The Concept, Aspects and Changes in/of Culture, Society and Politics

Module Overview

  • Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) self-learning module for the Senior High School subject “Understanding Culture, Society and Politics”.

  • Quarter 1 – Module 2 (sometimes labeled Module 1 inside the file): “The Concept, Aspects and Changes in/of Culture, Society and Politics”.

  • Developed by DepEd–NCR; first edition 2020; Government property under RA 8293 §176 (no copyright but use for profit requires agency approval).

  • Authors & production team listed (Jonathan F. Batac et al.).

  • Distributed FREE / NOT FOR SALE.

  • Opening arithmetic doodles in manuscript (symbolic): 1+1=2, 2+2=4, 4+4=8, 8+8=16.

Intended Users

  • Facilitators / Teachers: orient learners, monitor progress, encourage autonomy, apply tips in “Notes to the Teacher” boxes.

  • Learners: empowered to master competencies “at your own pace and time”; the hand icon represents learner agency, skill and purpose.

Competency Covered

  • Analyze and discuss concepts, aspects and changes in culture, society and politics as starting points for understanding the three fields.

Standard Module Sections & Icons

  • What I Need to Know – target skills/competencies.

  • What I Know – pre-test; 100 % score allows learner to skip.

  • What’s In – brief review/drill linking previous lesson.

  • What’s New – lesson opener (story, song, map exercise, etc.).

  • What Is It – core content discussion.

  • What’s More – additional independent practice w/ answer key.

  • What I Have Learned – reflection prompts / fill-in summary.

  • What I Can Do – real-life application/transfer task.

  • Assessment – mastery test.

  • Additional Activities – enrichment & retention.

  • Answer Key – solutions for all activities.

  • References – sources list.

Usage Reminders for Students

  • Handle module carefully; write answers on separate sheets.

  • Complete What I Know first; follow instructions; maintain honesty.

  • Finish current task before moving to the next.

  • Return module to teacher when finished.

  • Seek help if encountering difficulty – “you are not alone, you can do it!”

Pre-Assessment Activities (Page 8)

I. “What’s in Your Pizza?”

  • Three pizza flavors represent the three core concepts:
    • Pepperoni = Politics
    • Bacon & _ = Society
    • Hawaiian = Culture

  • Choose toppings (keywords) from the bank to fill triangular slices.
    • Politics keywords: abstract, legal force, interaction
    • Society keywords: acquired, cumulative, process, stratification, interdependence
    • Culture keywords: dynamic, diverse

II. “Link Me” Column-matching

  • Column A (language, actions, identity, history, experience) matched to Column B descriptors (dialect, justice, self-esteem, myths, rituals).

Lesson 2 – Nature, Goals & Perspectives in Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science

  • Culture, society and politics are intertextual concepts; they interrelate and anchor broader social-science disciplines.

  • Political change illustrated by leadership turnover or foreign invasion — shows culture’s standardization shifting over time.

  • Understanding requires a holistic, interdisciplinary lens.

What’s New Activity: “Map Exercise”

  • Learners label each major Philippine island/province with personal cultural perceptions (identities, beliefs, traditions, customs).

Concept of Culture

Etymology & Basic Sense

  • From Latin colere / cultus = to plough, cultivate, refine, worship → “culture” = refined way of life.

  • Embodies human–made environment and “declaration of our nature” through living & thinking.

Observable vs. Deep Elements

  • Common student answers: food, clothing, religion, language, art, music, traditions (observable).

  • Deeper layer: shared perceptions, behaviors, relationships, value-systems.

Anthropological Definitions

  • Edward B. Tylor (1871): “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.”

  • Robert R. Marrett: culture = communicable intelligence / conventional understandings / communicated ideas.

  • A. R. Radcliffe-Brown: culture as cultivation — the process of transmitting & acquiring traditions through which society is perpetuated.

Dual Components

  1. Material Culture – tangible artifacts & built environment (schools, churches, temples, factories, homes, tools, clothing, food, household goods).

  2. Non-Material Culture – intangible ideas, symbols, language, values, norms, beliefs.

Detailed Aspect Grid (7 Aspects)

  • Actions – regimes, justice, organization, work, religion, techniques, science, art.

  • Validity – values, opinions, laws, metaphors, meanings.

  • Space – spatial experience, functional & living spaces.

  • Identity – self-consciousness, self-esteem.

  • History – temporal experience, milestones, myths.

  • Experience – rituals, customs, practices.

  • Language – mother tongue, lingo, dialect.

General Characteristics of Culture (8-point list)

  1. Learned & Acquired – transmitted socially, not genetically.

  2. Shared – collective, not individual, phenomena.

  3. Cumulative – knowledge builds across generations.

  4. Changes – some traits lost, new ones added.

  5. Dynamic – constant modification; no permanent state.

  6. Provides Acceptable Range of Behaviour – guides proper conduct.

  7. Diverse / Integrated System – interdependent parts form a whole.

  8. Ideational – sets ideal patterns expected for social acceptance.

Concept of Society

Foundational Definitions

  • Literal roots: Latin socius = companion, Greek logos = study → Sociology = science of social life.

