Understanding Culture Notes

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICS
Culture
• the set of beliefs, ideas, values, practices, knowledge, history and shared experiences, attitudes
as well as material objects and possessions, accumulated over time and shared by the members of
society.
Politics
Identity
What factors forge identities?
• sexual orientation and gender ( male, female, transgenders, transsexuals, intersex)
• Nationality
• Religion, etc.
Question: Why identities are important?

• Identities shape both individual and group behavior as well as people’s view about other people
and society.
Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science
• Systematic study of the biological, cultural and social aspects of man.

Social anthropology
Studies how social patterns , practices and cultural variation develop across different societies.
Cultural anthropology
-Studies cultural variation among societies and the need to understand each culture in its own
context.
Linguistic anthropology
 Studies language and discourse and how they reflect and shape different aspects of human
society and culture.
 Sociology
The study of human social life, groups and society. It incorporates other disciplines and present
new insights on the different aspects of society (culture, gender, race and ethnicity).
It seeks to explain the basis of social order and social change.
Improvements in social policy and welfare (gov’t program for poor and unemployed) rely on the
research performed by sociologists.
• Question: What makes Sociology different from Anthropology?
Political Science
Political Science is divided into various areas of interest:
Public Administration
• Examines government functions and how decisions and policies are made.
Political Economy
• Evaluates the interplay between economics, politics and law and its implication.
Comparative Politics
• Compares domestics’ politics and governance systems across different sovereign states
(independent authority state).
Society and Culture
Society
• a group of individuals sharing a common culture, geographical location and government.
• a community, nation or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions and
collective activities and interests.
A society is characterized by the presence of the following elements:

• Social solidarity, whereby members of the community live together for mutual benefit.
• Shared identity and culture. Serves as basis for people’s pattern of action and behavior.
• A common language.
• A large population and the ability to sustain succeeding generations of members.
• Definite geographical area.
• Presence of political, economic, and social organization.
Five Major Types of Societies According to Social Scientist:

2. Horticultural and pastoral societies
• A gradual shift from the hunting and gathering lifestyle for a more sedentary life.
• Agriculture is introduced for more stable food production whereby societies depend on
cultivation of plants and domestication of animals as a source of food.
3) Agricultural societies
• Food production became more efficient due to new methods of farming, the inventions of more
advance tools and the establishment of permanent settlements.
4) Industrial societies
• Agricultural societies transformed into industrial societies during and after the Industrial
Revolution.
• Technological advancements resulted in the invention of machines that improve production.
5. Post-industrialist societies
• emphasizes not the production of goods, but of services, which depend on intelligent designers
and users of technology.
culture
• The set of beliefs, ideas, values, practices, knowledge, history and shared experiences, attitudes
as well as material objects and possessions, accumulated over time and shared by the members of
society.
The Two Primary Types of Culture

• Material culture
• refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture.
These include homes, neighborhoods, cities, schools, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques,
offices, factories and plants, tools, means of production, goods and products, stores, and so forth.
• Non-material culture
• refers to a wide range of cultural components that are not physical items. Some examples of
non-material culture are symbols, language, values and social norms.
Society and Culture According to the Three Disciplines
SOCIETY AND CULTURE ACCORDING TO ANTHROPOLOGY

• Anthropology considers culture as the central focus of its discipline. Anthropology examines
and provides explanations for the existence of different cultural patterns as well as the
similarities and differences between cultures.
• Anthropologist have adapted two major views on how cultures should be considered in
comparison to others: ethnocentric approach and relativistic approach.
Ethnocentric approach
• The belief that one’s own culture is superior to others.
Ethnocentrism
• Diminishes or “invalidates” other ways of life and creates a distorted view of one’s own.
Extreme forms of ethnocentrism have led to wars or colonization.
Cite example of ethnocentrism.
Xenocentrism
• The tendency to consider their culture as inferior to others.
Cite example of xenocentrism.
Relativistic approach
• Considers cultures as equal and holds that there are no “superior” and “inferior” cultures and
each is unique in its own way.
Cultural relativism
• Recognizes and accepts the cultural difference between societies.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE ACCORDING TO SOCIOLOGY
• Sociology relates culture with the overall context of social order.
Structural functionalism
• Believes that society is a stable and orderly system, also consider culture as a glue that binds
society together, leading to social order.
Conflict theory
• a theory propounded by Karl Marx that claims society is in a state of perpetual conflict due to
competition for limited resources.
• It holds that social order is maintained by domination and power, rather than consensus and
conformity.
Symbolic interactionism
• Views individual and group behavior and social interactions as defining features of society.
• Believe that culture provides shared meanings to the members of society.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE ACCORDING TO POLITICAL SCIENCE

• Political Science also examines culture as a vital aspect of society. Culture is seen an important
element in building social capital and could also lead to future conflicts and division.
Multiculturalism
• An ideology that acknowledges and promotes cultural diversity within society.
• Entails the establishment of political groups and institutions comprised of people from diverse
cultures.
Cultural sensitivity
• Instead of cultural relativism, some have advance concept of cultural sensitivity.

• Cultural relativism implies that all aspects of a particular culture should be accepted and even
celebrated.
• Cultural sensitivity advances awareness and acceptance of cultural differences but encourages a
critical stance in dealing with issues regarding diversity.
• This view believes that not all cultural practices, traditions and views can be integrated.

Understanding Culture Notes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Understanding Culture Notes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Understanding Culture Notes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICS

Question: Why identities are important?

Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science

• Systematic study of the biological, cultural and social aspects of man.

• Question: What makes Sociology different from Anthropology?

Society and Culture

A society is characterized by the presence of the following elements:

Five Major Types of Societies According to Social Scientist:

The Two Primary Types of Culture

Society and Culture According to the Three Disciplines

SOCIETY AND CULTURE ACCORDING TO ANTHROPOLOGY

Cite example of ethnocentrism.

Cite example of xenocentrism.

SOCIETY AND CULTURE ACCORDING TO SOCIOLOGY

• Sociology relates culture with the overall context of social order.

• Believe that culture provides shared meanings to the members of society.

SOCIETY AND CULTURE ACCORDING TO POLITICAL SCIENCE

• Instead of cultural relativism, some have advance concept of cultural sensitivity.

You might also like