UNDERSTANDING

CULTURE,SOCIETY AND
POLITICS
Culture
 Is the customary beliefs,social forms
and material traits of a racial,religious
or social group.
The sum of attitudes,customs and
beliefs that distinguishes one group of
people from another.
 transmitted through language,material
objects,ritual,institution and arts from
one generation to the next.
A way of life of a group of people- the
behaviors,beliefs,values and symbols that
they accept and that are passed along by
communication and imitation from
generation to the next.
 WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE
PHILIPPINES THAT MAKES IT
DIFFERENT FROM THE REST
OF THE WORLD?
ANSWER:

CULTURE
1. Filipinos are very resilient
2. Filipinos take pride in their families
3. Filipinos are very religious
4. Filipinos are very respectful
5. Filipinos help one another
6. Filipinos value traditions and
culture
7. Filipinos love to party
8. Filipinos have the longest
Christmas celebrations- ever
9.Filipinos love to eat
10. Filipinos love to sing
11. Filipinos loves art and
architecture

Example of Cultural Variation
 There are many differences between the various
cultures across the planet. These differences
include the way people interact, what they wear
and what they eat. Many cultural differences can
be explained by the environment and resources of
the region. For example, Japanese people eat
more fish than residents of the United States
because fishing is far more practical than raising
land animals in Japan. Cultural variations become
obvious when put side by side in large
multicultural cities.
 SOCIAL DIFFERENCE

 The differences among the individuals on

the basis of social characteristics and
qualities are known as social differences.
Social differences are the complex differences and they include
class, race, culture, age, ability, sex etc. Social differences can
create discrimination among the individuals on the basis of
their social characteristics. For example, if in a society,
individuals with high status are given more respect and
importance as compare to the poor or homeless people then
it is a social difference. Social differences can create a lot of
problems in a society because discrimination always result in
inequality, inferiority complex and other social problems.
EXAMPLE OF SOCIAL DIFFERENCE
 For example, if in a society, individuals
with high status are given more respect
and importance as compare to the poor
or homeless people then it is a social
difference. Social differences can create a
lot of problems in a society because
discrimination always result in inequality,
inferiority complex and other social
problems.
Cultural Variations and Social
Differences(Gender)
 Gender and Gender Roles- people play an impt.
roles in society depending on one’s age and
occupation. There are jobs that require a specific
gender to perform tasks while other jobs are
open to both men and women.
Gender
- Gender refers to social ,cultural and
psychological characteristics or traits related to
males and females based on certain social
contexts.
- Sex makes a person male or female,while
gender makes a person masculine or feminine
Gender Roles
 Refer to attitudes and behaviors that the society expects
a person to exhibit based on his/her sex.
 Examples..

