Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

• This lesson is about key observations in culture, society, and politics, considered part of social sciences.
• Culture is defined as customary beliefs, social forms, and traits defining racial, religious, or social groups.
• Society comes from the Latin word "socius," meaning comrade, companion, or friend. It refers to individuals interacting or sharing a geographical or social territory.
• Politics comes from the Greek word "Politika," meaning city affairs. It refers to governing a human community.

Observation of a School as a Social World

• Questions posed for observing a school as a social world include:
  • What type of students attend?
  • What items do they bring?
  • What activities do they participate in?
  • What areas do they frequent?
  • What interactions occur between different groups?

Culture, Society, and Politics as Conceptual Tools

• Concepts are tools for understanding phenomena.
• Concepts describe the rational purpose of a word or conception.
• Concepts allow forming new concepts, relating existing ones, or deconstructing and replacing old ones.
• Concepts can be considered a means, not an end—a tool for discovery.

Examples of Cultural Concepts

• Culture allows anthropologists to explore and understand the diverse ways of living.

Humans as Social Beings

• Sociality is defined by assigned social categories.
• These "labels" indicate worth and value within society.
• Gender, for example, reflects how culture perceives individuals within society.

Social Realities: Behavior and Phenomena

• Observations of situations reveal different ways of behaving and making sense of the world.
• Why do certain behaviors exist in some places and not others?
• What makes these behaviors normal and acceptable in certain contexts?

Social Behavior and Phenomena: Filipino Examples

• Istambay: A Filipino term for "standby," describing individuals who are jobless, lazy, or unproductive.
• Lagay: The act of giving bribes to expedite or fix applications.
• Food Taboos: Restrictions on food consumption based on religious beliefs, life stage, or social class.
• Mañana Habit: Procrastination and putting off responsibilities until another day.
• Same-Sex Partnership/Relationship: Relationships between individuals of the same sex.
• Padrino System: Patronage in Filipino culture where individuals gain favor, promotions, or appointments through family ties or friendships rather than merit.

Social Realities: Behavior and Phenomena - Scenarios

• Gary: A graduated student choosing to remain jobless and spend time with friends rather than finding work
• Mang Leo: A businessman who gives "padulas" (bribes) to suppliers.
• Seventh-Day Adventist Church: Members prohibited from pork, blood, and alcohol.
• Darius and Garner: An openly gay couple living together.
• Rusty: A student who receives a passing grade in economic class through his mother's childhood friend

Social Dynamics: Social, Political, and Cultural Change

• Selfie: A photo taken of oneself, typically shared on social media.
• Political Dynasty: A succession of rulers from the same family maintaining power.
• Transnational Families: Families living apart but maintaining unity and collective welfare.
• Youth Volunteerism: Donating time and energy for community welfare without seeking material rewards.
• Video Gaming: A game played by manipulating images produced by a computer program on a screen.

Scenarios and Phenomena Examples

• Alyssa: Taking selfies is an everyday activity for her after receiving a phone.
• Kapitan Santiago Imperial and Wacky: Illustrates a political dynasty scenario
• Parker: Living alone in a village while her parents work in Canada.
• Braylee: A youth volunteer who buys relief goods for typhoon victims.
• Louis Kingsley: Missed his chance to graduate high school due to excessive video gaming

Summary and Discussion

• The scenarios presented show various behavioral patterns, some emerging, others familiar, and demonstrate how culture, society, and politics affect individuals' daily actions.
• The presented scenarios highlight cultural patterns influencing behaviors and choices in Filipino society.
• How values and beliefs motivate behavior, with specific examples of beliefs and/or behaviours influencing choice.