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Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

Name:_______________________________________ Date:_____________
Grade and Section:______________________________ Score:___________

Nature And Goals of Anthropology, Sociology, And Political Science

Module 2

Today we’ll discuss the activities that show the nature and goals of anthropology, sociology, and political science. It’s a
common question social science students used to ask but none of the existing social science online articles, journals, and
publications were able to provide an answer to it

Anthropology
 In other words Anthropology, “the science of humanity,” which studies human beings in aspects ranging from the
biology and evolutionary history of Homo sapiens to the features of society and culture that decisively distinguish
humans from other animal species.

 Compared to other disciplines that address humanity such as history, sociology, or psychology, anthropology is
broader in two ways. In terms of humanity’s past, anthropology considers a greater depth of time.

 In terms of contemporary humans, anthropology covers a wider diversity of topics than other disciplines, from
molecular DNA to cognitive development and religious beliefs.
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 Anthropologists may conduct analyses in a laboratory studying how tooth enamel reveals an individual’s diet, or
they may work in a museum, examining designs on prehistoric pottery. Yet other anthropologists observe
chimpanzees in the wild.

 Research methods in anthropology range from scientific to humanistic. They formulate a hypothesis, or research
question, and then make observations to see if the hypothesis is correct. This approach generates both quantitative
(numeric) data and qualitative (descriptive) data

 In the humanistic approach, anthropologists proceed inductively, pursuing a subjective method of understanding
humanity through the study of people’s art, music, poetry, language, and other forms of symbolic expression.

Nature of Anthropology
The nature of anthropology can be view from its historical perspective because is a global discipline involving
humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

Its roots go back to the intellectual Enlightenment of the 18th and early 19th centuries in Europe and North
America. As European nations developed colonies in distant parts of the world and Americans expanded west and south
into the territories of Indians, it became apparent to them that humanity was extremely varied.

Anthropology began, in part, as an attempt by members of scientific societies to objectively record and
comprehend this variation. Curiosity about strange people and customs in far off parts of the world is what primarily
motivated these early amateur anthropologists.

By profession, they most often were naturalists, medical doctors, Christian clerics, or educated explorers. They
asked such fundamental questions as whether or not the differences between human cultures are the result of genetic
inheritance and if there is a relationship between the size of a human brain and intelligence.

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It was late 19th century that anthropology finally became a separate academic discipline in American and Western
European universities.

Goals of Anthropology:
Firstly, one of the main goals of an anthropologist is to understand the fossil record of early humans and their ancestors as
well as the archaeological record of more recent prehistoric societies. Secondly, to understand how we adapt to different
environmental conditions and how we vary as a species. Thirdly, to understand the behavior of monkeys and apes in their
natural settings. Fourthly, is to learn about both the biological and cultural aspects of humanity around the globe and
throughout time.Fifty goals of anthropology are to apply anthropological knowledge to help prevent or solve problems of
living peoples, including poverty, drug abuse, and HIV/AIDS.

SOCIOLOGY
 Sociology is the scientific study of human society and social behaviour. Sociology is a discipline in social
sciences concerned with human society and human social activities.

 Commonly accepted definitions of sociology agree that it is the scientific or systematic study of human society.
The focus is on understanding and explaining, and ranges from the individual in social interaction to groups to
societies and global social processes.

 Unique to sociology is its emphasis upon the reciprocal relationship between individuals and societies as they
influence and shape each other

 Auguste Comte, a French social thinker, is traditionally known as the “Father of Sociology” as he coined the term
‘Sociology’ in 1839.

Nature of Sociology
As a discipline, sociology arose early in the nineteenth century in response to rapid social change. Major transformations
in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, such as rapid industrialization resulting in a large, anonymous workforce.

With workers spending most of their time away from families and traditions; large-scale urbanization throughout Europe
and the industrializing world; and a political revolution of new ideas (individual rights and democracy), directed a
spotlight on the nature of societies and social change.

The French social thinker Auguste Comte (1798– 1857) first coined the term sociology to describe a new way of thinking
about societies as systems governed by principles of organization and change.

Most agree that Émile Durkheim (1858–1917), the French sociologist, made the largest contribution to the emergence of
sociology as a social scientific discipline

Sociology has developed as a value-free discipline. It is concerned with is, not with what ought to be. Sociology is an
empirical discipline like Physics, Chemistry, or Mathematics, and not as an applied science like Engineering or Computer
Science.

A Sociologist analyses society from different angles and acquires knowledge about society and patterns of social
interactions.

