UNDERSTANDING

CULTURE, SOCIETY
AND POLITICS
(SocSci12) MODULE

Prepared
by:

ANDRES KIM
APOYA ERICA A.
BENDEBEL EMILY U.
 HANGCA

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 1

Subject Title: Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Subject Description: The subject will show you the three social science disciplines
namely, Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science which will let you understand
today's changing world.
STUDY SCHEDULE
UNIT 1: DEVELOPMENT OF HUMANS AS SOCIAL ACTOR At the end of the unit
you will be able to demonstrate understanding of the following: 1. Human cultural
variation, social differences, social change, and political identities; 2. Human origins and
its capacity for culture; 3. Importance of studying culture, society and politics; 4.
Rationale for studying anthropology, sociology and political science; and 5. Appreciate
the value of the social sciences by being a responsible citizen in our country. WEEK
TOPIC Date Time
Week 1 Lesson 1 - Human Variation
09/02/2020 8:30 – 10:00 am 09/09/2020 8:30 – 10:00 am
Week 2 Lesson 2 - Anthropology
09/10/2020 8:30 – 10:00 am 09/16/2020 8:30 – 10:00 am Week 3 Lesson 3 – Sociology
09/17/2020 8:30 – 10:00 am
09/23/2020 8:30 – 10:00 am

Week 4 Lesson 4 – Political Science

09/24/2020 8:30 – 10:00 am 09/30/2020 8:30 – 10:00 am PRELIM EXAMINATION
The following guides and house rules will help you to be on track and complete the module with
a smile on your face.
1. Read and understand every part of the module. If there are some contents or tasks which you
find difficult to understand, try to re-read and focus. You may also ask help from your family at
home, if it doesn’t work, you may send a private message on your socsci12 teacher through
facebook/text: Andres Kim Apoya (09302278460) Emily Hangca (09389655814) Erica Bendebel
(09461454058) 2. At the end of each lesson try to reflect and assess if you were able to achieve
the learning
objectives. Remember that you can always read again if necessary. 3. At the end of this module
we attach worksheets where you can do all your activities. At the end of
the month, remove the worksheets and submit them to your teacher. 4. Your next module will be
given to you after submitting your worksheets. 5. Lastly, the activities in the module must be
done by you and not by others. Your family and friends may support and guide you but you
must not let them do the work. DO YOUR BEST AND GOD WILL DO THE REST.
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 2
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 3

HUMAN
VARIATION
At the end of this lesson, I can:

1. Articulate observations on human cultural variation, social differences, social change,

and political identities. 2. Demonstrate curiosity and openness to explore the origins and
dynamics of culture,
society and politics. 3. Justify why race is a limited schema as a human
classification tool.

Environment and history are two of the Fig. 1.1 (Left )Inuit children in traditional caribou
primary factors that shape the behavior of human clothing; (Right) !Kung bushmen wearing
groups. This behavior, which serves as an shawls Inut photo source:
adaptive tool for the varied stimuli projected by the https://images.app.goo.gl/p9dfMSRqU8PeXTUP
environment, is influenced by beliefs, practices, 9
and material possessions. Through constant Nationality
practice, these sets of behavior form human
traditions, which are passed on from one The concepts of nationality and
generation to the other. ethnicity are not interchangeable. Both,
however, are capable of informing an
As each human group experiences individual’s behavior and habits due to a set of
differing environmental conditions, cultural cultural norms that each category provides.
variations are established. Comparing the Nationality can be acquired by being born in a
traditions crafted by the Inuits of the Arctic country or through legal process such as
Regions of Canada and the !Kung of Kalahari naturalization on citizenship.
Desert in Namibia, you can see the stark
difference in their types of clothing which are Nationality is the identity that is tied to being
highly functional for the type of weather where part of a nation or a country which has a
they live. The Inuits who lived in frigid areas of political border and administered by a
Canada wear thick layers of garment made of government.
animal fur while the !Kung wear loose, single-layer
clothes made of cotton to combat the desert heart Naturalization is the legal process by which a
in Africa. non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship
or nationality of that country.

