This document discusses starting points for understanding culture, society, and politics. It provides definitions for key terms like gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion and identity. It also observes various social, political and cultural phenomena in the Philippines like food taboos, istambays, political dynasties, and elections. Finally, it notes that social change refers to transformations that alter roles and status in society, while political change occurs when the exercise of power and authority changes in a state.
2. Lesson 1 – Starting points
for the Understanding of
Culture, Society, and Politics
3. Start Up:
Conduct a mini survey among your classmates, barkada, and family
members. Ask each group to identify three (3) traits that describe you.
Compare each list and come up with a consolidated list of your
common traits. Use the graphic organizer below as a guide in the
activity and answer the following questions.
My Classmates
1._____________
2._____________
3._____________
My Barkada
1._____________
2._____________
3._____________
Consolidated List
1._____________
2._____________
3._____________
Personal List
1._____________
2._____________
3._____________
My Family
1._____________
2._____________
3._____________
4. • Gender- is the range of characteristics
pertaining to, and differentiating
between, masculinity and femininity.
• Socioeconomic status (SES) is an
economic and sociological combined total
measure of a person's work experience and
of an individual's or family's economic and
social position in relation to others, based
on income, education and occupation.
A. Sharing of Social and Cultural
Backgrounds of Students as Acting
Subjects or Social Actors, Agents, Persons
5. Ethnicity- refers to cultural
traits that are shared by a
category of people such as
language, religion, or national
origin. When people integrate
ethnicity as part of their
identity and create a specific
cultural, religious or national
community, they self-
consciously constitute
an ethnic group.
6. Religion- is a “unified
system of beliefs and
practices related to
sacred things, that is to
say, things set apart
and forbidden – beliefs
and practices which
unite into one single
moral community.
Identity- refers to
distinctive
characteristics that
define an individual or
are shared by those
belonging to a particular
group.
7. B. Observations about Social,
Political and Cultural Behavior
and Phenomena
a. Food Taboos – abstaining people
from food and/ or beverage consuming
due to religious and cultural reasons. It
can be permanent or temporal
One of the food taboos among
Muslims, for instance, is the eating of
pork.
Understand their culture rather than
regarding them as “weird.”
8. b. Istambays
There should be:
• Usually regarded as unruly, often
suspected as theft, and other
misdemeanors.
• Many of them are people who have difficulty
in finding jobs because of inadequate
opportunities in the Philippines.
• Holistic knowledge and understanding of the
characteristics and overall identities of
oneself, of other people, and of different
groups.
• Constant dialogue and interaction with each
other.
9. c. Political Dynasties
Political dynasties refer to groups
whose members are involved in
politics.
In the Philippines, political dynasties can be seen
in families that have been part of the government
for several generations. This can occur in two
ways. One way is for members of a family to
occupy a same certain government position in
every term.
10. d. Elections
a formal decision-making process by which a
population chooses an individual to hold public
office.
have been the usual mechanism by which
modern representative democracy has operated
since the 17th century
may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes
in the executive and judiciary, and for
regional and local government.
11. C. Observations on
Social, Political and
Cultural Change
Social change - refers to
transformations that alter the roles
and status of people as well as the
structure and organization of
society and its institutions.
12. Political change- occurs when there is an
alteration in the way power and authority
are exercised in a particular state.
Examples of these
changes:
• Txting
• Transnational families
• Local public services
• Youth volunteerism
