UNDERSTANDING CULTURE,

SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

UNIT 1
 UNIT 1

LESSON 1 Sharing of Social and Cultural Backgrounds

LESSON 2 Observation on Social, Political, and Cultural

Behaviour and Phenomena
LESSON 3 Observation on Social, Political, and Cultural
Change
LESSON 4 Definition of Anthropology, Political Science, and
Sociology
 CULTURE
• Complex whole which
includes knowledge,
belief, art, morals, law,
custom and any other
capabilities that acquired
by man as a member of
society. (Edward B.
Taylor)
CULTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES?
 SHARING OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
BACKGROUND
• Campbell (2014)
students identify with
certain groups to
experience a feeling of
belongingness and this
groups provides a
source of motivation
and socialization.
 CULTURAL IDENTITY
NATIONALITY
• Identity or feeling of
belonging to a group.
• Considered as part of a
person’s self-conception
and self-perception. GENERATION

RELIGION SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS

CULTURAL BACKGROUND
 CULTURAL BACKGROUND
• Consists of ethnic, religious, racial, gender,
linguistic, etc.
• Not the same as nationality
• We can learn people’s culture by interacting
with them, evaluating biases, inquiring
questions.
 GENDER AND SEXUALITY
• GENDER – Personal
traits and social
roles of male and
female members of
society.

• SEXUALITY – State of
being neither
masculine or
feminine.
 A person may experience identity
crisis when he/she does not accept or
understand his/her sexuality or is
unable to understand his/her status.
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
 SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
• Level of an individual’s social standing
and financial position.
ETHNICITY
 ETHNICITY
• ETHNIC – Large
groups of people
who have certain
racial, cultural,
religious, or other
traits in common.
Igorot, or Cordillerans, is the collective name of
several Austronesian ethnic groups in the Philippines,
who inhabit the mountains of Luzon.
 ACTIVITY!
• IDENTIFICATION OF CULTURAL
BACKGROUND
 LESSON 2
Observation on Social, Political, and
Cultural Behaviour and Phenomena
What is the significance of
studying culture, society,
and politics?
• Cultural literacy
• Understanding about personal, social, and
cultural identity
• Lifelong learning
SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND
CULTURAL PHENOMENA
FOOD TABOOS
 FOOD TABOOS
• Taboo – Polynesian means prohibited or sacred.
• Prohibition against consuming certain foods.
• Some religion assert that there are certain foods which
to them are prohibited while other religions may
consider them fit for human consumptions. (Jains – no
rootcrops, fish, vegetables, onion and garlic are also
prohibited cos it will trigger sexual desire, buddist – no
slaughtering of animals)
 FOOD TABOOS IN THE PHILIPPINES
• Filipino cuisine has influences from
the Malay, Spanish, Arab, Indian,
Japanese, Chinese, and American
cuisines.
• 3 meals a day + Afternoon snack or
“merienda”
• Staples are RICE which eaten with
sauce of the main dish or soup.
 SOME FILIPINO DISHES THAT
CONSIDER AS TABOO
• Any dish that have dog or cat meat. Republic Act No. 8485
“it is completely illegal to slaughter a dog or cat for
personal trade or commercial trade and consumption.”
• Any meat of animals considered as endangered are also
unacceptable
• Any food that violates human dignity (“botcha” and
“pagpag”)
• Muslim, 7th Day Adventist are not allowed to consume
pork, INC are not allowed to eat pork’s blood, and Hinduism
does not condone eating of beef.
THE STANDBY (ISTAMBAY)
PHENOMENON
 THE STANDBY (ISTAMBAY)
PHENOMENON
• The Filipino term istambay is derived for the
English idioms “on standby”.
• A person who does not have work and who
usually hangs-out on street corners.
POLITICAL DYNASTY
 POLITICAL DYNASTY
• Refer to the families whose members are engaged in
politics.
• There is no enabling law enacted in Congress that
would give tooth to Sec. 26 Article II Declaration of
Principles and State Policies, 1987 Philippine
Constitution “The State shall guarantee equal access
to opportunities for public service and prohibit
political dynasties as may be provided by the law”
 PHILIPPINE ELECTION
• The President, Vice-President and the Senators are elected
on a national or popular elections serve for a six year term.
• The members of House of Representatives, and the local
government officials are elected for a three year term
namely;
– Governors
– Vice-governors
– Mayors
– Vice-mayors
 According to the constitution, an individual
may become President provided he meets the
following criteria:
• natural born Filipino;
• a registered voter;
• must be able to read and write;
• 40 years of age at the day of the election; and.
• must have resided in the Philippines ten years
before the election is held.
• The President, as per the 1987 Philippine
Constitution, is limited to a single term and is
barred from running for re-election.
• The Vice President, may run for re-election or
may opt for a higher position.
• In the Philippines, the common dictum in the
vernacular is “kaya siya nanalo kasi nandaya
siya; Kaya siya natalo kasi dinaya siya.”
 DYADIC COMMUNICATION
• Find a partner and have a conversation with
him/her.
• Exchange your mutual ideas, thoughts, values,
ideals, likes, dislikes, and share queries and
answers concerning the life in the community
they belong.