Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics (UCSP) - Complete Notes
Meeting #1 (Monday, September 11, 2023)
The difference between Social Science and Natural Science
-Social Science is mainly about people and societies, groups of people like communities or
behaviors
-Social Science can also be considered the Social side of science because it mainly focuses on
answering questions about the whys of human behavior.
-Miss Kim defines it as the Soft science, because you cannot put people in a laboratory and put them in
petri dishes.
-Natural Science is mainly about nature, the earth around us and biological or non biological
things, beings or phenomena which pertains to the world we live in
-Natural Science can also be considered as the Technical side of science due to its many branches that
detail the way the world works.
-Miss Kim defines it as Hard science, because it needs Experiments and Laboratory Classes to find
answers.
We study Social Science to understand people– humans, because all humans have their own opinions,
and are subjective and have their own biases.
When we write essays, there is no definite answer, it only depends on how you defend your answer. The
stronger your opinions are and the stronger your examples are to defend your answer, the higher the
score. How you defend and how valid your defense is will be the one graded by Miss Kim.
Sociology
Sociology is the study of a human society’s functioning, development and structure. It aims to
study human behavior, life individually and in a society, and the changes it creates in the world
around them. Societal problems, social life and social consequences are learned under
Sociology, which aims to help people learn how communities and societies work and learn the
best ways to handle problems regarding those matters.
Example Branches: Sociology of Criminology, Political Sociology & Historical Sociology
,Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of societies and cultures from ages past, as well as the study of
human biology and physiology changes through evolution. It is the study of origins, the study
of humanity and its science from the distinction of humans and animals and the evolutionary
history of our kind. This study fosters critical thinking and unearths knowledge about cultures
from the world’s history, to understand the development of human societies that have helped
us arrive to where we are presently.
Example Branches: Cultural Anthropology, Biological Anthropology & Linguistic Anthropology
Political Science
Political Science is the study of politics, governments and power from within a nation and
internationally in all perspectives. It is to study and understand law, policies, diplomacy, forms
and institutions of governments as well as various other things. It is to extensively analyze
political theories and ideologies to theoretically apply to politics in a practical way.
Example Branches: Political Philosophy, Human Rights & International Relations
Meeting #2 (Monday, September 18, 2023)
Culture is the complex whole that encompasses beliefs, traditions, laws, norms, and etc. It is
also everything a person learns and shares in a society. Everything you are as a person is part
of your culture. Everything from your thought process to the way you sleep is part of culture.
There are two types of culture. Material and Non-Material. Both types of culture are
intertwined with each other and cannot exist without each other.
-Material Culture is physical, tangible. Examples of this would be food, artifacts, religious
items.
-Non-Material Culture is psychological, intangible. Examples of this would be practices,
norms, language. These would also be values, attitudes, laws, and beliefs.
,
If Material Culture is School, Non-Material Culture is Education. They cannot exist without
each other and are constantly revolving around each other.
We have 180+ languages in the Philippines!
Meeting #3 (Monday, September 25, 2o23)
Components of Culture
Belief
The perception that people have about what is true in the world. This can be superstition or
religious beliefs.
-Observable (ex. SU is an old university) or Non Observable (there are ghosts in SU).
Values
It is belief added with moral significance, the people’s ideas about what is good or bad, right or
wrong. This can be things like the title of “Persona Non Grata”, or people who are heavily hated
by society or a majority of people. More or less up to your standards and mindset, or even
society’s standards and mindset.
Blatant disrespect is worse than casual bashing.
Norms
Rules of conduct that guide people’s behavior in particular situations. Everything done in
routines, or processes of how to do things is under Norms. Going to a restaurant, eating there
and exiting the establishment is a routine under norms.
-Folkways, socially approved but morally insignificant. This can be like opening doors for
people, being polite, not doing rude or inappropriate things in public like picking your nose or
cleaning your teeth.