Gender

According to the World Health

 Organization (2013), gender “refers to the Gender Expression is how an individual
socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, chooses to present himself or herself in the
and attributes that a given society considers society.
appropriate for men and women.” Unlike sex
which refers to the biological characteristic of A person could be physically male
humans such as male or female. but have a female gender identity. This can be
observed in the choices on pronouns that they
There are several types of gender use to refer to themselves, the clothes that they
based on a person’s sexual orientation. wear, and the general behavior they display to
Depending on the community, the following signify their gender identity.
gender identities can be further subdivided into You have the right on how you express
more specific categories. yourself in the society, however in
exercising that right, you must not abused it
1. Heterosexual – a person with this gender and you should learn to respect the gender
is attracted into its opposite sex. 2. identity of other person.
Homosexual – a person who is
attracted into its same sex. 3. Gay – a Socioeconomic Class
male who is romantically and
sexually attracted to another male. 4. The concept of socioeconomic class
Lesbian – a female who is romantically and varies between societies as the ideas
sexually attracted to another female. 5. associated with being poor or rich differ based
Bisexual – a person who is attracted to on the collective experiences of individuals.
both sex (male and female). 6. Asexual People falling into different social classes are
– a person who are totally bound to experience life differently such as in
the form of transportation and the type and
incapable of being attracted to any sex.
amount of food that they can afford and
7. Polysexual – a person who is attracted
consume daily. The typical determinants of
to multiple types of gender. 8. one’s social status include income, value of
Pansexual – a person who is attracted assets and amount of savings, cultural
to all types of gender. 9. Transgender – interests and hobbies, and economic status of
a person whose sexual orientation is not his or her peers and relatives.
related to their genitalia. 10. Transsexual –
a person that perform medical sexual In the Philippines, our indicators of
reassignment. Because he/she believe that social class are different, given the economic
they belong to opposite sex. and political context in which our country is in.
Although government surveys take into
Sexual Orientation refers to a person’s account the factors enumerated above such as
biological identity, which may be male or income and value of assets, Filipinos often
female. describe their social class in personalized
contexts. Hence, when you ask a Filipino what
Gender Identity is an individual’s internal his or her social class is, the response can be
concept of self that may be related to being any of the following: mahirap, medyo
masculine or feminine. mayaman, sakto lang, mayaman, and the like.
 Political society.
Identity
Political parties in the Philippines such
Political Identity as a social category as Ang Ladlad, a party-list that negotiates for
refers to the set of attitudes and practices that the welfare of the LGBTQI community, and
an individual adheres to in relation to the Kabataan, a party-list that promotes youth
political systems and actors within his or her empowerment, are example of how sectors in

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 4

our society use their identities as political Fig. 1.2. Sorcerer of Les
vehicles to negotiate for, and lobby their needs. Gabillou

Religion can also offer political Today, religion has evolved to

identity to its followers. Members of the church promote far complex forms of understanding
Iglesia ni Cristo promote the practice of block human nature, the afterlife, and natural events.
voting, a church-based exercise of one’s right Some are Monotheistic, believing in the
to suffrage wherein the ministers and the existence of one god, whereas others are
members agree to unanimously vote for a Polytheistic, believing in the existence of
chosen candidate or political lineup. multiple gods. Some religions have gods
arranged in a hierarchy, and others have gods
Religion The belief in the supernatural has been that equally
Essential Learning
one of the universal preoccupations of humans
as early as 60 000 years ago. The earliest
An understanding and acceptance of
forms or religion revolved around making
human variation as a product of cultural and
sense of natural occurrences such as extreme
environmental plurality creates space for
weather conditions, natural and man-made
greater collaboration among populations and
calamities, sickness, and even death.
limits the possibility of developing hostile
Early human art exuded ancient intentions toward dissimilar groups. In an
forms of superstitions that included beliefs in increasingly globalized world, extremism and
the afterlife and that of superhuman exclusivity are two traits that are proven non-
capabilities. The Sorcerer of Les Gabillou is an beneficial, whereas a culturally relative
example of a Paleolithic artwork. This artwork approach is sure to promote collaboration and
depicts the supernatural ability of a religious communication across populations.
practitioner to become half-man and half- coexist. What must be noted is that religion is a
animal. mirror of the society that affiliates with it, such
that a society with a strong caste system such
as India is expected to have a set of gods that
are placed in a hierarchical system as well.
coexist. What must be noted is that religion is a
mirror of the society that affiliates with it, such
that a society with a strong caste system such
as India is expected to have a set of gods that
are placed in a hierarchical system as well.
 Congratulations! You are done with 5. Illustrate or draw the socioeconomic class in
our first lesson.
the Philippines.
To check if you fully understand this lesson 6. What is the top 3 common religion in the
kindly answer the following questions below,
and write your answer on the activity sheet Philippines?
provided at the back page. 7. What is the difference between Monotheistic

and Polytheistic? Kindly site examples.

