SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

in Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Most Essential Topic: Introduction

to Anthropology,
Sociology & Political Science

In our modern world, it is important to pay attention to the interplay of culture, politics, and society.
These elements are essential in understanding human behavior and social groups against the backdrop of
globalization and industrialization. Hence, students as individuals and integral members of society are
expected to value their roles in society, apply the knowledge they learned from school, and translate their
gained ideas into actions beneficial to nation building.
In this lesson you will be able to define anthropology, sociology and political science. You will also
know the significance and goals of studying this subject.

Lesson 1: Anthropology
Chunk 1

What is anthropology?

Anthropology is the study of humankind in all times and all

places: includes topics such as human origin, globalization, social
change, and world history. Anthropology has humanity as its
object of research, but unlike other human sciences, it tries to
grasp its object through its most diverse manifestitions (Claude
Levi-Strauss, 1983).

 “Anthropos” – human and reason

 “logos” – study

Goals of Anthropology
 Tries to account for the social and cultural variation in the world while conceptualizing and
understanding similarities between social systems and human relationships.
 Understand both connections within societies and between societies: studying commonalities
(folklores, traditions, language, etc.) in all humanity in order to better understand human’s nature.
 Account for the interrelationships between different aspects of human existence.
 Produce new knowledge and new theories about human and human behavior that can be applied to
various fields in attempt to alleviate human challenges.
 Discover what makes people different from one another in order to understand and preserve diversity.
 Look at one’s own culture more objectively like an outsider.
 Anthropology also challenges individuals to evaluate and criticize their own culture.
Fields of Anthropology
 Cultural Anthropology
 Social or sociocultural anthropology
 Referes to the study of living people and their cultures including variation and change.
 Deals with the decription and analysis of the forms and styles and the social lives of past and present
ages.
1
GRADE 11 – Second SEMESTER NAME: __________________________________________________________
Understanding Culture, Society GRADE & SECTION: _____________________________
and Politics
  Cultural anthropologists also study art, religion, migration, marriage, and family.

 Biological Anthropology
 Or physical anthropology
 The study of humans as biological organisms including their evolution and contemporary variation.
 Describe the distribution of hereditary variations among contemporary populations and measure the
relative contributions made by heredity, environment, and culture to huamn biology.

 Linguistic Anthropology
 Refers to the study of communication, mainly (but not exclusively) among humans.
 Includes the study of communication’s origins, history, and contemporary variation.
 Explores how language shapes communication since language plays a huge role in social identity, group
membership and cultural beliefs.

 Archaeology
 Refers to the study of past human cultures through their material remains. It is the study of past human
cultures through the recovery and analysis of artifacts.
 The study of the ancient and recent human past through material remains.

Chunk 2

What is sociology?

Sociology
 The study of human social relationships and institutions.
 Study of groups and societies that people build and how these
affect their behavior.
 Subject matter: from crime to religion, from the family to the
state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared
beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical
change in whole societies.

Goals of Sociology
 Seeks to understand how human action and conciousness both
shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures.
 According to Greg Jackson, “sociologists look for patterns that reflect particular generalities of the
society. A sociologist might study an individual’s behavior or actions to see how it fits into the broader
pattern of that person’s society and culture.”

Sociology enables us to…

 Obtain possible theories and principles about society, also in various aspects of social life.
 Critical study of hman nature.
 Broaded our familiarity on sociological facts which may lead to us realizing our own prejudices on
different social issues.
 Expose ourselves to different perspectives on attaining the truth.

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GRADE 11 – Second SEMESTER NAME: __________________________________________________________
Understanding Culture, Society GRADE & SECTION: _____________________________
and Politics
 Branches of Sociology

