Starting Points for the

Understanding of Culture
Society,
and Politics
Happy new year!!!
Lesson 1
Essentials in Studying
Culture,
Society, And Politics

Lesson 2
Anthropological and
Sociological
Perspectives on
Culture and
Society
Lesson 1
Essentials in
Studying Culture,
Society, And Politics
 Natural Science
and Social Science
Social Science is the study of how
people behave and interact in
society and culture, using
organized methods and research.
According to Nisbet (1974), it
includes subjects like
anthropology, sociology, political
science, economics, psychology,
and geography. Social scientists
use research to study how people
act and think, and they
understand that these behaviors
can change over time.
Social Science and Natural
Science are both types of
science, but they focus on
diff erent things. Natural
Science studies nature, like
how the world works and
what it's made of. Social
Science, on the other hand,
studies people, society, and
relationships. This diff erence
makes Social Science
interesting because it helps
us understand how people
interact and live together,
leading to new fields of study
about human behavior and
Sociol
Sociology is the study of human
relationships, society, and
interactions. A person's behavior
can change when they are part
of a group, which led to the
creation of sociology as a key
field in Social Sciences. The word
"sociology" comes from the Latin
socius (companion) and the
Greek logos (study). It focuses
on understanding social and
political issues in modern
society.
The Industrial Revolution brought major changes in
technology, work, and daily life, pulling people
from their homes, disrupting routines, and
weakening family bonds. These changes inspired
Auguste Comte (1798-1857) to study society,
leading him to coin the term sociology in 1838. He
aimed to understand and improve society’s
development and operations.Comte introduced
Positivism in his works Course on Positive
Philosophy (1830-1842) and System of Positive
Polity (1851-1854). He emphasized using scientific
methods—evidence, experiments, and statistics—
to study how societies and individuals interact,
helping sociologists analyze society more clearly
and systematically.
Karl Marx (1818–1883), a German philosopher and
economist, wrote The Communist Manifesto (1848)
with Friedrich Engels. This book explained Marx's idea
that society changes because of class struggles over
resources and production, disagreeing with Comte’s
views on positivism. Émile Durkheim (1858–1917)
helped make sociology a recognized field of study,
officially establishing it at the University of Bordeaux
in 1895. In his book The Division of Labor in Society
(1893), he studied how societies changed from simple
to industrial and capitalist. In Suicide (1897), he
researched suicide rates in Catholic and Protestant
communities, showing that social and religious
factors, not just individual psychology, influenced
these differences.
Max Weber (1864–1920) was a key figure in sociology
who focused on rationalization—the shift towards using
reason and science to understand the world. This led
modern society to rely heavily on scientific thinking.
Weber introduced bureaucracy as a structured and
efficient way of organizing life, based on scientific
principles. However, this focus on efficiency often
reduced the importance of personal relationships and
emotional connections.

Generally, Sociology is the study of society, where

people interact and work together to achieve shared
goals that they cannot accomplish alone (Gordon, 1991,
p.3).
Areas
of
It can be said that social science disciplines are
interrelated to one another
because of the nature and the core of its focus.
Thus, the following are the scope that
is encompassed by sociology.

1. Social Organization
2. Social Psychology
3. Human Ecology
4. Applied Sociology
5. Population Studies
6. Social Change
7. Sociological Theory and Research
Anthropolo
gy
Anthropology, a branch of Social Science, helps
us understand human identity as a whole. The
word comes from the Latin anthropos (man)
and the Greek logos (study). It studies all
aspects of humans, including biological
evolution and social and cultural traits that set
humans apart from other animals. Anthropology
has several branches. Physical anthropology
studies human biology and evolution. Social,
cultural, psychological, and linguistic
anthropology focus on human interactions and
cultures. Archaeology, a key part of
anthropology since the late 19th century,
examines prehistoric cultures through artifacts,
helping scientists understand and analyze
human history (Kuper et al., 2007).
Anthropology developed from scientific
progress in the Western world, inspired by
Charles Darwin’s, On the Origin of Species
(1859). Darwin’s ideas encouraged scientists to
study not only how humans evolved biologically
but also how their cultures changed over time.
Thinkers like Spencer, Morgan, and Tylor
explored the idea of cultural evolution.
Bronislaw Malinowski created the participant
observation method to study culture. This
means living with a group of people for a long
time to learn about their values, knowledge,
and way of life from their point of view (Howell,
2018). It helps researchers understand the
group more deeply by becoming part of their
daily lives.
Franz Boas, known as the Father of American
Anthropology, focused on opposing racism and
rejecting the idea that cultures evolve in a single,
fixed way. Instead, he supported historical
particularism, which says each society has its own
unique culture that can’t be compared to others.
He also promoted cultural relativism, the idea that
all cultures, whether simple or complex, are
equally valuable.

