Understanding Culture,

Society and Politics

Cultural Relativism
Ethnocentrism
Xenocentrism
What I Need to Know

 The module is about the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural

understanding (MELC Week 3).

After going through this module, you are expected to:

4. Become
1. Describe 2. Determine
aware why
your own the difference 3. Shows the
and how
culture and between ill effects of
cultural
compare it to ethnocentrism ethnocentrism
relativism
the culture of and cultural and
mitigates
others; relativism;
ethnocentrism
.
What’s In
 Before we proceed, let us go back with some of the important concepts about
culture, which is the focus of our discussion.

a “complex whole,” which encompasses

beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws,
norms, artfacts’, symbols, knowledge, and
everything that a person learns and shares
as a member of a society.

E.B. Taylor

Likewise, a society is understood or sometimes judged based on their culture.

What comprises a culture?
Let us refresh our mind by answering Learning Task 1: Matching Type

DESCRIPTION ASPECTS OF CULTURE

1. Family is the most important unit a. Arts and literature
of this aspect of culture. Through
b. Customs and traditions
family, children learn how they are
expected to act and what to believe c. Economic systems
in. d. Forms of government
2. It usually answers basic questions e. Language
about the meaning of life.
f. Religion
3. This is considered the cornerstone
of culture. It is the way of g. Social organizations
communicating and understanding
each other
What comprises a culture?
Let us refresh our mind by answering Learning Task 1: Matching Type

DESCRIPTION ASPECTS OF CULTURE

4. These products of human a. Arts and literature
imagination usually help people to
b. Customs and traditions
pass on their culture’s basic beliefs.
c. Economic systems
5. It maintains order within a society
and protects it from outside threats. d. Forms of government
6. This refers to how people use their e. Language
limited resources to satisfy their f. Religion
wants and needs.
g. Social organizations
7. It is the rules of behavior that
enforce ideas as right or wrong.
What’s New
 Am I Different?
Learning Task 2: Fill in “‘Me’ and My Culture” table by describing how you
behave and practice your own culture under similar circumstance.

➢ And so I am Different
Answer the six question below

1. What can you say about the culture of these people?

2. Are their respective cultures the same as your own culture? In what ways are they similar
and in what ways do they differ?
3. Do you think that the cultures of these groups are bad? Why or why not?
4. Can we consider some of their cultural practices as right or wrong? Explain.
5. Which of the two sets of cultures is the best, their cultures or your own culture? Why?
6. If one culture behaves in a particular act, does it mean that all cultures can behave the
same way? Discuss further.
“Them” and their culture “Me” and my Culture
Marriage Marriage
A man can have multiple wives. He can
share his wife to his brothers and
visitors as a sign of hospitality. (Eskimos)

Behavior Behavior
When entering a nearly empty
movie theater or public vehicle, you are
rude when you do not sit beside the
only person in the theater or public vehicle.
(South Africa)

Hand Gestures Hand Gestures

The V- hand gesture is an offensive sign

in United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa.
In Japan, China, and South Korea, using this
symbol with the palm facing the person means
he/she is looking cute in picture.
Child-rearing Child-rearing
In order to control their population in
difficult environments, Eskimos sometimes
kill their children if they could not take care
of them. They also kill females more
than males. (Infanticide)

Religion Religion
Individuals practicing Hinduism believe
in millions of gods and goddesses. All are
responsible for governing their lives,
destiny, and fate.

Reading text Reading text

Hebrew and Arabic books are read from
right to left.

Table Manners Table Manners

Europeans and Americans
use spoon and fork in eating, while
Chinese and Koreans use chopsticks.
Lets Analyze this!

