Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Quarter 3- Module 2:
Social, Political and Cultural Change

Natural science focuses on the study of the physical world and its phenomena, such as physics,
chemistry, and biology. Social science, on the other hand, examines human behavior and society,
including fields like psychology, economics, and political science

Most Essential Learning Competencies:

Analyze the concept, aspects and changes in/of culture and society
At the end of the module, you should be able to:
K: Define and explain social, cultural, and political changes.
S: Identify common concerns or events within society on the phenomenon of
change.
A: Show appreciation on the concept of social and cultural change
 This module tackles on culture, society and politics. It also explains the
meaning, types, and importance of innovation. Lastly, it will delve on the factors
causing social, political and cultural change.
 With this, you will be able to know the changes that took place 20 years ago
and realized that the advent of technologies brought us really far in the present time
because of the evident differences observable as we compare those that were used
in the past.

Direction: Using the table, describe yourself during your elementary, Junior High School and now in
Senior High School. Compare the descriptions that you have written. Are they similar? Why? Why not?
What made them different?

Elementary Junior High School Senior High School

Activity: Briefly describe the changes that had taken place based on the pictures.
Discussion:
Introduction
There is a great confusion about social and cultural change. Such writers have used these two terms
synonymously. For the writers like Gillin and Gillin (1954) and Dawson and Gettys (1948) there is no
difference between social and cultural change.

According to Dawson and Gettys, “cultural change is social change, since all culture is social in its origin,
meaning and usage”. Similarly, Gillin and Gillin wrote: “Social changes as variations from the accepted
modes of life, whether due to alterations in geographic conditions, in cultural equipment, composition of
population, or ideologies.” For these writers, social change is a part of cultural change.

Cultural change is broader than social change which envelops social change also in its fold. For them,
society is the product of culture. “Culture tends to give direction and momentum to social change and
to set limits beyond which social change may not go” (Dawson and Gettys, 1048).

Clarifying the difference MacIver and Page (1959) writes: “Social change is a distinct thing from cultural
or civilization change…. cultural change includes change in ideology, administrative system, technology
etc.” Cultural change indicates changes in the accepted mode of life, habit patterns, and the life-style.

For Davis (1949), “social change is only a part of a broader category of change called ‘cultural change’
cultural change refers to all changes occurring in any branch of culture including art, science, technology,
philosophy etc., as well as changes in the forms and rules of social organizations”.

SOCIAL CHANGE
What is Social Change? How is it important?
What is Social Change?
Social change is the transformation of social institutions over time.

Social change is the way human interactions and relationships transform cultural and social institutions
over time, having a profound impact on society.

Social change is a concept many of us take for granted or don't really even understand. No society has
ever remained the same. Change is always happening. We accept change as inevitable, and it is, end of
story, right? Well, not exactly.

Sociologists define social change as changes in human interactions and relationships that transform
cultural and social institutions. These changes occur over time and often have profound and long-term
consequences for society.

Examples:
 Workers’ rights
 civil rights
 women's rights
 LGBTQIA+ rights
 Etc.

What interests me, and what I hope interests you, is our collective power to influence social change.
What is the Main Purpose of Social Change?
While we accept that change is constant, we do not have to accept that we are powerless in its wake. It is
the extent to which we care about the direction of social change that we can try to shape it and help to
create the kind of "change we wish to see in the world."

Question: what kind of change do we wish to see in the world?

One person’s opinion about what is good or positive social change might well be another person’s idea
of bad or negative social change.

Ex. Same sex marriage, abortion, LGBTQI, equal rights between man and woman, and more

Change Begins with How and When We Interact with Others

Communication is a vital human process. Through communication, people exchange information and
thoughts. Communication is made easier nowadays; people can share information in just a click. New
media−social networking, text messaging, e-mail, and the like−have defied time and distance.
When we listen respectfully to others who have different opinions and life experiences than our own,
we take the first step in listening; we accept that there are myriad perspectives and points of view on
most issues of concern.

If we truly want to be a participant in real change, we cannot stop at acceptance. We must have
conversations that push and pull, that ask us to give and take. And if we are willing to do that, we can
find those points of agreement and come together on them. We needn't concede those points that
define our values but find ways to work together towards positive change that reflects our shared
values. It is the art of principled compromise that has the power to create a more lasting change.

Building Relationships to Foster Constructive Social Change

Relationships have changed, institutions have changed, and cultural norms have changed as a result of
these social change movements.

CULTURAL CHANGE
What is cultural change?
Cultural change is the transformation of culture or the way people live.