Goals of Sociology:
The ultimate goal of sociology is to acquire knowledge about society like all the other social sciences discipline, as
Samuel Koenig has pointed out the ultimate aim of sociology is ” to improve man’s adjustment to life by developing
objective knowledge concerning social phenomena which can be used to deal effectively with social problems”.

 to understand how membership in one’s social group affects individual behavior.

 to understand the meaning and consequences of modernity, postmodernity and the new globalization.
 Understand the meaning and consequences of modernity, postmodernity and the new globalization.
 Understand how cultures and institutions interact in different societies.
 Understand the causes and consequences of social change in terms of general causes and effects as well as unique
historical circumstances.
 Understand the causes and consequences of population composition and pressures and how population affects the
environment and development of societies.
 To provide information that reflects upon different policy initiatives

POLITICAL SCIENCE
 Political Science is the study of the nature, causes, and consequences of collective decisions and actions taken by
groups of people embedded in cultures and institutions that structure power and authority.

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 In other words, Political Science is a social science discipline that deals with systems of governance, and the
analysis of political activities, political thoughts, associated constitutions and political behaviour.

Nature of Political Science

Politics is not only a mere institution of governance but also a mechanism for achieving societal goals. Nature of Political
Science is a social science concerned with the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political
systems and political behavior.

It includes matters concerning the allocation and transfer of power in decision making, the roles and systems of
governance including governments and international organizations, political behavior and public policies.

Political science is thus a study of the state in the past, present and future of the political organization, political processes
and political functions of political institutions and political theories. Political science has several subfields, including
political theory, public policy, national politics, international relations, human rights, environmental politics and
comparative politics.

The antecedents of Western politics can trace their roots back to Greek thinkers Socrates, Plato (427–347 BC) and
Aristotle (384–322 BC). The studies were philosophy oriented. Plato wrote The Republic and Aristotle wrote the Politics.
Aristotle is known as the Father of Political Science. He is famous for his statement “Man is a political animal”.

Goals of Political Science:

The main goal of political science is the concern with the process of growth, industrialization and change and the impact
on government forms and policies.

The goal of political science also is to describe how various political systems function, and to find more effective political
systems.

In addition, the goal of political science is to measure the success of governance and specific policies by examining many
factors, including stability, justice, material wealth, peace and public health.

In conclusion on the nature and goals of anthropology, sociology, and political science we can say that each discipline has
it own unique origin, nature and goals but they are all study human and their environment.

We hope you have learnt and understand the nature and goals of anthropology, sociology, and political science.

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WORKSHEET 2
Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics
Name:__________________________________________ Date: _____________
Year & Section: _____________________________________ Score:

I. True or False:
Direction: Encircle the letter that corresponds to your chosen answer.
1.___________ maps the various social forces that shape individual actions and social interactions.
a. Anthropology b. Political science c. Sociology d. Philosophy
2. According to_________________, social differentiation is a normal feature of every known culture in the
world.
a. Anthropology b. Political Science c. Sociology d. Philosophy
3. A set of imaginary coordinates that determine social actors’ opportunities and life chances in the social
world.
a. Social location b. social address c. Social position d. social map
4. A system of giving rewards for important tasks performed.
a. Privilege system b. Merit system c.. Skill-based system d. Credit system
5. It is considered the “essence of society” and is the enduring subject of social science explorations.
a. Power relation b. The social c. The political d. Artifact
6. a quality of mind that enables its processor to grasp the intersection of biography and history.
a. Sociological b. Political maneuvering c. Social imagination d. Anthropological
wandering
7. A form of personal engagement in the issues of society. Its primarily aim is to affect change on situations
and social conditions considered to be unjust and unfair.
a. Boycott b.Violent activism c. Rebellion d. Political activism
8. Cultural idiosyncrasies are perfect examples of this concept.
a. Social diversity b. Cultural conflict c. Social stratification d. Cultural diversity
9. This social science discipline takes account of the “equal but different ways” of how people live in the
world.
a. Sociology b. Political science c. Anthropology d. Political Sociology
10. A social science discipline that problematizes the unjust results of the exercise of power and not the
arrangements of power relations itself however unequal.
a. Sociology b. Political science c. Anthropology d. Political Sociology

II. KNOWLEDGE
Direction: Define the ff. terms/concepts:

1. Sociology: ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Political Science:_________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. Social Fact:______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

4. Cultural Divesrsity:________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

5. Social Inequality:__________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Prepared by: Checked and Noted by:

Jonalyn D. Obina Ms. Jennifer B. Galuz
Subject Teacher OIC Principal