 Theoritical Sociology
It includes micro theory or small/middle/large
theory. The theories of Karl Marx, August Cimte,
Max Wever, Emmile Durkhaim, Sorokin, etc are
studied under the theories of sociology.
 Historical Sociology
It is the study of social facts and social groups. It
studies the background of any social event.
 Sociology of Knowledge
The newly emerged branch of sociology indicates that our knowledge is the product of social phenomena.
This means our knowledge is always influence by society.
 Criminology
This branch of sociology studies the criminal behavior of individuals or groups. Origin of crimes its types of
nature, causes as well as law, punishment, police, etc.
 Sociology of Religion
It analyses the social behavior of human beings. It also studies the religious constitutions and their role in
the society.
 Sociology of Economy
This branch of sociology studies production, distribution, consumption and exchange of goods and
services. This branch also studies the economic activities of the society in which the focus is given about
the socio-cultural factors.
 Rural Sociology
Studies the way of life of rural people as the rural population is higher than the urban. The patterns of life
such as behavior, belief, culture, tradition, norms, values, etc, are totally different than of urban people.
 Urban Sociology
Studies the way of life of urban people. It gives information about the social organizations and institution
of urban society as well as social structure and social interaction.
 Political Sociology
Studies differnt political moments of society. It includes the study of different political ideologies (view),
their origin, development and functions.
 Sociology of Demography
Demography of scientific mathematical and statically study of population. It studies about the size,
situation, composition, density, distribution and measurement etc. of the population.
 Sociology of Law
Related to moral order for the society as formulation and implementation of rules and regulations, law
and order come under this.
 Industrial Sociology
Studies the different industrial organizations and institutions. As well as their interrelationship and links
with other various institutions of society.

3
GRADE 11 – Second SEMESTER NAME: __________________________________________________________
Understanding Culture, Society GRADE & SECTION: _____________________________
and Politics
 Chunk 3

What is Political science?

 The systematic study of governance by the application of

empirical and generally scientific methods and analysis.
 It is an academic discipline that deals with the study of
government and political processes, institutions, and behaviors.
 Although it has borrowed a lot of concepts and subject matter from other social sciences, it is
distinguished by its focus on “power”.

Why Study Political Science?

 To discover the principles that should be adhered to in public affairs and study operations of
government.
 To deepen knowledge and understanding of the most powerful forces operating on people,
communities, and corporations today.
 Necessary and important for the citizen to study to have knowledge and undrstanding of the
government.

Fields of Political Science

 Domistic Politics – the most common field of study; include public opinion, elections, national
government, and state, local or regional government.
 Comparative Politics – focuses politics within countries (often group into world regions) and analyzes
similarities and differences between countries.

 International Relations – considers the political relatonships and interactions between countries,
including the causes of war, the formation of foreign policy, international, political economy, and the
structures that increase or decrease the policy options avaiable to governments.
 Political Theory – includes classical political philosophy and contemporary theoritical perspectives(e,g. ,
constructivism, critical theory, and postmodernism).
 Public Administration – studies the role of the bureaucracy, focuses more on civil service.
 Public Law – studies constitutions, legal systems, civil rights, and criminal justice.
 Public Policy – examines the passage and implementation of all types of government policies,
particularly those related to civil rights, defence, health, education, economic growth, urban renewal,
regional development, and environmental protection.

SYNTHESIS:
In this lesson the students were able to define anthropology, sociology and political
science. They also know the significance and goals of studying this subject.

4
GRADE 11 – Second SEMESTER NAME: __________________________________________________________
Understanding Culture, Society GRADE & SECTION: _____________________________
and Politics
 RUA OF STUDENT’S LEARNING

Activity 1. Reflection
Instruction. Read and reflect on the quotation inside the box. You may answer in a 1 whole sheet of paper.

“A person may escape society for a while, but he can never escape culture.”
- Joseph H. Fichter

Guide questions:
1. What can you say about the quotation?
2. Do you agree with the author’s statement? Why or why not?

Activity 2.
Enumeration
Instruction. Enumerate the following.
1-3 Give the Three Reasons Why We Need to Study Political Science
1.

2.

3.

4-5 Give the two Greek words origin of Anthropology

4.
5.

INDEPENDENT WORK
Activity 1: “POSTER SLOGAN”
Instructions:
Create an illustrative interpretation of the theme “Society and Culture as a Complex Whole” in a 1/8
sized illustration board. Make it more artistic and colorful. Do this activity by pair.

Basis Percentage
CREATIVITY 40%
CONTENT 40%
PHYSICAL IMPACT 20%
TOTAL 100%

5
GRADE 11 – Second SEMESTER NAME: __________________________________________________________
Understanding Culture, Society GRADE & SECTION: _____________________________
and Politics