Culture is a critical aspect of social life. It is at the base of the beliefs that inform people's lifestyle,
create religion, and even trigger conflicts between communities. Thus, culture implies a patterned way
of living and thinking, or the collective programming, which distinguishes members of a given social
group from others, passed through generations. Notably, culture changes across different periods
because each generation adds unique aspects before bequeathing to posterity. Other scholars define
culture as the combination of language, symbols, values, and artifacts that identify members of
society. A critical analysis of this definition reveals that culture has two basic components. On the one
hand, there are symbols and ideas, and artifacts. The values, beliefs, language, and symbols constitute
the nonmaterial elements of culture, while the artifacts, consisting of physical objects, technology, and
clothing, are some of the material elements of culture.
The term "cultural change" is used by sociologists and in public policy to denote the way society is
changed. The society takes on new cultural traits, behavior patterns, and social norms, and creates new
social structures as a result. This level of societal change occurs from contact with another society (for
example, through war or mass migration), invention and diffusion of innovations (automobiles or a smart
phone in every pocket?), and discovery.
A cultural change is an organization’s committed to change. They want to change their beliefs, behaviors,
practices, and processes. The goal is to transform the work environment for better.

Does a movement necessary to get change?

A movement is necessary to deliberately change a culture. Movements are a change or call to action
that are started by a catalyst and propelled by a group of people taking action toward a shared vision.
The catalyst can be large or small — a feeling of discontent or a need that grows and sparks a group to
call for action.

How does culture and norms differ from each other?

The term 'culture' refers to attitudes and patterns of behavior in a given group. 'Norm' refers to attitudes
and behaviors that are considered normal, typical or average within that group.
Culture is the collective term to identify certain ideas, customs, and social behaviors. It represents a
group of people or a society, combining their knowledge, beliefs, morals, and laws.

Tradition, on the other hand, is a more specific term. It’s often used to describe an individual event or
practice, such as removing your shoes when entering your home. Traditions are ideas and beliefs passed
down from one generation to the next. They’re not rules, but rather guidelines.

Political Change
Political History of the Philippines
Early polities in what is now the Philippines were small entities known as barangays, although some
larger states were established following the arrival of Hinduism and Islam through regional trade
networks.
A polity is a group of people with a collective identity, who are organized by some form of political
institutionalized social relations, and have a capacity to mobilize resources.

The arrival of Spanish settlers began a period of Spanish expansion which led to the creation of the
Captaincy General of the Philippines, governed out of Manila. While technically part of New Spain, the
Philippines functioned mostly autonomously. The reliance on native leaders to help govern led to the
creation of an elite class known as the principalia. Spanish control was never firmly established over
much of its claimed territory, with some inland and Islamic regions remaining effectively independent.
However everything was changed, the attitude of nationalism was replace by self-interest and greediness
to power and wealth.

What is political change?

Political change happens when the rulers of a country lose power or when the type of governance in the
country changes. Governance is the kind of system or ideology used to express authority in a country. It
may be a democracy, monarchy, oligarchy, and others.
Mechanisms of Change
There are different mechanisms or tools involved in social and cultural changes.
1. Diffusion - is the process through which the cultural traits of one society are
borrowed, transmitted, and adopted by another and considered as its own.
Examples: • Migration • Globalization
2. Invention - is the process where new cultural elements are created to solve social
and cultural problems.
Example: Interne
3. Discovery - is the process where people recognize or gain a better understanding
of already existing elements present in the environment.
Example: Scientific research

Activity 1
Identify what mechanism of change is involved in the following:
1. Globalization- Diffusion
2. Internet- Invention
3. Research- Discovery
4. Mobile phones- Invention
5. Social media- Invention

Activity 2
Direction: Based on the activities and readings on this module, write the things you have learned about
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND CULTURAL CHANGE. Do this in your notebook.
I have learned that ________________________________ ______.
I have realized that ________________ _________________ _____.
I will apply _____________ _________________ _______________.

Activity 3
Direction: Make a list of changes that you want to happen in the next 20 years. Arrange them according
to ascending order of priority. For each of the changes, provide necessary conditions that would lead to
its realization. Do this in your notebook.

Assignment
Direction: In your notebook/paper. Compare and Contrast the Social, Cultural, and Political change in the
Philippines
 Similarities Contrast
Social

Cultural

Political

References:
Department of Education-Schools Divisions of Negros Oriental Region 7- Understanding Culture,
Society and Politics UCSP11/12SPUIa-1, Ia-2 & Ib-3
https://www.snhu.edu/ (Southern New Hampshire University)
https://www.betterup.com/blog/cultural-change
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_history_of_the_Philippines#