Social Cultural and Political Change

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE,
SOCIETY AND POLITICS
Prepared by: Ms. GLADYS MAE F. OCAYA LPT.

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Cultural, Social, and
Political Change
Defining Social, Cultural, and
Political Change
 Social change is the alteration in patterns of culture, social structure,
and social behavior over time.
 As observed by Heraclitus, no society can successfully prevent

change, not even those that try to do so. (Robertson, 1987).
Meanwhile, change in the cultural patterns of behavior and values is
called cultural change.
 Changes in tangible or material aspects of culture and intangible or

non-material aspects of people’s lives are also part of cultural
change.
 Another aspect of change is called political change.
 It is the change in the political patterns of behaviour and values of

individuals as well as political institutions that hold power and control
society.
Sources of Change
 Sociologists have identified four key sources of social, cultural, and

political change: innovation, diffusion, acculturation, and
assimilation.
Innovation
 It is defined as an “independent invention to creatively find solutions to
problems” (Kottak,2000).
Two Types of Innovation

• There are two types of innovation: primary and secondary innovation.
1. Primary innovation occurs when an individual or a group comes up

with a completely new idea, method, or device (Haviland, Prins,
Walrath, and McBride, 2008).
Example:
 The invention of photography, for example, has altered how people

view reality as it allowed individuals to capture moments and, later
on, record events through video cameras.
2. Secondary innovation occurs when an individual or a group
further develops or improves on an already existing idea,
method, or device (Haviland, Prins, Walrath, and McBride,
2008).
Example: Smart phones and other forms of wireless

communication are improvised versions of the telephone.
Diffusion
• It is the act of spreading culture, tradition, objects, and ideas to other

societies.
Two Types of Diffusion

• There are two types of diffusion:
1.Direct diffusion occurs through trade, marriage, and war (Kottak,

2000).
Example: the use of silk cloth was introduced by the chinese to the
filipinos through trade.
2.Indirect diffusion occurs when a group comes in contact with another
group indirectly through third party.
Example: when merchants bring new products, languages, customs, and

beliefs that originated from a certain area and carry those things to
another place. In this case, the two places have no direct contact,
but influences are shared through the arrival of the merchants.
Acculturation
• Is the third source of social, cultural, and political change.
• Acculturation is a product of a massive cultural change.
• It entails a show of force by one party over another (Haviland, Prins,

Walrath, and McBride, 2008).
• Example: In the Philippine setting, Filipinos became accustomed to

the Spanish penchant for fiestas and merriment that such
celebrations assumed a local flavor.
Assimilation
 Occurs when the minority group loses its distinctive cultural traits
and adopts or absorbs those of the dominant culture (Robertson,
1987).
 Example: Various racial groups have also assimilated to the pluralistic

culture of the US.
 Overall, social, cultural, and political change matter to human
life, society, and progress because they serve as barometers to
the rise and fall of civilization.
Social Contradictions and
Tensions
 Social, cultural, and political change are often positively seen as a

mark of human progress. However, societal changes do not always
start and ascend smoothly and peacefully.
 Revolutions are sometime waged to create a just society.

Inter-ethnic Conflicts
 The cultural feature of a specific group of people is called ethnicity.

From a sociological viewpoint, an ethnic group is a category of people
who, as a result of their shared cultural heritage, are regarded as
socially distinct.
Class Struggle
Tensions are contradictions significantly operate in a class system,

which is an open form of stratification based primarily on economic
statuses, which may be subject to change.
Class membership, then, is an achieved status, one that depends to

some extent on characteristics over which the individual has some
control.
Armed Conflicts
• Armed conflicts happens in many parts of the world because of attempts

to settle through violence disputes over political power, territorial and
ethnic issues, and societal stresses, such as injustice and poverty
(Holdstock & Jarquin).
Terrorism
• Terrorism is a violent and potent means of pushing social change and

gaining worldwide attention. In recent years, international terrorism
is strongly connected with radical and extremist groups that commit
violent acts, such as bombings, hijackings, assassinations, and
kidnappings.
Protests
 Protest is the simplest form of expressing disgust, contradiction, and

tensions through a collective manner.
 A protest can be expressed in written, verbal or non-verbal forms.
Gender Inequality
• Gender inequalities are often the primary causes of tensions and

