THE SOCIAL SCIENCES:

S O C I O LO G Y,
A N T H R O P O LO G Y A N D
POLITICAL SCIENCE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G C U LT U R E , S O C I E T Y A N D
POLITICS
THE SOCIAL AS “DRIVER OF
INTERACTION”
• The study of society can be accomplished in three different
ways:
– By mapping the social forces impinging on social actors as their lives
intersect in society
– By rehearsing the structures and components of cultural practices
and traditions; and
– By exposing the asymmetrical power distributions among members
of social communities and organizations
 Social Science
science that deal with the study of people within the
context of their social relationship within institutions and
natural environment, political systems and cultures.

Political
Anthropology Sociology
Science
Anthropology Sociology Political
Science

-the study -the systematic -the study of

study of social politics and
of humans, behavior and power from
past and human groups domestic,
present international,
and comparative
perspectives
 WHY STUDY ANTHROPOLOGY,
SOCIOLOGY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

multi/interdisciplinary SOCIOLOGY
course that integrates Interpretive critical dynamics
dynamics of of human
and combines the society evolution
SOCIAL
contents, methods and
theories. POLITICAL
ANTHROPLOGY SCIENCE
structural
dynamics of
culture
 DISCIPLINES
• Highlights • Underlines • About

Political Science
Anthropology
Sociology the the role of power
external cultural relations
influences structure in and how
that organizing these
human produce
facilitate interactions layered
or modalities
constrain of
human opportuniti
actions es among
social actors
 A cursory look of topics
Anthropology Sociology Political Science
Genetics and evolution
Culture, society Ideologies
Cultural Variations
Socialization States and constitutions
Concept of culture
Groups and organizations Regimes and political culture
Communication and language
Social inequality Political communication
Social stratification
Gender stratification Interest groups
Sex, gender and culture
Race and ethnicity Elections
Associations and interest
Social institutions (families, Legislatives, executives,
groups
religion, education, judiciaries
Religion
government) Political economy
The arts
Social change International relations
Cultural change
Source: Ember, Ember & Peregrine (2002,
Macionis (2010, p. vii) Roskin et. al (2014)
pp.iii-iv)
SOCIOLOGY
• Focuses on the ubiquity (or the “everywhere-ness”)
of social forces in unlikely forms: sex, gender,
religion, class, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and
the like.
• Sociology was born in Europe (especially in
Germany, England and France) during the period of
the Industrial Revolution.
SOCIOLOGIST
• AUGUST COMTE (1798-1857)
– Credited to be the Father of Sociology”
for having coined the term sociology.

• KARL MARX
EMILE DURKEIM MAX WEBER
EMILE DURKHEIM

• A French social thinker was

exceptionally instrumental in the
formalization and later recognition
of sociology as the new science of
the study of society.
• With his monumental work on
suicide, he introduced the concept
of “social fact” which later sealed
the eventual institution and
recognition of sociology as a new
social science.
KARLMARX

• He produced the most scathing

critique as the basis for his conflict
paradigm.
• Conflict paradigm demonstrates
the role of the conflict in the
evolution of society
ANTHROPOLOGY

• The American Anthropological Association describes

anthropology as science seeking to “uncover principles of
behavior that apply to all human communities.
• Focuses on human diversity around the world. Anthropologists
look at cross – cultural differences in social institutions,
cultural beliefs and communication styles.
POLITICAL SCIENCE

• The systematic study of government and politics. It makes generalizations and analyses about
political systems and political behavior and uses these results to predict future behavior
• The discipline that problematizes the nature of power and studies how possession and
exercise of power can shape individual actions and collective decisions for that matter