Gender Roles in Pre-Colonial Philippine society

-During pre-colonial Philippines, males and females enjoy
same rights and privileges. There are different social
functions that are assigned to different members of the
society. However, there are functions that are specifically
given to males or females of both.
 Babaylan(Visayan) or catalonan(tagalog)- is a
shaman or priestess who performs various religious and
social functions.
- Can either be a man or a woman, but the role is often
given to women.
- Also considered a healer, an adviser and a seer
Gender Roles in the Philippine society
During Colonial Period
 Changed drastically. Women were restrained from other
activities outside homes. While men were given more social
functions. These roles also changed as the Philippines was
occupied by new colonizers.
-upon coming of the spaniards and the introduction of
catholicism, the babaylan lost their role in the religious life of
the indios. This role was taken over by catholic priests.
-women were also relegated to doing household chores and
taking care of children. More often than not, young women were
not sent to school;rather they re trained to be good wives and
mothers for their future families. Some women were also forced
to marry someone they do not love for economic and political
gain.
- During the American period,women became more
open.They were allowed to study and work in whatever
field they want. They also became “liberated”, which is a
term used by older people to refer to filipino women
who have adopted American values. Men and women
became equal in the sense that it is acceptable for both
genders to have jobs and to educated.
- Although men and women were able to maintain their
status in society during the Japanese period,women
were usually kept inside their houses to protect them
from abusive Japanese soldiers. Men also became busy
defending the country, with most of them serving as
soldiers.
GENDER ROLES IN CURRENT
PHILIPPINE SOCIETY
 Philippine society today is more open to allowing both
men and women to perform different tasks, not based
solely on gender, but on an individual’s capabilities and
strenghts. For example, fields like engineering, architecture
and medicine which often associated with men, have long
been open to women. Likewise, there are also a lot of
male teachers, nurses and even chefs and hairdressers.
In Summary:
 Gender is a set of characteristics that pertains to a
person’s masculinity or feminity while biology determines
sex.
 Gender refers to social,cultural and psychological
characteristics or traits related to males and females
based on certain social contexts.
 Gender roles refer to attitudes and behaviors that the
society expects a person to exhibit based on his/her sex.
 During pre-colonial Philippines males and females enjoy
the same rights and privileges. There are different social
functions that are assigned to different members of the
society.
 Gender roles during the colonial period had changed
drastically. Women were restrained from other activities
outside their homes,while men were given more social
functions. These roles also changed as the Philippines
occupied by new colonizers.
 Current Filipino society has become more open to
allowing people of different genders to do things not
based on their gender but based on their capabilities.
CULTURAL VARIATIONS AND SOCIAL
DIFFERENCES(SOCIO-ECONOMIC CLASS)
 The Philippine society can be categorized into various
socio-economic classes. During the pre historic times,our
ancestors have developed a society where people were
assigned with different social functions. However, as the
society changes,differences in one’s function in the society
became wider and more diverse.
Socio-economic classes during the Pre-Colonial
Period
- Prior to the coming of the spaniards, the community is
called a BARANGAY.
- It is headed by DATU or RAHA

Our Ancestors were divided into three different groups:

MAHALIKA( LEADERS AND ROYALS)
-1st social class
- Composed of the leaders(datu) and their families
-Also called the group of Maginoo,Raha or Gat
TIMAWA ( FREEMEN)
- 2nd or “middle”social class
- Composed of all freemen living in the barangay
- Consists of workers,warriors,merchants and others who
are not debt bondage
- Have their own property like their houses and a piece of
land to cultivate.
ALIPIN( Slaves)
- 3rd class
- Serve another person or family as payment for debt
- Became an alipin when their family lose in war with
another family
- Not bound to their master for life
- Can go back to their previous status as soon as they pay
off their debts, or if they marry a maharlika who will then
pay for their debt.
Two kinds of alipin:
Aliping namamahay
- Has their own property, like a house or a piece of land
- Often from the timawa class and became alipin because of
debt or as punishment for a wrong doing
Aliping saguiguilid
- Does not have the right to own any property
- Often came from a family of alipin or are captives in war
- Can also be sold or exchanged for goods or other alipin

Socio-economic Classes during the Spanish

Colonial Period
-Upon coming of the spaniards,they changed the society
and created a new set of socio-economic class. During this
period,the people were divided based on their ancestry-
Peninsulares,insulares,mestizo and india..
 Peninsulares
- Spaniards in the Philippines who were born in Spain
- Came from Peninsula” meaning” came directly from the
spanish peninsula

Insulares
- Spaniards who were spanish descent but were born in the
Philippines.
- Came from “insular”, meaning “from the Islands”
Mestizo
- Those of mixed ancestry
- Usually children of spanish and Chinese couples or of spanish
and Indio couples
- Have both economic and Political power,coming from their
mixed heritage

Indio
-consists of the natives
-The lowest class in the society
-were stripped of their rights and freedom and were forced to
bow down to the spanish
-were stripped of their rights and freedom and were forced
to bow down to the spanish colonizers
- Possible through education or in some cases,through
marriage