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 5

1. What is your own definition of nationality?

2. What is the difference between natural born

and naturalized citizen? Kindly site examples.

3. What is the difference between sex and

gender? Kindly site examples.

4. List and define ten (10) gender identities.

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 6
Introduction to Anthropology Anthropology

Humans studying humans. This is 1. Archaeology examines the remains of

the field of Anthropology. Unlike other ancient and historical human populations to
disciplines of the social sciences, anthropology promote an understanding of how humans
promotes a holistic study of humans. Derived have adapted to their environment and
from two Greek words antropos (human) and developed. 2. Cultural Anthropology
logos (study), anthropology seeks to answer promotes the study of a society’s culture
this primary question: What does it mean to be through their belief systems, practices and
a human? This allows for an extensive and possessions. 3. Linguistic Anthropology
inclusive approach such that anthropology examines the language of a group of
studies human both biological and social people and its relation to their culture. 4.
creatures. Biologically, it inquires on the Physical Anthropology looks into the
genetic composition of humans, their biological development of humans and
relationship with other primates, and their contemporary variation. 5. Applied
evolution. Socially, it inquires on human Anthropology attempts to solve
behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs systems, contemporary problems through the
which range from birth practices to burial rites. application of theories and approaches of
the discipline.
Another key element that makes
anthropology holistic is its research time frame, In the advent of the 21st century, human
which ranges from the evolution of humans as experiences diversified. As globalization’s
a species to our current development. It also effects were felt in almost all societies,
studies humans from various ethnic groupings anthropology extended its study to cultural and
and geographic locations. subcultural groups in industrialized societies.
The methodology used in gathering information
As such, anthropology can be
was crucial. Anthropologists need to establish
defined as “the study of people – their origins,
rapport with their host societies before they can
their development, and contemporary
extract the life stories of people. Apart from
variations, wherever and whenever they have
interviews, anthropologists also used the
been found on the face of the earth.” (Ember
participant-observation method in which they
and Peregrine, 2010)
participate on the daily practices and rituals of
The Sub-Disciplines of the group being studied.

ANTHROPOL
OGY
At the end of this lesson, I can:

1. Identify the subjects of inquiry and goals of anthropology. 2. Trace the

biological and cultural evolution from early to modern humans. 3. Recognize
the value of anthropology for the 21st century.
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 7
Cultural Beginnings

Culture is defined as “that complex The tongue of humans is also more flexible that
whole which encompasses beliefs, practices, allows to produce a wider array of sounds than
values, attitude, laws, norms, artifacts, chimpanzee.
symbols, knowledge, and everything that a Fig. 2.1 Brain size comparison
person learns and shares as a member of a among primates

society” (Tylor, 2010). It is a by-product of the

Cultural development is predicated by the
attempt of humans to survive their environment
physical development of humans.
and to compensate for their biological
characteristics and limitations.

Biological Capacity of Humans for

Culture
The need to scrutinize human anatomy
to understand culture is indispensable.
Physical and cultural anthropologists argue
that we could trace how culture became
possible by understanding our biological
makeup.
Fig. 2.2 Vocal tract comparison
between a chimpanzee (left) and a
1. Thinking skills
human (right)
3. Gripping skills

Notice that the thumb of the human is longer

Compare with other primates, humans have a than those of the primates. These
larger brain, weighing 1.4 kg. The brain has characteristics of human hand allow for two
necessary parts for facilitating pertinent skills types of grip: power and precision.
such as speaking, touching, feeling, seeing
4. Walking/standing skills
and smelling.

