first light of day, our world is already being organized by
society: as boys & girls we have been assigned appropriate Colors, Toys, Clothes, Mannerism,
Etiquette, Career, Choice of mate. In short, the totality of our sociality has already been constructed
for us.
These questions are triggered by our habit of looking at other people’s worlds as we look at
our own. In order to explore the issue further, consider the following situations in the table below.
Situation 1 is a behavioral example. Istambay is usual scene in the streets of Manila and elsewhere
in the urban areas in the country. It is a behavioral feature of most young people who feel that the
company of other young people is more meaningful and exciting than staying at home or reading
books. Situations 2 and 5 are the same category; they are about a set of practices. Situation 2 is
about bribing, while Situation 5 is about the use of an influential mediator. In both cases, undue
influence either through money or connections is being revolving around the nexus of health and
religion. Lastly, Situation 4 is about a form of lifestyle associated with a specific sexual preference
and romantic arrangement.
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important and lasting beliefs or ideal shared by the members of a culture about what is good or bad
and desirable or undesirable. Values are the criteria people use in assessing their daily lives,
arranging priorities, and choosing between alternative courses of action.
Belief, on the other hand, is something one accepts are true or real. More often that not
belief takes the form of firmly held opinion or conviction. Beliefs may be based on tradition, faith,
experiences, scientific research, or some combination of these. Both value and beliefs are
commonly shared by a particular culture.
SCENARIO PHENOMENON
1. Taking “selfies” is Kara’s preoccupation. It became a habit when her
parent gave her a phone on her birthday
Reference: https://www.shutterstock.com/search/filipino+selfie
selfieing
2. Kapitan Tim is the incumbent mayor of the City of Amin-Amin. His son,
Timmy Jr. is currently running for the congressional seat of the district,
a position occupied by his mother, Cong. Valencia for about three
consecutive terms.
Reference: https://politicalissuexe1.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/political-dynasty/
political dynasty
3. Amina, a college student, is living alone in Manila. Both of her parents
are OFW working in the Middle East. She visits them every summer
break.
Reference: https://medium.com/@SindyHernandez/is-family-separation-worth-it-7f924a14b7a6
Transnational families
4. As a youth volunteer, Verna finds the rainy season a busy season due
to the frequency of typhoon-related disasters. Sometimes she even
spends her own money to buy relief goods for typhoon victims.
Reference: https://www.redcross.ca/blog/2014/2/youth-volunteers-supporting-mental-health-in-the-philippines
Youth Volunteerism
5. Michael almost missed the chance to finish his high school because
he had been absent most of the time playing Mobile Legends (ML).
Reference: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcR_Qd3imj1ERfaXKx5recYr2_Id3X5h583BcA&usqp=CAU
Video Gaming
The scenario presented in the table typify behavior and situations that are either new, emerging,
and familiar. Scenario 1 on selfies is a recent behavioral pattern due to the infiltration of technology.
Scenario 2 on political dynasty is a familiar one and reflects the durability of certain cultural and
political practices. Scenario 3 represents an emerging pattern of family relations. Just like scenario
1, Scenario 5 is about video gaming is fast becoming a normal behavioral pattern among the
younger members of the Filipino society, Lastly Scenario 4 is about volunteerism is appears to be
personal expression of a political principle by an increasing number of people.
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What is common among the scenarios is that they may all be considered as manifestations
of cultural and political changes. New technological platforms facilitating communication, self-
expression and interactions represent the cultural change, while possession and expressions of
power represent the political change.
I. KNOWLEDGE
A. Write a short essay that answer the Lesson 1: What constitutes our sociality as human beings?
__________1. The most fundamental, intrusive and limiting social label attached to members of society.
__________2. It encompasses the complex processes and dynamics that characterized the great variety
of “ways of living” practiced and observed around the world.
__________3. These are a person’s or a collectivity’s principles or standards of behavior and are
considered as judgement of what important in life.
__________4. It refers to firmly held opinion or conviction, regardless of the lack of verifiable evidence.
__________5. It is represented by new technological platforms facilitating communication, self-
expression
and interactions.
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Instagram and Twitter. They are usually taken to capture the ongoing mood and unique
backgrounds. They are flattering, made to appear casual and impromptu.
In the photo presented, the students will offer a critical insight on how selfie can be read as an
image of the social by listing down 15 words that best describe the photo and try to connect the
words and compose 5 sentences paragraph revolving around the attributes to selfie (or selfieing).