Key points

Knowing about one’s socio economic class is not a cause

for discrimination. Everyone in the philippines has the same
set of rights,regardless of his/her socio-economic class.
 Anyone can move from one socio-economic class to the
other,depending on his/her educational attainment and
decisions in life.
 If one can move from one socioeconomic class to a of
higher one,it is possible for one to move from a higher
class to lower one.
 Social mobility is the movement of people or families
within or between different levels in the society.
 Social stratification is the division of society based on
occupation and income,wealth or power.
CULTURAL VARIATIONS AND SOCIAL
DIFFERENCES(ETHNICITY)
 Ethnicity and Race
every society consists of people from different
families,ethnic groups and races. This makes society very
diverse and unique.
Ethnicity-refers to a group of people also called ethnic
group who have common or shared
culture,language,history,religion and tradition
Groups of people based on different social factors
Examples: Filipinos,MalaysAnglo- Saxons and muslims
Race – refers to a group of people who share the same
physical attributes,such as skin color,height and facial
features
Three major races:
Caucasoid,mongoloid,negroid
Physical Features Caucasoid Mongoloid Negroid
Skin color Fair yellowish dark

Hair Light colored; Straight: black Curly;black

Straight or wavy
Eyes Round Almond-shaped Large round

Others High nose bridge Low to medium Low nose bridge

nose bridge
Origin Americas and Asia Africa
europe
Ethnolinguistic Groups in the Philippines
 There are more than 180 ethnic groups in the Philippines
which are based on the laguage each group use:
8 major ethnoliguistic groups in the country
1. Ilokano
2. Kapampangan 8. Waray- waray
3. Pangasinense
4. Tagalog
5. Bikolano
6. Ilonggo
7. cebuano
 Other smaller ethnoliguistic groups in the country
- Ibanag
- Ivatan
- Sambal
- Subanon
- Maguindanoan
- Zambuangeno
Issues about race and ethnicity

 Ethnicity and race are categories that divide people based on

their social affinity or physical similarity. However,differences in
ethnicity and race made some people believe that one ethnic
group is better or superior than others. Thus this belief
creates discrimination and prejudice against people from
minor or perceived to be “inferior” ethnicity or race
 Different types of discrimination againsts one’s ethnicity or
race:
1. Racism- discrimination or prejudice based on one’s race
-1970’s white americans(caucasians) discriminated black
americans(negroid) who were decendants of immigrants from
african countries.
Ethnocentrism – discrimination or prejudice based on one’s
culture
- Muslim extremists discriminate christians and non
muslims in muslim countries because of their religion.
- Discrimination against one’s race may cause crimes
against it.
GENOCIDE
 Elimination of a group of people from the same
race,ethnic group,religion or nation.
- It is an extreme action against people from other
ethnicity or race.
- Holocaust during the world war II,done by the Nazis of
Germany and headed by adolf hitler,killed millions of jews
all over Europe.
Ethnic cleansing
 Is the harassment,race or forced migration of an ethnic
group to vanish them from a certain area or territory

Cultural Variations and Social Difference(Religion)

Religion as a cultural variation
- We live in a world with varrying and diverse cultures
- Cultural variation or differences take many forms within
and among societies. One of which is religion.
Religion- can be defined as a set of practices and behaviors
that relate to a group of people’s belief in a God or a group
of God’s.
 Sociologists studying religion consider it a part of
society’s culture
 In most cases, religion not only affects a person’s belief
but one’s way of life.

