Anthropology and Sociology: Perspectives on Culture and Society - PDF

SH1661 Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives on Culture and Society ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES · Unilineal Evolutionism states that new cultural forms emerge from the past that pass through similar stages of development. Example: from Animism to Monotheism i.e. Roman Cathol...

SH1661 Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives on Culture and Society ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES · Unilineal Evolutionism states that new cultural forms emerge from the past that pass through similar stages of development. Example: from Animism to Monotheism i.e. Roman Catholic or Islam · Cultural Diffusionism asserts that culture originates from one or more culture centers, which are results of borrowed elements of the new culture. Example: Filipino culture is influenced by Western civilization brought by the coloniza tio n of Western countries i.e. Spain. · Historical Particularism believes that each group of people has its own unique culture influe nced by its history, geography, and environment. Example: Filipino people are influenced by superstitious beliefs, which originate from their ancestors. · Anthropological Functionalism believes that cultural elements and practices are interrelated and interdependent and persist because they have a purpose. Example: Filipinos’ actions are influenced strongly by their religion. · Anthropological Structuralism conveys that cultural phenomena and practices have a relations hip to one another by which human organize and structure their experiences. Example: Father and Son; Husband and Wife · Cultural Materialism considers the idea that culture is influenced by technology, resources, economic values, and the utilization of things. Example: Pork is prohibited in the Muslim diet. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES · Functionalism views society as an organized network cooperating groups operating orderly to generally accepted norms. Example: To be able to produce more productive graduates in the community, the governme nt must pour money into education. · Conflict Perspective sees the social environment in a continuous struggle which is in contrast with Functionalism. Example: Rich versus poor · Symbolic Interactionism deals with patterns of behavior in large units of society such as organization, communities, etc. Example: Why does an individual in the community avoid eye contact when talking to a stranger? 02 Handout 1 *Property of STI Page 1 of 3  SH1661 · Evolutionism explains how human groups came to exist, grow, and develop. Example: Before people use telephones to communicate with one another, now with the advancement of technology, many of us use cellphones as a means of communication. SOCIETY · It is derived from the Latin word ‘societas’, which means ‘companion’ or ‘associate’. Thus, society refers to all people, collectively regarded as constituting a community of related, interdepende nt individuals living in a particular place, following a certain mode of life (Ariola, 2012). · According to Kornblum as cited in Baliao & Parcon (2011), society refers to a population of people that is organized in a cooperative manner to carry out the major function of life includ ing reproduction, sustenance, shelter, and defense. · Robertson (cited in Baliao & Parcon, 2011) defines society as a population that occupies the same territory which is subject to the same political authority and participates in a common culture. Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives on Society Since the study of anthropology deals with culture, it perceives society as a group of people sharing a common culture within a territory (Banaag, 2012). While sociologist view society as an association organized by men with a territory (Banaag, 2012). CULTURE · According to Zulueta (2006), the term culture has two notions: o It may refer to the individual’s taste, inclination, and interest in the “fine arts.” o It is referred to as being civilized. · Culture is a complex whole which encompasses beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and shares as a member of society (E.B. Tylor 1920 ). Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives on Culture Baliao & Parcon (2011) states that culture, in anthropological perspective, is a unique character of every human society which includes how we think, act, and what we own. Banaag (2012) implies that culture, in sociological perspective, is viewed as the imprint made by people. ASPECTS OF CULTURE Aspect here is defined as a part or feature of culture which has the following characteristics: dynamic, flexible, & adaptive; shared & contested through time; learned through socialization or enculturatio n; patterned social interactions; and integrated and at times unstable. · Artifacts – Objects made by human beings, either hand-made or mass produced · Arts and Recreation – Arts, Music, Drama and Literatures, Games and Sports, and Use of Leisure Time · Clothes – The people usually wear in the community · Customs and Traditions – The things we do · Food – The staple food that the people in the community often eat 02 Handout 1 *Property of STI Page 2 of 3  SH1661 · Government – The one that implement rules, keep peace and order, and address conflicts in the community · Knowledge – The psychological result of perception, learning, and reasoning · Language – The mental faculty or power of vocal communication · Religion – A strong belief in a supernatural power that control human destiny · Shelter – A structure that provides privacy and protection from danger · Tools – Objects used to improve the performance of a task · Values – The morals that we live by ORIENTATIONS IN VIEWING OTHER CULTURES As Banaag (2012) explains, in cultural relativism, culture only has meaning when taken into context. This means, it is wrong to compare, apply, and/or judge one’s own culture from another culture. Example: A cultural relativist would say that the Japanese think they are the smartest people because that’s their standpoint. · Ethnocentrism is the perception of one’s own culture as superior compared to other cultures. Example: Filipinos are outstanding workers all around the world. · Xenocentrism is the perception of one’s own culture as inferior compared to other cultures (Banaag, 2012). Example: Philippines is only a Third World country. References: Arcinas, Myla M. (2016). Understanding culture, society, and politics. Quezon City, Philippines: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc. Ariola, Mariano M. (2012). Sociology and anthropology with family planning. Manila, Philippines: Purely Books Trading & Publishing Corp. Baliao, Maria Elisa D. & Cristabel Rose F. Parcon. (2011). Society and culture in a changing world. Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. Banaag, Lee Mark T. (2012). Socio–anthro an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to the study of society and culture. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Books Atbp. Publishing Corp. Quizlet Inc. (2016). 12 Aspects of culture. Retrieved from https://quizlet.com/18587230/12-aspects- of-culture- flash-cards/ 02 Handout 1 *Property of STI Page 3 of 3  SH1661 The Complexity of Culture Culture is a people’s way of life. E.B. Taylor describes culture as “that complex whole, which encompasses beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and shares as a member of society. The What, How, and Why of Culture The Anatomy of Culture and Society Anthropology Sociology The What The How The Why Refers to the contents of Refers to the processes that Refers to the reasons for compliance culture guarantee the transmission of the and the mechanism that facilitate contents performance Actions Through Learned socialization/enculturation: Individuals are exposed to and experience lessons in everyday interactions. Language Shared Through conformity: The actions of individuals are routinized and institutionalized in contexts like family, church, schools, and government. Attitude Through social control: Conformity, or its absence thereof, is meted out through the system of giving Communicated rewards and imposing punishments Enculturation and Culture Shock Enculturation refers to the gradual acquisition of the characteristics and norms of a culture or group by a person, another culture, etc. Culture Shock is the feeling of uncertainty, confusion, or anxiety that people experience when visiting, doing business in, or living in a society that is different from their own. Social norms can vary significantly across countries and regions. Culture shock can arise from an individual's unfamiliarity with local customs, language, and acceptable behavior. Aspects of Culture E.B. Taylor, an English anthropologist, was the first to coin to term culture in the 18th century. The study of society is incomplete without a proper understanding of the culture of that society because culture and society go together. Explicit culture – refers to similarities in words and actions which can be directly observed. Implicit culture – exists in abstract forms that are not quite obvious Characteristics of Culture 1. Culture is social because it is the product of behavior. 2. Culture varies from society to society. 3. Culture is shared. 4. Culture is learned. 5. Culture is transmitted among members of society. 6. Culture is continuous and cumulative. 7. Culture is gratifying and idealistic. 02 Handout 2 *Property of STI Page 1 of 2  SH1661 Functions of Culture 1. Culture defines the situation. 2. Culture defines attitudes, values, and goals. 3. Culture defines myths, legends, and the supernatural. 4. Culture provides behavior patterns. Ethnocentrism refers to the tendency of each society to place its cultural patterns at the center of all things. It is the practice of comparing other cultural practices with those of one’s own and automatically finding those other cultural practices to be inferior. The term was coined by William Graham Summer. Cultural Relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and values are dependent on their cultural context and should be treated as such. It promotes a greater appreciation of the cultures one encountered along the way. Xenocentrism refers to a preference for the foreign. It is characterized by a strong belief that one’s own products, styles, or ideas are inferior to those which originate elsewhere. Xenophobia is the fear of what is perceived as foreign or strange. It may include fear of losing identity, suspicion of other group’s activities, aggression, and the desire to eliminate the presence of the other group to secure a presumed purity. Reference: Contreras, A., Dela Cruz, A., Erasga, D., & Fadrigon, C. (2016). The Padayon Series: Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc. 02 Handout 2 *Property of STI Page 2 of 2