conflicts.
• Gender is defined as the culturally learned differences between men
and women as opposed to sex which is the biological distinction.
Each society expects an individual to play his or her specific gender
roles; or the behaviour patterns, obligations, and privileges that are
appropriate for each sex.
New Challenges to Human
Adaptation and Social Change
 Major transformations in the new world order as a result of

deteriorating environment and social conditions like the increase in
the population and advancement in technology create new
challenges to human adaptation and social change.
 Modernization after all, is viewed not as a series of adjustments in
indigenous economic systems but a qualitative change in the
organization of society, culture, and even in the individual self.
 These are manifested in the following phenomena: global warming and

migration.
Global Warming
 Global warming occurs when there is a sudden heating up of the

earth’s surface brought about by excess hydrocarbons and pollutants
emitted from industries.
 These factors in turn destroy the ozone layer, which traps the sun’s
ultraviolet rays from its direct entry towards the earth.
Migration
• In the Philippines, transnational migration provides a strong impetus
for reinvention of roles especially within the threshold of the family
and society.
• Wives left by their husbands who work abroad as OFWs adopt the
traditional “masculine” role as pillar of the household in the absence
of a partner.
• In the same way, husbands who were left home by wives working
overseas adopt the traditional “feminine” role rearing children.
• Nonetheless, modern technology, like the existence of broadband
networks, the Internet, and social media sites eases the pain and
anxiety of separation through digital simulacrum, thus turning the
impersonal to the quite personal and even political.
Responding to Social, Political, and
Cultural Change
 Since change is generally inevitable in a society, people use

different ways and means to respond to change and manage
the impact it can generate both to an individual and society.
New Forms of Media and Social
Networking
 Fast and reliable internet connection gave people an equitable access
to information and ideas.
 Theoretically, this technological development is “a great victory for

democracy as popular participation can be handily realized with one
click (Magstadt, 2013).
Social Movements
 Social movements are activities organized by groups of people intended

to create effects beyond their own group (Zurcher and Snow, 1982 in
Newman, 2012).
 Social movements are often created when people are dissatisfied with
their social conditions and unable to meet their daily needs
(Newman,2012).
 Undeniably many social movements in the world advocate pro-poor

platforms by ensuring that the plight of the latter are ventilated to higher
authorities, especially in countries under oppressive regimes.

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UNDERSTANDING CULTURE,

SOCIETY AND POLITICS

Prepared by: Ms. GLADYS MAE F. OCAYA LPT.

What is the topic we talked

about last meeting?

 As observed by Heraclitus, no society can successfully prevent

 Changes in tangible or material aspects of culture and intangible or

 It is the change in the political patterns of behaviour and values of

 Sociologists have identified four key sources of social, cultural, and

Two Types of Innovation

1. Primary innovation occurs when an individual or a group comes up

 The invention of photography, for example, has altered how people

Example: Smart phones and other forms of wireless

• It is the act of spreading culture, tradition, objects, and ideas to other

Two Types of Diffusion

1.Direct diffusion occurs through trade, marriage, and war (Kottak,

Example: when merchants bring new products, languages, customs, and

• Is the third source of social, cultural, and political change.

• Acculturation is a product of a massive cultural change.

• It entails a show of force by one party over another (Haviland, Prins,

• Example: In the Philippine setting, Filipinos became accustomed to

 Example: Various racial groups have also assimilated to the pluralistic

 Social, cultural, and political change are often positively seen as a

 Revolutions are sometime waged to create a just society.

 The cultural feature of a specific group of people is called ethnicity.

Tensions are contradictions significantly operate in a class system,

Class membership, then, is an achieved status, one that depends to

• Armed conflicts happens in many parts of the world because of attempts

• Terrorism is a violent and potent means of pushing social change and

 Protest is the simplest form of expressing disgust, contradiction, and

• Gender inequalities are often the primary causes of tensions and

 Major transformations in the new world order as a result of

 These are manifested in the following phenomena: global warming and

 Global warming occurs when there is a sudden heating up of the

 Since change is generally inevitable in a society, people use

 Theoretically, this technological development is “a great victory for

 Social movements are activities organized by groups of people intended

 Undeniably many social movements in the world advocate pro-poor

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