Variety of Religion
-there are many religions around the world.
- Among the major religions in the world are
christianity,islam,hinduism,taoism and buddhism
Religion in the Philippines
 The Philippines is a secular country, which means that the
government does not prescribe a specific set of activities
or laws based on religion. A citizens right to choose his or
her own religion is protected by the constitution.
 In the Philippines, the majority of the population are
Christians with a certain portion of the population
practicing Islam,particularly in the southern part of he
country.
 Different religions are being practiced in the Philippine
society today. This variation in religion is a product of the
evolution of Philippine society across time.
Understanding Cultural Variation in the
form of Religion
 Cultural variations do exist as exemplified through
different religions in the world,more so in our Philippine
society
 Fro example,Christians and Muslims believe in one
God,yet Hindus believe in many Gods,while Buddhists do
not.
 The sets of practices and beliefs of a particular religion
influence the behavior of its followers and their
interaction with other members of the society.
ISSUES SORROUNDING DIFFERENCES IN
RELIGION
 Because the people have different religions,issues and
conflicts between religious groups or denominations
cannot be prevented.

Problems/conflicts
- Since different religion does not only mean worshipping a
different God,conflicts sometimes arise between their
believers.
- Some believers of a particular religion feel like they are
being marginalized,while some feel like those following
other religions are taking advantage of their number
 It may come easy to be swayed by religious differences
and start a conflict. A believer or follower of a particular
religion may offend a follower of another religion if he/she
imposes his or her beliefs or practices of his/ her religion.
 In history,bloody wars happened because of religious
differences and fortunately conflicts continue until now
due to varying religions.
Solutions/actions
 To prevent conflicts,the Philipine Gov’t for example has
started recognizing some of the special days in difference
religions
 Employees are not required to work during Holy
week:wherein Catholics commemorate the suffering and
death of Jesus christ
 To those conflicts brought about by differences in
religion,the keyword here is respect and respect entails a
conscious effort of acquiring culturl knowledge and
understanding which this course is mainly about.
KEY POINTS
 Cultural Variation takes its many forms,one of which is
religion
 Religion is a set of practices and behavious that relate to
a group of people’s belief in a God or group of God’s
 Among the major religions in the world are
Christianity,Islam,Hinduism and Buddhism.
 In the Philippines,the majority of the population are
christians,with certain portion of practicing
islam,particularly in the southern part of the country
while some inhabitants practice Buddhism,taoism or
hinduism
 Protestants also believe in Jesus Christ,but they do not
share the same practices as Catholicism
 The Philippine govt has started to recognize special day in
different religions to give the believers freedom to
practice their own religions
 Despite being largely Catholic,the Philippines remains a
secular country. A citizens right to choose his her own
religion is protected by the Philippine Constitution.
 Many conflicts happened because of cultural variations
such as differences in religion
 Recognizing cultural variation and showing respect to
different religion can avoid conflict
 Respect can effectively be achieved through the conscious
Effort of acquiring cultural knowledge and understanding.
Cultural Variations and Social differences
(exceptionality)
Exceptionality and the Exceptionality People
- People has different characteristics,needs,desires,lifestyles
and challenges. However, there are people who from one
reason or another are prescribed or categorized by the
society as Exceptional.
- What do the words “gifted”, “Disabled”,
“challenged” mean to you? How does the society
influence your knowledge and attitudes towards
people with labels and differences?
 Exceptionality- a quality or a characteristic of a person
that makes him or her different an established norm in a
society
- Various physical and mental interference or problems that
affect a person and which makes it difficult for him/her
function properly in society
Existing categories of exceptionality
Behavior Communicat Intellectual Physical Multiple
ion Exceptionalit
ies
Excessive fears autism giftedness Physical
or anxieties disability
A tendency to deaf Mild intellectual Orthopedic
compulsive Disability impairment
reaction
Inability to Language Development Health A combination
build and impairment disability impairment of one or more
sustain such as asthma disabilities or
satisfactory impairment
interpersonal
relationships
Speech Blind and low
impairment vision
Exceptional People
 Who differ from societal and community standard of
normalcy
 With learning or behavioral problems and with physical
and sensory disabilities
 Who are intellectually gifted
NOTE: the characteristics which make a person
exceptional may have been acquirde from birth,through a
medical condition or through an accident.
Exceptional People: Challenges and
Problems
 Exceptional people,disabled or intellectual gifted
encounter challenges and issues in dealing with other
members of the society