The word "culture" comes from the Latin cultura,

meaning cultivation. British anthropologist Edward
B. Tylor defined culture in his book Primitive
Culture (1871) as "that complex whole which
includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law,
custom, and all aspects of man as a member of
society." This definition is widely used to
understand and study culture.
Branches
of
Anthropo
The discipline of anthropology has diverse
branches that studies different level
of expertise within the bounds of human social,
cultural, and physical background.

1. Cultural Anthropology – The study of people

with their variations and progress
in terms of culture. It also deals with the
description and analysis of the forms
and styles of social life of past and present
ages.

2. Linguistic Anthropology – The study of

language mainly but not exclusively
among humans. It also deals with the study of
communication’s origins,
history, and contemporary variation.
3. Archaeology – The study of past human
cultures through their material
remains. It also the study of past human
culture through the recovery and
analysis of artifacts.

4. Biological Anthropology – The study of

humans as biological organisms,
including their evolution and contemporary
variation.

5. Applied Anthropology – They analyze social,

political, and economic problems
and develop solutions to respond to present
problems.
Political
Science
The term Political Science comes from two
ancient words:

"Political" is from the Greek word

polis, meaning “city-state.“
"Science" is from the Latin word scire,
meaning "to know.“
Political Science is a branch of social science
that focuses on the study of the state,
government, and politics. It examines political
theories, practices, systems, and behaviors.
Compared to other social sciences, Political
Science has a long and complex history. Its roots
go back to ancient Greek philosophers like
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Later, it took a
religious direction with Augustine and became
more secular through thinkers like Machiavelli,
Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. These modern
philosophers helped explain how Western
societies evolved from primitive conditions to
democratic systems. Their ideas shaped our
understanding of modern politics and
democracy.
Areas
of
Politic
al
To understand the nature of political science, it’s
important to know that it covers key parts of our
society, mainly:

1. Political Theory – It focuses on the basic

ideas, structure, actions, and functions of
how a state works.

2. Public Law – It refers to the rules and laws

that guide how the government is organized and
works.

3. Public Administration – It is a field of

study that focuses on public service and how
governments work.
4. Political Dynamics – It is a part of Political
Science that looks at how different social forces
shape political decisions and actions.

5. Government and Business – It

focuses on the role of government in regulating
and overseeing businesses and corporations,
especially in relation to the national economy.

6. Legislatures and Legislation –

Legislation is a complex process that can also be
studied as a field. It helps explain how laws are
made, the structure of the law-making body, and
how it is organized.
7. International Relations – It involves studying
a country's foreign policy and how different factors—
like geography, technology, psychology, and politics
—affect and shape that policy.

8. International Law – It is a system of

agreements and treaties that outline the duties one
country has to another.

9. Comparative Government – It is a field

that studies and examines the overall structure
of governments in all countries. This includes
the different branches (executive, legislative,
and judicial), their constitutions, laws,
organizations, foreign policies, political parties,
processes, and their economic, social, and
political roles, as well as their cultures and
traditions.
Importanc
e of
Studying
Culture,
ON CULTURE

We need to understand how people relate

to their environment and recognize the role
of culture in our lives. Banaag (2012)
suggested that culture serves many
purposes and is important in various ways.
We need to understand how people relate
to their environment and recognize the role
of culture in our lives. Banaag (2012)
suggested that culture serves many
purposes and is important in various ways.
• Culture helps people be creative and resourceful
by adapting to their environment to survive.

• Culture defines acceptable social behaviors, like

manners, roles, and duties, through customs,
traditions, and laws.

• Culture communicates meaning through both

words and actions.

• Culture creates useful objects, such as tools,

equipment, buildings, and technology.

• Culture improves human life, making it more

enjoyable, easier, and comfortable.
On Society

Societies are created when people

interact with each other. Members
need to know their roles and
responsibilities to keep things
organized. So, society is important for:
• Building human connections and
relationships.

• Showing the identity of its members.

• Defining the boundaries of a

territory.

• Representing political freedom and

economic cooperation.
On Politics
Every society has its own unique political structure.
Political science focuses on studying government
and state processes. To understand politics better,
we can think of it as asking who gets what, where,
when, and how.

Politics is an important and necessary response to

everyday challenges, as collective action is often
more effective than acting alone. According to Lazo
(2009), the goal of Political Science is to teach
citizenship. It encourages students to participate in
society and understand their duties and
responsibilities. It helps students:
• Understand the theories, concepts, and
principles of governance, public
administration, and political dynamics.