2. Speaking skills
Primates have two forms of locomotion: herbivorous. They had large jaws.
bipedalism and quadropedalism. Bipedalism is
the capacity to walk and stand using two feet. 6. Aust
Quadropedalism is the capacity to walk and his pre
stand using 4 limbs. Being bipedal humans weighe
gained more capacity to move while carrying 2. Darwinism
objects with their free hands. In his book, “The Origin of Species”
1859, Charles Darwin postulated that human
evolution has occurred through the process of
natural selection. He showed that in the
struggle for existence, those animal and plant
Human Evolution species which have features to adapt to their
Evolution is the slow process of change environment survived, while those inefficient
from a simple to a more complex form or ones perished or were eliminated. The survival
structure. The evolution of man began about 15 of the fittest and the elimination of the unfit is a
million years ago when the first known man natural process.
walked this earth. Humans today developed
through many stages of evolution from 3. Synthetic theory or neo-darwinism
primates that are now extinct.
This theory describes the evolution
Three Main Theories of Evolution 1. Lamarckismin terms of genetic variations in a population
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck is remembered that leads to the formation of a new species. It
for his belief in the inheritability of acquired explains the contribution of factors such as
character. He also stated that the organs which genetic variations, reproductive and
are used frequently by the organism develop geographical isolation, and natural selection.
while the characteristics that are used seldom
are lost in the succeeding generations.
4. Australopithecus afarensis they are said to
have inhabited the African mainland they were
shorter than the Australopithecus ramidus and
had a small skull with flat noses and no chin.
They were able to walk on two legs but the legs 7. Homo habilis, he had a face similar to his
were slightly bowed which made their walk ancestors. The skull and brain size indicate
slightly ape- like. The bowed legs, fingers, and that he may have been able to speak. He is
toes enabled them to climb trees and live there. also known as the ‘handy man’ because he
They had large teeth and jaws. ‘Lucy’ is the was the first to make and use tools. He was
famous fossil belonged to this species. around 5 feet tall and erect.

5. Australopithecus africanus these also 8. Homo erectus was also upright. He had a
inhabited the African mainland. They were smaller but longer face, less prominent or
bipedal and had a small skull with small brains absent chin, larger brain size and prominent
than Homo erectus but larger than their speech. He knew how to make and use tools,
predecessors. Also, they had large teeth he made a fire and knew how to control it. He
compared to current day humans and were was carnivorous. He knew the existence of
 groups and they began spreading from Africa 1. Dryopethicus inhabited the European region
to Asia and Europe. They were cave dwellers. and some parts of Asia and Africa. He was the
earliest known ancestor of man.
9. Homo sapiens neanderthelensis, they had a
brain size larger than modern man and were 2. Ramapethicus existed who was more
gigantic in size. Also, they had a large head human-like than Dryopethicus. It came to the
and jaw and were very powerful and muscular. genus Australopethicus which preceded the
They were carnivores and the genus Homo
Stages of Human
Evolution 3. Autralopithecus ramidus was 1.2 meters tall
and the fossils show the foramen magnum that
was large to indicate upright walking. The
forelimbs were different from those of the
earlier ape-like ancestors. They had teeth like
humans.

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 8

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 9
tools from the era indicate they were
hunters. They were also cave dwellers but
their caves were more comfortable and
they lived in groups and hunted for food
gathering.

10. Homo sapiens sapiens also known as after Saint Acheul, a patron saint in southwest
‘modern-day man’ is what we are today. France, as these artifacts were discovered in
Compared to the Homo sapiens the area.Using the same process of percussion
neanderthelensis, they became smaller in size flaking, they created hand axes that were
and the brain size reduced to 1300cc. There bifacial, shaped in both sides, and with
was also a reduction in the size of the jaw, straighter and sharper edges.
rounding of the skull and chin. The Mousterian Industry

Cultural Evolution This industry was developed by Homo

neanderthalensis in Europe and West Asia.
This was named after a site in France called Le
The Oldowan
Moustier, where evidence was uncovered in
Industry
1860. The tools from this industry involved the
This industry was develop by the use of premade core tool and the extraction of
Homo Habilis, it is a stone tool industry, a flake tool that has sharpened edges. This
characterized by the use of “hard water-worn type of tools is known as Mousterian tool, it is
creek cobbles made out of volcanic rock”. very efficient as all the sides of the flake tool
These raw materials were then made into tools has sharpened edges. This type of tools is very
through percussion flaking, which is a process efficient as all the slides of the flake tool are
involving the systematic collision of a hammer sharpened and, due to the reduction in size,
stone with a core stone. The impact of the more handy.
collision produces a core tool (used for general
purposes) and a flake tool (used as a knife).