-right vs rude
-Mores (mowh-reys), violation would warrant a sanction. Like laws and taboos. Taboos can be
like incest, pedophelia,
Language
Politics (UCSP) - Complete Notes
Meeting #1 (Monday, September 11, 2023)
The difference between Social Science and Natural Science
-Social Science is mainly about people and societies, groups of people like communities or
behaviors
-Social Science can also be considered the Social side of science because it mainly focuses on
answering questions about the whys of human behavior.
-Miss Kim defines it as the Soft science, because you cannot put people in a laboratory and put them in
petri dishes.
-Natural Science is mainly about nature, the earth around us and biological or non biological
things, beings or phenomena which pertains to the world we live in
-Natural Science can also be considered as the Technical side of science due to its many branches that
detail the way the world works.
-Miss Kim defines it as Hard science, because it needs Experiments and Laboratory Classes to find
answers.
We study Social Science to understand people– humans, because all humans have their own opinions,
and are subjective and have their own biases.
When we write essays, there is no definite answer, it only depends on how you defend your answer. The
stronger your opinions are and the stronger your examples are to defend your answer, the higher the
score. How you defend and how valid your defense is will be the one graded by Miss Kim.
Sociology
Sociology is the study of a human society’s functioning, development and structure. It aims to
study human behavior, life individually and in a society, and the changes it creates in the world
around them. Societal problems, social life and social consequences are learned under
Sociology, which aims to help people learn how communities and societies work and learn the
best ways to handle problems regarding those matters.
Example Branches: Sociology of Criminology, Political Sociology & Historical Sociology
,Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of societies and cultures from ages past, as well as the study of
human biology and physiology changes through evolution. It is the study of origins, the study
of humanity and its science from the distinction of humans and animals and the evolutionary
history of our kind. This study fosters critical thinking and unearths knowledge about cultures
from the world’s history, to understand the development of human societies that have helped
us arrive to where we are presently.
Example Branches: Cultural Anthropology, Biological Anthropology & Linguistic Anthropology
Political Science
Political Science is the study of politics, governments and power from within a nation and
internationally in all perspectives. It is to study and understand law, policies, diplomacy, forms
and institutions of governments as well as various other things. It is to extensively analyze
political theories and ideologies to theoretically apply to politics in a practical way.
Example Branches: Political Philosophy, Human Rights & International Relations
Meeting #2 (Monday, September 18, 2023)
Culture is the complex whole that encompasses beliefs, traditions, laws, norms, and etc. It is
also everything a person learns and shares in a society. Everything you are as a person is part
of your culture. Everything from your thought process to the way you sleep is part of culture.
There are two types of culture. Material and Non-Material. Both types of culture are
intertwined with each other and cannot exist without each other.
-Material Culture is physical, tangible. Examples of this would be food, artifacts, religious
items.
-Non-Material Culture is psychological, intangible. Examples of this would be practices,
norms, language. These would also be values, attitudes, laws, and beliefs.
,
If Material Culture is School, Non-Material Culture is Education. They cannot exist without
each other and are constantly revolving around each other.
We have 180+ languages in the Philippines!
Meeting #3 (Monday, September 25, 2o23)
Components of Culture
Belief
The perception that people have about what is true in the world. This can be superstition or
religious beliefs.
-Observable (ex. SU is an old university) or Non Observable (there are ghosts in SU).
Values
It is belief added with moral significance, the people’s ideas about what is good or bad, right or
wrong. This can be things like the title of “Persona Non Grata”, or people who are heavily hated
by society or a majority of people. More or less up to your standards and mindset, or even
society’s standards and mindset.
Blatant disrespect is worse than casual bashing.
Norms
Rules of conduct that guide people’s behavior in particular situations. Everything done in
routines, or processes of how to do things is under Norms. Going to a restaurant, eating there
and exiting the establishment is a routine under norms.
-Folkways, socially approved but morally insignificant. This can be like opening doors for
people, being polite, not doing rude or inappropriate things in public like picking your nose or
cleaning your teeth.
-right vs rude
-Mores (mowh-reys), violation would warrant a sanction. Like laws and taboos. Taboos can be
like incest, pedophelia,
Language
