Handout Intro ASP.pdf

UCSP Lesson 1: Understanding Culture, Society and Politics A. Culture – refers to the complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Studying Anthropology ANTHROPOLOGY – come...

UCSP Lesson 1: Understanding Culture, Society and Politics A. Culture – refers to the complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Studying Anthropology ANTHROPOLOGY – comes from the two Greek words anthropos which means man and logos which means science or study of. - Defined as the branch of knowledge that deals with the scientific study of man, his/her works, body, behavior, and value in time and space. a. Origin and Development - The beginnings of anthropology date back to the period of discoveries and explorations from the 15th to 18th century extending to the days of Western explorations, missionaries, and colonial conquerors. - The discoveries of antique tools and artifacts in France and other parts of Europe at the beginning of the 19th century proved the existence of man a million years ago. - According to Haviland (2000),” These discoveries took place when advances in chemistry and physics were made. These aroused an interest in scientific inquiry. b. Proponents: - Modern Anthropology was pioneered by: Lewis Morgan, Edward Tylor, and Herbert Spencer. Most of the early anthropologists were armchair theorists (who adopted a common-sense theme of an evolutionary view of humanity and human behavior). - Later, a higher level of research began using careful and thorough gathering of data about individual cultures. This new approach was adopted by Franz Boas and Alfred Kroeber. They were followed by Bronislaw Malinowski, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown, Ralph Linton, etc. - In 1914, Anthropology was elevated as an academic discipline at the University of the Philippines by H. Otley Beyer. First, it was offered as one of the courses in the Department of History and later merged with Sociology. B. Society – It is a product of human processes intended to meet basic needs for survival - Every Society is organized in such a way that there are rules of conduct, customs, traditions, folkways, and mores and expectations that ensure appropriate behavior among members (Palispis. 2007) - Thus, society is an important product of human interaction and interconnectedness. It symbolizes the group within which human beings can live a total common life - Studying society provides us with an idea of its importance as an equal, just, and humane society. Studying Sociology SOCIOLOGY - is the study of behavior or society, including its origins, development, organization, networks, and institutions. - It is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about social order, disorder, and change. a. Origin and Development - Sociological inquiry stated as soon as man developed some means of communication. - Meanwhile, the conscious adoption of the scientific approach began in the early part of the 18th century and the first quarter of the 19th century when social philosophers began to be interested in the natural development of the sciences that would eventually lead to the development of society. - During that time, Henri de Saint-Simon wrote his ideas on the science of society which he discussed with Auguste Comte, his student and secretary. - Meanwhile, Sociology was introduced in the Philippines by Fr. Valentin Marin in 1896 when he initiated a course on criminology at the University of Santo Thomas. - In 1939, Serafin Macaraig, the first Filipino to receive a doctorate in Sociology published his Introduction to Sociology which became the first text at the University of the Philippines. b. Proponents 1. Auguste Comte – recognized as the Father of Sociology - Coined the word Sociology in 1838 to designate his newly formulated science of the associated life of humanity. - He advocated the idea of positivism or the use of empirical investigations to understand phenomena. 2. Herbert Spencer - viewed societies as evolutionary, coined the term the survival of the fittest, and became known for social Darwinism. TJ_CALLE_2024 1  3. Emile Durkheim - studied the social factors that underline suicide and found that the level of social integration, the degree to which people are tied to their social group, was a key social factor in suicide. 4. Karl Marx - founder of the conflict perspective, believed that class conflict—the struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie—was the key to human history. 5. Max Weber - defined religion as a central force in social change; for example, Protestantism encourages greater economic development and was the central factor in the rise of capitalism in some countries. C. Politics – from the Greek word “polis” which means city-state - Struggle between and among actors with conflicting desires and authoritative allocation of values - Is the owning and exercising of power, rule, authority, and influence for whatever reason Survival (Instinct), Competition “Man is by nature a political animal” – Aristotle Social (Decision Making), Conflict, Interest - “The essence of social existence is politics and that two or more men interacting with one another are invariably involved in a political relationship” - Accdg. to Niccolo Machiavelli: “It is safer to be feared than loved, but it is best to be feared as to be loved”  Standard Definition of Politics: Includes some Essential Elements 1. Power - the ability to exercise authority over others 2. Rule - regulation or law governing procedures in a public or private body 3. Authority - a feature of a leader or an institution that compels others to be obedient, ability to control or direct the action of others 4. Influence - act, process, or act of producing an effect without apparent exertion of tangible force/direct exercise of command Q: When do we say that politics is good? When it is said to be bad? Studying Political Science POLITICAL SCIENCE - A social science dealing with a systematic study of the state and government (its essential nature, form, manifestation, organization, and development). - It is the systematic study of politics or the process by which governmental decisions are made. As a famous definition puts it, politics is determining who gets what, where, when, and how. - The student of politics, or political scientist may serve as an adviser to the political practitioner. The political practitioner is a politician. But of course, the same person may at the same be a political scientist and a politician. However, a political scientist as contrasted with a politician is deeply involved in the study of politics. a. Origin and Development: - Political science originated with the ancient Greeks in the 1st century BCE. During this time, the philosopher Plato wrote numerous dialogues about politics, asking about the nature of justice, what constitutes good government, and what is truly best for humanity. - His student Aristotle worked more scientifically, observing and describing types of governments systematically. - At the start of the 17th century, people began to apply the methods of the scientific revolution to politics. Thomas Hobbes, for example, employed the methods of geometry to break government down into its most basic parts to understand it. - In the nineteenth century, thinkers such as Karl Marx and Max Weber used sociological methods to analyze politics. b. Proponents: Plato – used the term “polis” (427–347 BC) Aristotle – Father of Political Science (384–322 BC) Niccolo Machiavelli – Father of Modern Political Science (16th century) Jean Bodin (1530 – 1596) a French political philosopher coined the term “Political Science” TJ_CALLE_2024 2