UNIT I: UNDERSTANDING
CULTURE, SOCIETY AND
POLITICS
CULTURAL IDENTITY
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The learners are expected to:
1. Demonstrate understanding about human
cultural variation, social differences, social
change, and political identities;
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2. Acknowledge human cultural variation, social
differences, social change, and political
identities; and
3. Articulate observations on human cultural
variation, social differences, social change, and
political identities.
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gender preference
socioeconomic class
ethnicity
religion
exceptionality/non-exceptionality
nationality
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CULTURE vs. IDENTITY
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Culture is the prevailing set of beliefs,
values, customs, traditions, laws, and
other aspects of life which bind a
particular group of people in a particular
place or community.
Identity, on the other hand, involves the
distinct characteristics, traits, and
attributes which set a particular group
apart from other people
The cultural identity of an individual
refers to the identity or feeling of
belonging to a group. It is considered as
part of a person's self-conception and
self-perception. It pertains to one’s
nationality, ethnicity, religion, social
class, generation, locality or any kind of
social group that has its own distinct
culture.
As to cultural awareness, it connotes to
the ability of a person to recognize the
different beliefs, values and customs
that someone has based on that
individual's origins. This allows a person
to build a more successful personal and
professional relationship with others in a
diverse environment. In fact, a person's
state, region or country of origin and
local customs heavily influence his/her
cultural background.
Thus, cultural identity of individuals
refers to the identification or feeling of
belongingness to a group. In effect, it is
considered as part of a person's selfconception and self-perception.
Cultural identity as a whole pertains to
one‘s nationality, ethnicity, religion,
social class, generation, locality or any
kind of social group that has its own
distinct culture
CULTURAL AWARENESS
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It connotes to the ability of a person to
recognize the different beliefs, values
and customs that someone has based on
that individual's origins. This allows a
person to build a more successful
personal and professional relationship
with others in a diverse environment.
In fact, a person's state, region or
country of origin and local customs
heavily influence
background.
his/her
cultural
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CULTURAL BACKGROUND
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Cultural background essentially consists
of the ethnic, religious, racial, gender,
linguistic or other socioeconomic factors
and values that shape an individual’s
upbringing. The cultural background can
be shaped at the family, societal or
organizational level.
Sociologically, people with different
cultural backgrounds need to interact
with each other. Such interactions lead
to strong relationships that would help
build diverse communities and enable
them to achieve predetermined goals.
In fact, we can learn about other
people’s culture by interacting with
them, by evaluating their biases towards
other cultures, by inquiring pertinent
questions and by simple observations.
For example, in the Philippine society, it
is necessary to work effectively with
people from different regions or with
those who speak a different language to
promote economic development and
other
primary
socio-cultural
undertakings.
Concrete understanding of one’s culture
starts with recognition of the values,
customs and traditions passed down to
us by our forebears or those acquired
from personal experiences while
interacting in a given society.
FACTORS THAT SHAPE
CULTURAL BACKGROUND
GENDER AND SEXUALITY
AN
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A common distinguishing factor of a
person‘s cultural background is gender
and sexuality.
Gender refers to the personal traits and
social roles of the male and female
members of society.
Sexuality is the state of being either
masculine or feminine.
A person‘s masculinity or manhood
consists of a set of attributes, behaviors
and roles generally associated with men.
A person‘s femininity or womanhood
refers to a set of attributes, behaviors,
and roles generally associated with
women.
GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT
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Gender stereotypes are generalizations
about the roles of each gender. Gender
roles are generally neither positive nor
negative, they are simply inaccurate
generalizations of the male and female
attributes. Since each person has
individual desires, thoughts, and
feelings, regardless of their gender,
these stereotypes are incredibly
simplistic and do not at all describe the
attributes of every person of each
gender.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS
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INDIVIDUAL’S
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Another common cultural identification
factor is the level of an individual‘s social
standing and financial position in the
society. This is known as socio-economic
status, a personal or family's financial
and social esteem on the basis of
income, education, and occupation.
Hence, it is the totality of a person‘s
social position and wealth combined.
The socio-economic class refers to the
status of every individual from the
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sociological and economic points of
view. Social status means a person‘s
standing or rank in the social ladder of
stratification based on prestige, power,
popularity, etc.
Economic status means a person‘s place
in the society‘s economic stratification
based on wealth, property, and total
assets.
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ETHNICITY
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Ethnicity is a condition in which a social
group belongs to a common national or
cultural tradition. The adjective ethnic
relates to large groups of people who
have certain racial, cultural, religious, or
other traits in common.
The Philippines are inhabited by
different ethno-linguistic groups, the
majority of whose own languages are
Polynesian in origin. Many of these
groups converted to Christianity,
particularly the lowland-coastal groups,
and adopted many foreign elements of
culture.
Ethno-linguistic groups include the
Ivatans,
Ilocanos,
Pangasinenses,
Kapampangans, Tagalogs, Bicolanos,
Visayans
(Masbateños,
Hiligaynons/Ilonggos,
Cebuanos,
Boholanos, Warays and Surigaonons)
Maranaos,
Subanons
and
Zamboangueños.
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GENERATIONS
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Technology, in particular the rapid
evolution of how people communicate
and interact, is another generationshaping consideration.
Baby Boomers grew up as television
expanded dramatically, changing their
lifestyles and connection to the world in
fundamental ways;
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Generation X grew up as the computer
revolution was taking hold; and
Millennials came of age during the
internet explosion.
Most Millennials were between the ages
of 5 and 20 when the 9/11 terrorist
attacks shook the nation, and many
were old enough to comprehend
the historical significance of that
moment, while most members of Gen Z
have little or no memory of the event.
Millennials also grew up in the shadow
of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,
which sharpened broader views of the
parties and contributed to the intense
political polarization that shapes the
current political environment in
American society for decades.
And most Millennials were between 12
and 27 during the 2008 election, where
the force of the youth vote became part
of the political conversation and helped
elect the first black president. Added to
that is the fact that Millennials are the
most racially and ethnically diverse adult
generation in the nation’s history. Yet
the next generation – Generation Z –
is even more diverse.
Beyond politics, most Millennials came
of age and entered the workforce facing
the height of an economic recession.
As is well documented, many of
Millennials’ life choices, future earnings
and entrance to adulthood have been
shaped by this recession in a way that
may not be the case for their younger
counterparts. The long-term effects of
this “slow start” for Millennials will be a
factor in American society for decades.
In this progression, what is unique for
Generation Z is that all of the above have
been part of their lives from the start.
The iPhone launched in 2007, when the
oldest Gen Zers were 10. By the time
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they were in their teens, the primary
means by which young Americans
connected with the web was through
mobile devices, WiFi and highbandwidth cellular service.
Social media, constant connectivity and
on-demand
entertainment
and
communication
are
innovations
Millennials adapted to as they came of
age. For those born after 1996, these are
largely assumed.
The implications of growing up in an
“always on” technological environment
are only now coming into focus. Recent
research has shown dramatic shifts in
youth behaviors, attitudes and lifestyles
– both positive and concerning – for
those who came of age in this era.
What we don’t know is whether these
are lasting generational imprints or
characteristics of adolescence that will
become more muted over the course of
their adulthood. Beginning to track this
new generation over time will be of
significant importance.
The implications of growing up in an
“always on” technological environment
are only now coming into focus. Recent
research has shown dramatic shifts in
youth behaviors, attitudes and lifestyles
– both positive and concerning – for
those who came of age in this era.
What we don’t know is whether these
are lasting generational imprints or
characteristics of adolescence that will
become more muted over the course of
their adulthood. Beginning to track this
new generation over time will be of
significant importance.