By the end of the Paleolithic period,

Fig. 2.6 Example of Percussion
early humans have been engaged in proto-
Flaking
culture type of industries wherein they did not
just create tools but also started creating art
The Acheulian
and other symbolic materials.
Industry

Homo Erectus developed a more The Aurignacian

complex industry. This industry was named Industry
 The industry was mainly present in Fig. 2.9 (Left ) Cave Painting of a Bison in El Castillo
Europe and Southwest Asia from 45, 000 to 35, Cave; (Right) The Venus of Hohle Fels
000 years ago. This industry was named after
Aurignac, an area in France where the
evidence of this industry was found. Users of
this industry used raw materials such as flint,
animal bones and antlers. The method they
employed in creating tools such as fine blades
Fig. 2.7 Bifacial stone
tool

Fig. 2.11 (Left) Barbed Harpoons; (Right) Tent made of

animal skin
The Magdalenian
Industry

This industry saw the end of

Paleolithic period as it transformed to the
Neolithic period. This was named after the La
Madeleine site in Dordogne, France. This
industry was defined by several revolutionary
advancements in technology such as the
creation of microliths from flint, bone, antler,
and ivory. Apart from functional tools which
were at times beautified by artistic engravings,
 the early humans during this period were environment.
engrossed in creating figurines, personal
adornments, and other forms of mobiliary art. A
defining method used in tool making during this Congratulations! You are done with
period was the application of heat on the our second lesson.
material prior to the flaking process. This was
done by casting the raw material on fire, which To check if you fully understand this lesson
allowed for a more precise cut upon flaking. kindly answer the following questions below,
The creation of specialized weapons and write your answer on the activity sheet
such as barbed harpoons is evidence of the provided at the back page.
growing sophistication of the hunting skills and
technology of the early humans in this industry. 1. What elements make anthropology a
Contemporary human populations stand holistic discipline? 2. How was culture
in stark contrast from our ancestors both in developed through the physical changes that
biological and cultural characteristics. From occurred in early humans? 3. Why is
strict dependence on the environment for food bipedalism an important development in the
and survival, we have now learned to physical capacity of humans? 4. Why is it
manipulate it to produce things that we need. By important to study human
studying the past, we were able to understand
evolution? 5. Do you believe in Darwinism
the trajectory of our species, as we combated
theory of
through technology and social dynamics by our

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 10

was similar to the one used in the Mousterian Material culture is a tangible object that is
Industry. significant parts of the culture in providing
Apart from a more advanced tool context to the king of life that humans had.
making industry, what made this industry a
cultural milestone for the modern humans in Essential Learning
Europe is their development of self-awareness.
This development was projected through cave
paintings and the fabrication of accessories
such as figurines, bracelets and beads.
Another cultural milestone for the users
of this industry was the use of temporary man-
made shelters such as tents made of animal
skin.
 p
Oldowan
industry?
What distinguish the Aurignacian
industry from the earlier industries?
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 11

SOCIOLOGY
At the end of this lesson, I can:
1. Identify the subjects of inquiry and goals of sociology. 2. Explain sociological perspectives on
society. 3. Recognize the value of sociology for the 21st century.
The Sociological Perspective
Every human being thinks of himself as an intellectual person capable of planning his own life in
whatever way he chooses. He wants to prove his sense of independence through his free
choice to decide what he believes is best for himself. However one should not discount the fact
that he is a member of a society since the time he is born and thereafter many of what happens
to him is determined by the nature of his society.
Another branch of the social sciences is
Fig. 3.1. Auguste Comte the discipline of sociology. The word “sociology” is derived from the Latin
word socius which means companion or associate
Source: https://cdn.britannica.com/s:300x300/78/23678- 050-1DCF79A2/Auguste-Comte-Tony-Toullion-
Bibliotheque-Nationale-Paris.jpg
and logos, a Greek word for study. It is the “scientific study of society, including patterns of
social relationships, social interaction, and culture.” (Calhoune, 2002) The operative term
scientific refers to the methodological and theoretical rigor that sociology applies in its study of
society and human behavior.
Just like anthropology, sociology has discipline-based concepts that aid in the understanding of
human behavior and groups. The Sub-disciplines of Sociology
Auguste Comte (1760-1825) was a French philosopher who advocated the idea of “positivisim”
or the use of empirical investigation to understand society and social phenomena. The term
sociology was coined by Auguste Comte in 1830 and is considered as the Father of Sociology.
Sociology is a cognitive tool to understand society, institutions, and their impact on human
behavior.
The Sub-Disciplines of Sociology
According to Hauser, sociology may be divided into seven areas. For purposes of research and
teaching, these are:
1. Social Organization studies that involve social structures such as institutions, social groups,
social stratification, social mobility and ethnic groups.
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 12
2. Social Psychology study the impact of the rules of their culture. It is an
group of life to a person’s nature and organization that caters to a human’s need
personality. for belongingness in a group.
2. Social Interaction
3. Social Change and Disorganization Social Interaction is a compilation of ways
inquires the shift in social and cultural and means by which humans interact with
interactions and the interruption of its each other within the boundaries of the
process through delinquency, deviance, society. By interaction, it is a mutual and
and conflicts. reciprocal influencing by two or more
people of each other’s feelings, attitudes
4. Human Ecology studies human and action.
behavior to existing social institutions.
Human subjects are treated in the context
of an ecological/environmental element that
defines human behavior.