• Learn the importance of following and

respecting state policies and laws.

• Prepare for careers in law, government

service, and other professions that
require knowledge of legal matters and
procedures.
 The Goals of
Anthropology,
Sociology, and
Political Science
Studying anthropology, sociology, and political
science helps us understand how different
societies live and what gives their lives
meaning. It shows us how society works
through its culture, influenced by both inside
and outside forces of power. This helps us
learn the goals of these three fields.
Lesson 2
Anthropological and
Sociological
Perspectives on Culture
and
Society
Perspectives on
Culture
Culture is a broad and complex term that's
hard to define. Many scholars and social
scientists have different views on what
culture truly means. Since culture covers
everything about human life, it's difficult for
experts from various fields to agree on a
single definition.

Matthew Arnold, in his Culture and Anarchy

(1867), said that culture, or "high culture,"
is different from popular culture (or
folkways). He believed that high culture is
created through special intellectual or
artistic efforts made by humans.
Kroeber & Kluckhohn (1952) defined culture as a
collection of behaviors (both visible and hidden)
that are learned and passed on through symbols.
It includes the unique achievements of a human
group, expressed in things like artifacts,
traditional ideas, and values. They also
mentioned that culture systems are the result of
actions influenced by the social environment.

Schwartz said that culture is made up of

experiences that are organized, learned, or
created by individuals in a society. These
experiences, including images and
interpretations, are passed down from one
generation to the next.
Aspects of Culture
Key aspects of culture that improve human
interaction and socialization include:

1. Dynamic, Flexible, & Adaptive

•Culture constantly changes over time. It

depends on the structure of society and the
ability of its members to adapt and respond.

2. Shared & Contested

• Culture, through its elements, is shared by

groups of people who live together. It helps
members predict each other's behavior, but
it doesn’t guarantee that everyone will think
or act the same way.
3. Learned through socialization or
enculturation
• Culture is learned through practice and is a
continuous process. It is a lifelong journey
where social interaction plays a key role.

4. Patterned social interactions

• Culture creates patterned behaviors and
social interactions that are passed down
through socialization and learning cultural
traditions.

5. Integrated and at times unstable

• For culture to function properly, its
components must stay connected. Language,
in particular, must preserve its ideas and
values to ensure successful communication
from one person to another.
6. Transmitted through
socialization/Enculturation

Socialization is the process of learning and

adopting the rules and patterns of society
(Sociological Perspective), while enculturation
is the process of learning and adopting the
customs and behaviors of a culture
(Anthropological Perspective).

7. Requires language and other forms of

communication

• Culture can be successfully passed on if it

uses language and other forms of
communication that fit within its context.
Types of Culture
Culture is made up of:

• Material culture - includes things you can

see and touch, like objects and tools.

• Non-material culture - includes things

you can't touch, like beliefs, ideas, and
values. Both are found in every society.
Elements of
Culture
To fully understand the concept of
culture, it’s important to know the
different elements that make it up. The
University of Minnesota (2010) listed
these elements:
 Theoretical
Perspectives on
Society
The term "society" has greatly influenced
experts in social science. It helped them
understand society as a system of rules,
authority, cooperation, groups, and
divisions, with both control over and
freedom for human behavior. These ideas
helped modern scholars better understand
society. Auguste Comte, the Father of
Sociology, created the term sociology and
described society as a social organism with
a balanced structure and function. His
followers were inspired to share their own
views on society.
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) believed that
emerging societies were based on survival
and natural law. He said that people in
society must adapt to their environment to
survive the conditions around them.

Karl Marx (1818-1883) had a different view.

He argued that societies develop through
class conflicts, where workers struggle
against capitalists due to exploitation. This
conflict drives social change, and Marx
believed that the only way to end it was
through a social revolution.
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) believed that
society is made up of elements like individuals,
organizations, and institutions, which must
work together to function properly. If they are
out of balance, problems can occur.

George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) and other

scholars focused on symbolic interactionism,
which looks at how individuals interact using
language and symbols. Herbert Blumer (1969)
studied how people attach meaning to things
based on the situation. Erving Goffman (1958)
compared social interactions to a play, where
people act according to their roles.
Charles Horton Cooley (1902) believed that
society and individuals are connected, not
separate. He developed the concept of the
"looking glass self," which suggests that how
we view ourselves is influenced by how others
see us. Our identity or personality changes
based on others' perceptions of us.

Contemporary scholars like Morris Ginsberg

(1921) said that society is a group of people
connected by specific behaviors, which set
them apart from others with different
behaviors. Franklin Giddings (1922) stated that
society is a unified organization, made up of all
the formal relationships that bring people
THANK
YOU!
Hope you
had fun!