 Song Analysis

KALEIDOSCOPE WORLD
KALEIDOSCOPE CULTURE

“ So many faces, so many races

❖dynamic Different voices, different choices”

“Every color, every hue is represented

by me and you”
❖transmitted

❖pattern
Cultural Relativism

Ethnocentrism

Xenocentrism
 What is It?
Different Orientation of Viewing others Culture

Cultural relativism is a belief that cultures are equally

Cultural complex
Relativism
It is a way of viewing the beliefs, values, and practices of a culture
(Our from its own viewpoint
culture is
Another way to say this is that others should understand an individual’s
different,
beliefs and activities in terms of that person’s own culture
but that’s
ok!)

Cultural relativism promotes greater appreciation of the cultures that an individual might
encounter along the way.
Cultural relativism is a good way to rehearse the norms and values of a society –-- a
requirement that one must subscribe to, regardless of his/her cultural origin.

It means that the function and meaning of a trait are relative to its cultural setting
 Example of Cultural Relativism:

 An American traveler who encounters balut for

the first time. Although told what balut is, the
tourist has never tried eating it before. Instead of
being grossed out or terrified, he/she may instill
in mind the balut is just as edible as the burgers
and corndogs in his/her in his/her country.
He/She then tastes the delicacy to get acquainted
with this flavor. This is what cultural relativism is
all about – to immerse oneself in another culture
in order to appreciate it fully.
 What is It?
Different Orientation of Viewing others Culture

Ethnocentrism (ethno-)in the center of all cultures (-centrism)

a belief that one’s own culture is better than others.
My culture
is better tend to compare, evaluate, and even judge other people’s ways
than based on the values and standards set in one’s own culture
yours! Their worldview is based on the beliefs, assumptions, expectations, and values
shaped by one’s language, behavior, customs, values, religions and other aspects.

❖ Due to ethnocentric beliefs, many people are blinded from seeing things in
another perspective
❖ Ethnocentric people tend to dislike or make false judgment on other cultures. They tend
becoming biased and judge another culture as bad and wrong.
❖ Even though we deny it, most of us are ethnocentric at some point in our lives. Some do not
even realize that they are being ethnocentric at that moment.
 Example of Ethnocentrism:

 Motive of the Spaniards in colonizing the

Philippines. They regarded the natives of the
islands as uncivilized savages in need of Spanish
governance and practices. The Spaniards forced
the natives to adapt to Spanish culture, which
eventually become a part of the Philippine culture
in the modern setting.
 What is It?
Different Orientation of Viewing others Culture

Xenocentrism
opposite relative of ethnocentrism
Your
culture is the belief that one culture is inferior to another
better
than mine! a person in this view has a high regard for other culture but disdain his/her own or is
embarreassed by it.

❖ The penchant of many Filipinos, especially teens- for East Asian culture, such
as South Korean. The wider popularity of K-pop and the like, over the
Philippine pop culture is an evidence of the high level of xenocentrism of
many Filipinos.
❑ Each culture is different

❑ Culture is formed by many factors in a span of many years

❑ Expecting other cultures to be the same as yoursis

unfeasible as every culture is unique

❑ There is a beauty in the uniqueness of different

cultures

❑ Imagine if everyone is the same, what would our

world look like?
Learning Task 3:

 Give some concrete instances when unity exists even though there are
differences happening among people.

Unity in Diversity: Pagkakaisa sa kabila ng

pagkakaiba-iba
Learning Task 4 (Individual Task)
Create a slogan that promotes respect and
tolerance towards other cultures all over the world.
Refer to the rubrics below for your guidance

Criteria Score/Percentage
Content 20
Creativity 10
Originality 10
Neatness 10
Total 50
What I Have Learned
Learning Task 5: “T-M-L Phrase”

Complete the following phrases.

The Topic was about _________________________________________________

It Matters because_________________________________________________

I’ve Learned today that _________________________________________________

Group Performance:
 Choose one current issues related to ethnocentrism,
xenocentrism and cultural relativism in the society.
Discuss the issue comprehensively.
Criteria Score/Percentage
Content relevance 15
Ideas 15
Choice of words 10
Cooperation 10
Total 50
Happy Learning!