5. Demography inquires on the

interrelationship between population
characteristics and dynamics with that of
political, economic, and social system.
Fig. 3.2. Filipino protesters facing the anti-riot
6. Applied Sociology used sociological police force in front of US Embassy Source:
https://images.app.goo.gl/xFwQnSb2C6hjpYq1A
research and methods to solve
contemporary problems. It often used an
interdisciplinary approach to better address In public protest such as shown in Figure
social problems. 3.2, there are layers of social interaction, we
can conclude several points about social
7. Sociological Theory and Research interactions, and these are the following

is concerned with the discovery,

development, and replication of 1. Space is not an issue 2. There could
research tools that will test the be multiple and
applicability of the principles of group of simultaneous interactions 3. A dialogue
life as basis for the regulation of the could have an active and
social environment. inactive end 4. Subject-positionality is
present in any
Sociological interaction. 5. The meanings we ascribe to
concepts the actions of others are informed by the
values and norms that are upheld in our
1. Society society.

Society can be defined as a product of

human interactions as humans subscribe to 3. Social Organization
 Social Organization refers to the structurally divided into layers of contexts
interrelationship of parts of society. As and positions that help perpetuate its
society is an organization in itself, it is existence. The positions created within a
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 13
society constitutes the category of status. varying environments and social conditions.
This include being a student, a son, and a Sociology also broadens our
parent. experience as we learn to discard our
Roles is a set of accepted behaviors that prejudices and biases as we become more
define the individual’s response and understanding and tolerant of the customs of
inclinations. The role of the government other people.
official is to ensure that the people’s The results of sociological
needs are addressed through investigations provide a better background for
government projects and policies. meeting and solving social problems. Law
Group is a basic unit of organization. It makers employ sociologists to undertake
involves at least two individuals who are sociological studies on particular social
in constant interaction based on their problems before they propose a bill that would
statuses and roles. address the problem.
Institutions are established when roles,
Sociology has the capacity of informing a
statuses and groups are perpetuated
society’s trajectory through research-based
within the context of society. Institutions
policy making.
are the building blocks of a society, as it
is through these that norms are produced
from the consistent exchanges of Essential Learning
individuals and groups.
Sociology has been defined as the social
4. Social Structure and Agency science which deals with the study of society
and social interactions taking place within it. As
This field is the foundation of every
a discipline, sociology plays an important role in
society from which emanates the possible
understanding the individual and the society to
roles, statuses, institutions and
which he belongs. And as a process of inquiry,
organizations. The common analogy used
sociology provides systematic analysis of
to describe social structure and the
various social phenomena.
elements of society is that of a building.
The building in itself can be considered as
the society. The pillars and foundation of
the building is equated to the social
Congratulations! You are done with
structure.
our third lesson.