Common problems and Challenges that exceptional people

experience:
Common problems and Challenges that
exceptional people experience:
Challenges/Problems Gifted With Disabilities
Limited access to Ok ok
educational opportunities
Limited services from the Ok Ok
government
Segregation or isolation Ok Ok
from society
Non recognition of some ok
economic,social and
political rights
Social and emotional ok
Key points
 Some of the problems and challenges that the exceptional
people experience are discrimination, limited access to
educational opportunities and isolation from society.
 By law, all public schools in the Philippines are mandated
to offer special education classes for all students learning
disabilities.
Cultural variations and social
Difference(Nationality)
Key points

- Nationality- is the person’s automatic membership to a specific

nation while citizenship is a person’s political status in a city or
state.
- No one will be able to change his nationality, but one can have
different citizenship
- Every person has a right to a nationality because it is a
fundamental human right
- Statelessness is not having a nationality of any country.
- The role of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees(UNHCR) is to identify statelessness people and
protect their rights,prevent statelessness from happening all
over the world and aid them in acquiring new citizenship in
other countries.
Chapter 2. Social,Political and Cultural
Behavior and Phenomena
 Social behavior and Phenomena- are broad and
complicated sociological concepts. These involve every
event between at least two individuals and include all
knowledge and experiences a person acquires in the
entirety of his lifetime.
 Social phenomena- are the individual,external and
social constructions that influence a person’s life and
development.
 Political Behavior and Phenomena- In
sociology,political behavior and phenomena include
events through which authority, governance and public
opinion are put into practice.
 A political behavior of a person or a group may be
influenced by their political views,ideology and levels of
political participation. An obvious example of an act of
political behavior is the act of voting.
 Political Phenomena- are not only limited to public
office as this also include how institutions like school, a
church or companies are ran and governed.
POLITICAL BEHAVIOR AND DEFINITION
PHENOMENA
ELECTIONS It is the formal and organized process of
electing or being elected, especially of
members of a political body or legislative
body
POLITICAL DYNASTY It is a term used in politics to refer to a
family in which several members are
involved in public governance
POLITICAL CANDIDATE It is when a political candidate seeks the
ENDORSEMENT BY A CELEBRITY help of a well-known or influential
personality in a campaign.
CULTURAL BEHAVIOR AND PHENOMENA
 Also known as bandwagon effect, a cultural behavior is
that when certain individuals behave a certain way merely
because other persons do as well.
 Cultural Phenomena happen when something or
someone gains widespread popularity. However,it is
noteworthy that it is not the subject that is the cultural
phenomena but rather a process of becoming famous.
Cultural Behavior and Phenomena
Popularity (fan Ban)
Social Media Buzz
Definition
Popularity is the state of being
linked,admired or supported by many
people. Formation of fan bases in a clear
manifestation of popularity. For
instance,singers,actors and
actresses,athletes and musical bands have
their group of fans.
Facebook,Twitter and Instagram are social
networking sites where many people are
members and interest with other
members through
information,picture,music and video
sharing.
Interaction within society
 The social,political and cultural behavior and phenomena
in the society are results of the intersection within
society. People talk and share stories. People share ways
of living among other things. People do things together
and work for the attainment of the common good and
social order. These behaviors,be they usual or not, are but
a natural response to changes, and ideologies developing
within society as a result of constant interactions
between members of society.
SOCIAL,POLITICAL AND CULTURAL
CHANGE
 SOCIAL CHANGE- is the transformation of social
institutions over time.
 CULTURAL CHANGE- Is the transformation of culture
or the way people live.
- Communication is a vital human process. Through
communication people exchange information and thoughts.
- unlike in the older times, comunication is made
easier
- nowadays,people can share information in just a
click. New media- social networking,texting(text
messaging),through e-mail and likes-have defied time and
distance
- While it makes the world as if borderless,this form of
communication may produce individuals who lack the
basic understanding of direct and personal connection.

Transnational Families