UCSP | The Concept of Identity and the Disciplines of the Social Sciences

Essential Question

How do cultural, social, and political changes affect a person’s way of life?

Identity

a product of the interplay of influences of culture, society, and political institutions

The Fluidity of Identity

identity changes over time as it is shaped and reshaped by external influences

The Importance of Identity

People’s individual and collective identities shape & transform the world around them. We are both influenced by changes and can make changes happen.

Personal Identity

components of the self that are intrapersonal based on personal experiences

Social Identities

components of self derived from social interaction and membership in communities, externally organized

Cultural Identities

based on socially constructed ideas, the least changeable

Ascribed Identities

how people see us; traits placed on us by other people

Avowed Identities

traits that we place on ourselves

Social Science Disciplines

Unlike STEM-based disciplines, these are volatile and constantly changing as it is based on people and their experiences. Ethical considerations are vital in these disciplines

Social Sciences

• Political Science

• Geography

• Sociology

• Anthropology

• Psychology

Anthropology

The study of the origins and development of human societies and cultures

Etymology of Anthropology

From two Greek words: “anthropos” or “human” and “logia” or “study’

History of Anthropology

It is traced back to the ancient Greeks and medieval European explorers whose accounts produced initial impressions pf native people they have encountered. This developed with the shift to North America or the New World through the perspectives of European migrants who focused on new settlements.

Famous Anthropologists

• Franz Boas

• Alfred Kroeber

• Lewis Henry Morgan

• Ruth Benedict

• Margaret Mead

Branches of Anthropology

Biological Anthropology, Archaeology, Cultural/Social Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology

Linguistic Anthropology

The study of the state and development of languages

Biological Anthropology

study of the development and evolution of human characteristics

Archaeology

study of old tools and items, as well as fossils to reconstruct how people lived before

Cultural/Social Anthropology

the study of the beliefs, taboos, and practices of humankind and their relations to one another

Sociology

study of group and group interactions, societies and social interactions

Etymology of Sociology

From the 2 words: the Latin “soclus” or “companion” and the Greek “logia” or "study.

Also is from a French word coined by August Comte

Father of Sociology

August Comte

History of Sociology

It was truly established in the 19th century, making it one of the youngest disciplines. The ideas of the discipline were said to come from:

• the development of modern science in the 16th century.

• the emergence of democratic forms of government with the American and French Revolutions from 1775-1783 and 1789-1799

• the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century

These were the times where new ideas appeared, and existing constructs were challenged.

Branches of Sociology

• Theoretical Sociology

• Historical Sociology

• Sociology of Knowledge

• Sociology of Criminology

• Sociology of Law

• Sociology of Religion

• Sociology of the Economy

Political Science

the systematic study of governance by the application of empirical and generally scientific methods of analysis

Etymology of Political Science

From the Greek “polis” or “city-state” and the Latin “scientia” or “knowledge”

History of Political Science

• The ancient Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, are credited for their early contributions to the discipline through their ideas on governing city-states.

• Medieval political writers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Bodin each contributed to the modern ideas of governance, power, laws and sovereignty.

Branches of Political Science

• Public Administration

• Comparative Politics

• Domestic Policy

• International Relations