Value of Sociology for the 21st Century To check if you fully understand this lesson
kindly answer the following questions below,
Sociology was established at a time and write your answer on the activity sheet
when society was changing drastically due to provided at the back page.
technological and political developments.
Sociology finds its value today in providing us 1. What is your own definition of sociology? 2.
with a conceptual tool in understanding the Why is sociology a scientific discipline? 3.
difficulty of humans as they adapt to their What are the elements of social
 interaction? 4. Does sociology significant to 6. Why is sociology important to the individual
the lawmakers in the government system? Why and the society as a
or why not? 5. How does sociology contribute whole?
to the understanding of contemporary issues?
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 14
Political Science as a justice.
Discipline 2. Comparative Politics
This aims to provide context to the
What is the difference between a
differences in government and political
political scientist and a common individual in
system.
discussing the efficiency of government
projects? The layman interprets the actions of
the government based on his or her experience 3. International Relations
of it while the political scientist uses the rigor of This study the state-to-state relations
scientific inquiry to evaluate the performance of and the wider margin of the impacts of
the government. globalization and climate change such
Political science comes from the two as terrorism, piracy, and
Greek words: polis and scire. Polis refers to the democratization of non-Western
city state in ancient Greece. The political territories.
activities within a polis are later termed as
politikus (Latin). Scire means “to know.” 4. Political Behavior
Combining the two meanings, political science This studies the attitudes, knowledge,
aims to know the activities within the state. and actions of an individual in response
Such activities include the following: human to political variables such as policies
interaction and conflict, human and state created by the government, behavior of
relations, and power distribution. politicians, and general political
The American Political Science environment.
Association defined its discipline as “the study
of governments, public policies and political 5. Public Policy
processes, systems, and political behavior.”
This inquires on the types of
governmental policies and the
Sub-disciplines in Political underlying motivations for their
Science enactment and implementation. The
Political science is organized into general perspective that policies are
several sub-disciplines, each representing a created to better the living conditions
major subject area of teaching and research in within a territory.
colleges and universities.
6. Public Administration
1. Political Theory This examines the various
This examines the contemporary administrative schemes implemented
application of political concepts such as by government officials. It analyzes the
human rights, equality, peace and strategies applied by administrative
units in implementing the existing
 POLITICAL
SCIENCE
At the end of this lesson, I can:

1. Identify the subjects of inquiry and goals of political science.

2. Differentiate power and authority. 3. Recognize the functions
of state.
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 15
policies and the feedback mechanism society as a whole.
that they use to gain the opinion of the State
public. A state is a political entity that consists
of four elements: territory, government, people,
Political Science and sovereignty. According to De Leon, the
Concepts state is a community of persons more or less
numerous, permanently occupying a definite
portion of territory, having a government of
Politic
their own to which the great body of inhabitants
s
render obedience, and enjoying freedom from
This is the central concept in the external control.
discipline, it may be defined as the exercise of
governmental power and the attempt to acquire
Government is the set of personnel
or hold onto government office.
who manages the affairs of the state in its act
According to Max Weber, politics is of allocating scarce values. Its existence is
the exercise of power within a state. dictated by the political system that it revolves
on.
Power versus
Authority Sovereignty is the capacity of a political
Power is the heart of politics. Max system to make independent decisions within
Weber defined power as the ability to control its territory that cannot be overruled by any
the actions of others, regardless of their other body.
wishes. Power may be based on the use of
force, holding a political office, or it can be the Territory is the geographic space in
authority of a parent over a young child. which the sovereignty of a state is exercised.
Weber’s definition refers to the relations According to De Leon, a territory includes the
between two parties. It implies that one of the terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains, including
parties exercise power over the other. its territorial seas, the seabed, the subsoil, the
insular shelves, and other submarine areas.

Fig. 4.1 Illustration of

power

Authority is more limited than power.

Weber defined authority as the probability that
a command with a given specific content will be
obeyed by a given group of persons. The
emphasis here is on the command of power
among a group of individuals rather than on
 Fig. 4.2 Illustration of diplomatic corporations)
authority
• Maintenance of strong economic ties to
Fig. 4.3. Territorial map of the Philippines Source:
https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2011/aug2011/187167.jpg the world of commerce.
People is the most crucial element of Essential Learning
state, as it is through the existence of the
people that concepts on government, state, Political Science is a discipline within the
territory and sovereignty take shape. In the social sciences that specializes in the
context of political science, the term people is understanding of the allocation of scarce values
synonymous to nation. A nation is a concept within a territory. Power, a highly coveted
that is related to ethnicity, as people within it political value, is the capacity to enforce policies
are bound by cultural and historical ties. on a majority even if the enforcing unit is a
minority. Being an interdisciplinary discipline,
political science is able to explore various
Functions of the
inquiries that relate to interstate relations, local
State
governance, political culture, and even public
policy. It is in this broadness that political
The state is the formal structure of science finds its significance in contemporary
government. It is the institution whose functions society as it presents alternative ways of
are carried out by the government. understanding sociopolitical phenomena and
Government is working arm of the state which promotes research-based solutions to politically
provides social control through its political oriented problems.
processes, the laws it establishes and
implements, and the work of its agencies.