  • Basic definition: a group of people who share a territory, interact regularly, and share a culture.

  • Johnson (1996): society is a social system sharing geographic territory, common culture, and lifestyle.

  • Dorothy Smith (1999): “ongoing concerting & organizing of people’s activities.”

Classic Sociological Views

  • Auguste Comte – founder; coined “sociology”; society more than sum of individual actions.

  • Karl Marx – stressed organic totality, primacy of economic sector, and historical process.

  • Georg Simmel – society as patterned interactions (responses to everyday events).

MacIver & Page’s Analytical Points

  • Society = “web/tissue of social relations” that is constantly changing.

  • Two analytical senses:

    1. Abstract network of relationships (intangible).

    2. Concrete collection/organization of people.

Key Characteristics

  • Abstract – relationships are invisible; only expressed through behaviour.

  • Likeness & Difference – similarity unites members; difference allows complementarity & progress.

  • Cooperation & Conflict – society relies on cooperation yet is crossed by conflict ("society is cooperation crossed by conflict").

  • Process, Not Product – an ongoing becoming; stops existing if relational processes cease.

  • System of Stratification – stable hierarchy of statuses & classes providing ordered positions.

Concept of Politics

Origin & Classical Sense

  • Greek polis = city-state; politics originally encompassed all civic activities (no strict line between state, government, society, private life).

Modern Definitions

  • Heywood (1997): politics = art of government; exercise of control within society via making & enforcing collective decisions.

  • Domain often limited to state actors intentionally motivated by ideology.

  • Distinction: politicians (political) vs. civil servants (non-political); state (public) vs. civil society (private).

Political System Perspective

  • Legal authority empowered to use force (Easton: “authoritative allocation of values”; Dahl: focus on power, rule, authority).

  • Almond’s systems view: network of interactions performing integration & adaptation internally and externally.

  • Includes all structures in their political aspect: legislature, executive, judiciary, bureaucracy, police, military, parties, media, etc.

Key Characteristics Highlighted in Module

  1. Interactions – ongoing relational processes.

  2. Interdependence of Parts – change in one component affects the whole system.

  3. Use or Threat of Legal Force – distinct attribute enabling compliance.

Sample Learning Tasks Embedded in Module

  • Who Says It? matching exercise (Comte, Simmel, Tylor, Radcliffe-Brown, Marx quotations).

  • Reflection Prompts: explain “passable standards of conduct”; differentiate culture, society, politics with personal examples.

  • Application / “New Normal” Scenario: adapt to community & school changes by linking to characteristics:
    • Culture: dynamic adjustments (e.g., virtual festivals, mask-wear norms).
    • Society: cooperation & conflict in health protocols.
    • Politics: legal force via quarantine ordinances; interdependence among LGU, schools, households.

Assessment (Objective Quiz)

  1. Society definition – answer: C (society).

  2. Shared practices definition – answer: A (culture).

  3. “Society is ___ crossed by ___” – answer: B (cooperation & conflict).

  4. Ideational culture item – answer: A.

  5. Non-Action item (dialect) – answer: D.

  6. Stratification provides – answer: C (arrangement of definition of positions).

  7. Factor for learned culture – answer: C (heredity is NOT; correct concept actually transmission, but quiz expects C?).

  8. “No culture stays permanent” characteristic – answer: D (dynamic) or A (changes); module key chooses D.

  9. System change effect – answer: A (affected).

  10. Easton’s formulation indicates – answer: A (use of legal force / authoritative allocation).
    Students mark answers on separate sheet; honesty stressed.

Practical Tips for Facilitators

  • Orient learners on icons & workflow.

  • Encourage independent pacing but track progress.

  • Provide supplementary explanations or locally relevant examples (e.g., barangay fiestas, community pantries, Sangguniang Kabataan roles).

  • Use “hand” symbolism to reinforce agency & skill mastery.

Ethical / Philosophical Implications Discussed

  • Cultural diversity vs. ethnocentrism: modules aim to foster respect for differing greetings, clothing, food, customs.

  • Stratification debates: hierarchy influences opportunity; understanding helps target equity.

  • Legal force in politics: authority must remain legitimate; abuse undermines collective organization.

Reference List (condensed)

  • DepEd module credits.

  • Political Science introduction PDF (Mumbai University archive).

  • National Institute of Open Schooling culture chapter.

  • SparkNotes Sociology context on society & culture.

  • YourArticleLibrary sociology article on definitions/characteristics of society.

  • Assorted public-domain / Wikipedia photos of E. B. Tylor, G. Simmel, culture & society imagery.

Contact for Feedback / Inquiries

  • DepEd-BLR, Bonifacio Bldg., DepEd Complex, Meralco Ave., Pasig City 1600.
    • Tel/Fax: (632) 8634-1072 / 8634-1054 / 8631-4985
    • Email: blr.lrqad@deped.gov.ph | blr.lrpd@deped.gov.ph

End of comprehensive study notes.