ILOILO CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo

VISION STATEMENT
We are a holistic Christian Educational Community
that express the love of God and obey His words, all for His glory.

MISSION STATEMENT
We are committed in providing excellent education
balanced with exemplary Christian life for the service of God and man.

COURSE SYLLABUS
Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics
S.Y. 2019-2020

Time: 12:30 to 14:30

Room: Grade 11 Classroom
Teacher: Ms. Charisse Anne Pingul
(FB: Charisse Pingul) (09055385592)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course uses insights from Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology to develop students’
awareness of cultural, social and political dynamics, and sensitivity to cultural diversity; provide them with an
understanding of how culture, human agency, society and politics work; and engage them in the examination of
the country’s current human development goals.

COURSE OBJECTIVE

At the end of the course, students should acquire ideas about human cultures, human agency, society and
politics; recognize cultural relativism and social inclusiveness to overcome prejudices; and develop social and
cultural competence to guide their interactions with groups, communities, networks, and institutions.

METHODOLOGY

Lecture Reporting
Focused Group Discussions (FGD) Film viewing
Group activities

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Attendance and Acceptable Behavior Exams

Recitation Integration Papers
Group Participation Creative Projects
Short and Long Quizzes

EVALUATION METHOD

Written Works = 25%

Performance Task = 50%
Quarterly Assessment = 25%
COURSE OUTLINE

I. Broad Spectrum of Contemporary Society, Culture, and Politics

1. Starting points for the understanding of culture, society, and politics
a. Sharing of social and cultural backgrounds
b. Observations about social, political, and cultural behavior and phenomena
c. Observations on social, political, and cultural change
d. Definition of anthropology, political science, and sociology

2. Defining Culture and Society from the perspectives of anthropology and sociology
a. Society as a group of people sharing a common culture
b. Culture as a “‘that complex whole which encompasses beliefs, practices, values,
attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person
learns and shares as a member of society.” (E.B. Tylor 1920 [1871]).
c. Aspects of Culture
d. Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism as orientations in viewing other cultures

3. Looking back at Human Bio-cultural and Social Evolution

a. Biological and cultural evolution
b. Cultural and sociopolitical evolution

II. Cultural, Social, and Political Praxis

1. Becoming a member of society
a. Enculturation/Socialization
b. Conformity and deviance
c. Human dignity, rights, and the common good

2. How society is organized

a. Groups within society: Primary and Secondary
b. In-groups and out-groups
c. Reference groups
d. Networks

3. Cultural, social and political institutions

a. Kinship, marriage, and the household
b. Political and leadership structures
c. Economic Institutions
d. Non-state institutions
e. Education
f. Religion and belief systems
g. Health

4. Social and political stratification

a. Social desirables
b. Social mobility system
c. Social inequality

III. Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century

1. Cultural, Social, and Political Change Sources of social, cultural, and political change\
a. Innovation
b. Diffusion
c. Acculturation and assimilation
d. Social contradictions and tensions

2. New challenges to human adaptation and social change

a. Global warming and climate change
b. Transnational migration and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)

3. Responding to social, political, and cultural change

a. Inclusive Citizenship and participatory governance
b. New forms of media and social networking
c. Social movements