The main manifest functions of the state

are:

• The maintenance of peace and order

(through the national and local police and
the military)
• The regulation and control of the lives of
the people (legislative enactments of laws
and rules as code of conduct)
• The administration of justice (through the
courts)
• The protection and defense of the state
from outside invasion (through the Armed
Forces of the State)
• The administration of public and social
services (through the national and local
executives)
• Conducting foreign affairs (through the
 Power is a political value that is limited in public policy? 3. What is the difference
distribution but highly demanded by the between power and
populace. authority? Please cite an example. 4. Why is
Congratulations! You are done with people an important element of
our fourth lesson.
state? Prove your point by giving example.
5. What is your stand on the Philippine
To check if you fully understand this lesson
territorial dispute or argument with China over
kindly answer the following questions below,
the area referred to as West Philippine Sea or
and write your answer on the activity sheet
South China Sea? 6. Give one function of state
provided at the back page.
and explain its
1. Why is it that politics will always be a part importance. 7. How does political science
contribute to the
of our lives? 2. How is public administration
different from resolution of contemporary issues?

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 16

NAM
E:

HUMAN
VARIATION
ACTIVITY 1

1. Give your own definition of

nationality

2. Differentiate and give example

of
 Natural born Filipino citizen vs. Naturalized Filipino
citizen

3. Gender vs.
Sex
Gender Sex

Definitio
n

Exampl
e

4. Enumerate and define 10 different kinds of

gender
Gender
identitie
s
Natural born Naturalized
1
Definitio .
n
2
Exampl
.
e

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 17

 3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10

5. Illustrate or draw the socioeconomic class in the

Philippines

6. What is the top 3 common religion in the

Philippines?
Religion Classification

1s
t

2n
d

3r
d
 7. Monotheistic vs.
Polytheistic

Monotheistic Polytheistic

Definitio
n

Exampl
e

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 18

NAM
E:

ANTHROPOLOGY ACTIVITY 2 What

Have I Learned So Far?

1. What elements make anthropology a holistic

discipline?

____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
________

2. How was culture developed through the physical changes that occurred in early
humans?

____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
________
3. Why is bipedalism an important development in the physical capacity of
humans?

____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
________

4. Why is it important to study human

evolution?

____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
________

5. Do you believe in Darwinism theory of human evolution? Why or why

not?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_____________________________________________________________________
________
_____________________________________________________________________
_______

6. How is percussion flaking essential to the Oldowan

industry?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_____________________________________________________________________
________
_____________________________________________________________________
_______
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 19

7. What distinguish the Aurignacian industry from the earlier

industries?

____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
_________
____________________________________________________________________
________

Complete the table

below.

INDUSTRY MATERIAL CULTURE

1
.

.
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 20

NAM
E:

SOCIOLOGY ACTIVITY 3 What

Have I Learned So Far?

1. What is your own definition of

sociology?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

2. Why is sociology a scientific

discipline?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

3. What are the elements of social

interaction?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

4. Does sociology significant to the lawmakers in the government system? Why or

why not?
 _____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

5. How does sociology contribute to the understanding of contemporary

issues?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________

6. Why is sociology important to the individual and the society as a

whole?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 21

NAM
E:

POLITICAL SCIENCE ACTIVITY 4

What Have I Learned So Far?

1. Why is it that politics will always be a part of our

lives?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

2. How is public administration different from public

policy?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

3. What is the difference between power and authority? Please cite an

example.

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

4. Why is people an important element of state? Prove your point by giving

example.

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

5. What is your stand on the Philippine territorial dispute or argument with China
over the
area referred to as West Philippine Sea or South
 China Sea?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________

6. Give one function of state and explain its

importance.
_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________

SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 22

7. How does political science contribute to the resolution of contemporary
issues?

_____________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________

CREATE AN ILLUSTRATION OR DRAWING OF A COMMUNITY WITHOUT A

GOVERNMENT
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 23
References Beltran, J. (2013). Sociology and Society. Metro
Manila: Grandbooks Publishing.

Gonzales, M.C. (2019). Understanding Culture, Society and Politics. Makati City: Diwa
Publishing

San Juan, W. & Centeno, M.L. (2011). General Sociology. Mandaluyong City: BOOKS
Atbp. Publishing

Singh, V. (2017). Modern Synthesis. Springer Link,

Retrieved from:

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-47829-
6_203- 1#:~:text=Theory%20of%20Evolution-

Stages of Evolution, (n.d) toppr. Retrieved

from:

https://www.toppr.com/guides/biology/evolution/stages-of-
evolution/
SOCSCI12-Understanding Culture Society and Politics UNIT 1-Page 24