Rochie Roasa (TVL Ad, 11 – Pearl)

Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

Week 1

Sociology Anthropology
- Scientific study of human society, origin, structure, function and direction - Social science that is concerned with human culture and its physical and
- Quantitative social science’ social characteristics that create culture
- Theories: polls, statistical analysis, sampling, and large collections of life - Often compare humans to another or even compare humans with animals
histories
- Data analyzed (often used by government and market researchers alike
- Practiced by Greeks - Observed and recorded by men since civilization (Herodotus and Tacitus)
- 19th Century (sociology was recognized as an academic discipline and - 18th century (codified study of cultures began)
became part of the university curriculum) - Done by Westerners (brought forth the racist theories about advancement
of different groups)
- Socius (Latin term: companion or associate) - Study of humankind in all times and all places
- Logos (Greek term: study) - Careful systematic study of humankind using facts, hypothesis, and theories
- Concerned with other culture’s language, values, and achievement in the
art and literature
- Committed to experiencing other cultures
- “Social Order” (Robert Bierstadt) - Interested in the overall culture of a group of people (social institutions, art,
o Social science (concentrates on man: social behavior, activities, and history, mythology, common mores
life) - Study societies all over the world
o Categorical (body of knowledge about human society) - Includes archaeology
o Pure science (aims to provide knowledge about human society)
o Generalizing (general laws or principles about human interactions and
association about the nature, form, content, and structure of human
groups and societies)
o General science (concerned with human interactions and life in
general)
o Rational and empirical science
 Empiricism – approach that emphasizes the experience and the
facts that result from observation and experimentation
 Rationalism – stressed reason and the theories that result from
logical inference

Summary:
Sociology Anthropology
Fields of social science (study the behavior of humans within their societies)
Used to understand own society Study of culture of other people
Analyzing data from a specific study Look at the bigger picture of human culture
Hard science (hard data) Soft science (case studies)

Introduction to Sociology
- Studies the influence that society has on people’s attitude and behavior
- Begins in late 19th century Europe
- The greatest development of sociology has taken place in the US after World War II

Pioneers in the Study of Sociology

Auguste Comte (1798 – 1857)
- Born after the French Rev of 1789
- Proposed Philosophical position of Positivism
- Developed and coined the term “sociology”
- Founder of Sociology
Harriet Martineau (1802 – 1876)
- Translated Comte’s work in English
- Spoke in favor of the right of women, emancipation of the slaves and religious tolerance
- “Society in America” – examines religion, politics, child rearing, and immigration in the young nation
- Emphasized the impact that the economy, law, trade, and population on the social problems of contemporary society
- Intellectual scholars should act upon their conditions is a manner that will benefit society
Karl Marx (1818 – 1883)
- Thinkers of modern times
- Native German and later exiled to England
- Sociologist’s task is to explain conflict
- Conflict is shaped by the means of production
- Industrialization = two classes: owners and laborers
Herbert Spencer (1820 – 1903)
- Grew up in England
- Proposed parallelism between how society evolves in the same manner as animal species do
- Man as a member of a society is in a never ending competition and the name of the game is to win
Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917)
- Only person who studied discipline
- Provided insights to social forces = rise of global village
Rochie Roasa (TVL Ad, 11 – Pearl)
Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics
- Proposed four types of suicide based on the degrees of imbalance of social forces: social integration and moral regulation
- Suicide is not an ordinary phenomenon
Max Weber (1864 – 1920)
- Focused on industrial revolution = rationalization
- Rationalization – way life is organized to accommodate large groups of people

Other sociologist
Albion Small
- Founder of department of sociology (University of Chicago)
- Established American Journal of Sociology
W.E.B. Du Bois
- Black American who researches race relations (US)
Wright Mills
- Urged sociologist to get back to social reform
Robert K. Merton
- Stressed that sociologists need to develop middle-range theories

The Development of Sociology in the Philippines

Serafin M. Macaraig
- First Filipino to acquire a doctorate in sociology
- Published a book “An Introduction to Sociology” (1938)
Fr. Valentin Marin
- Introduced Sociology in the Philippines w/ the opening of the criminology program (UST: 1950)

1952 – Filipino Pioneers organized the Philippine Sociological Society

1957 – The Community Development Research Council was created
1960 – Fr. Frank Lynch, SJ: founded the Institute of Philippine Culture (Ateneo de Manila Uni)
1972 – Xavier University was given credit as the first school which opens a program PhD in sociology
UP – offered bachelor in degree in sociology