SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Community Engagement,
Solidarity and
Module 1 – Quarter 1
Citizenship
The Importance of Studying Community
Dynamics and Community Action

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

Community Engagement, Solidarity, and Citizenship (CSC)
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 1: Understanding the importance of studying community
Dynamics and community action
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio
Assistant Secretary: Alma Ruby C. Torio

Development Team of the Module

Author: Leterin II G. Agcopra
Content Editor: Michael M. Taytay
Language Editor: Elbert T. Maestre
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Regional Director
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Assistant Regional Director
Jonathan S. dela Peña, PhD, CESO V
Schools Division Superintendent
Rowena H. Para-on, PhD
Assistant Schools Division
Mala EpraSuperintendent
B. Magnaong, Chief ES, CLMD
Members: Neil A. Improgo, PhD, EPS-LRMS; Bienvenido U. Tagolimot, Jr., PhD, EPS-ADM;
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Magsayo, LRMS Manager; Loucile L. Paclar, Librarian II;
Kim Eric G. Lubguban, PDO II

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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

i
 This instructional material was collaboratively developed and
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Module 1 – Quarter 1
The Importance of Studying Community
Dynamics and Community Action

Community Engagement,
Solidarity and Citizenship

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

TABLE OF
ii CONTENTS

Page No.

Cover page i
iii
Copyright page ii
Table of Contents iv

FIRST QUARTER - MODULE 1

What I Need to Know 1
What Should I Expect 1
Things to Remember to Get Through 2
Remember This 2

LESSON 1- Importance of Studying Community Dynamics and Community

Action
What Should I Expect What 3
I Know 3
What is it What’s 4
In What’s 10
More 10
Assessment 11

LESSON 2 – Definitions of Social Sciences, Institutions, Civil Society and

Local/Grassroots Level
What Should I Expect What 12
I know 12
What’s New Assessment 13
Additional Activities 25
Assessment 26
References 27
28

iv
 WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Research findings show that course module is useful academically up to

some level in improving the standards of students. The struggle to study is the main
aim of the students in the teaching-learning process. The goal of all above is to make
teaching-learning process most effective.
In this module, the students understand and appreciate the integration of
social science perspective and community action initiatives.

After studying this module, students will be able to:

1. demons
WtratHe aAn TundeSsr HatnOdni Ug Lof Dthe
community-action initiatives applying social
IniteEgrXaoti PnEofCsoTcailscience perspective and community
sciences’ ideas and methods;
action initiatives;
3. understand
2. synthesize the the meaningexperience
integrative of community; and
of implementing
4. learn the importance of studying the community and its
dynamics.

THINGS TO REMEMBER TO
GET THROUGH

To learn the benefits from this module, follow the steps below:

1. Read the module title and the module introduction to get an idea of what the
module covers. Specifically, read the first two sections of this module
carefully. The first section tells you what this module is all about while the
second section tells you of what you are expected to learn.

1
2. Never move on to the next page unless you have done what you are expected
to do in the previous page. Before you start each lesson, read first the
INSTRUCTIONS.

3. Work on the activities. Take note of the skills that each activity is helping you
to develop.

4. Take the Post-Test after you are done with all the lessons and activities in the
module.

5. Meet with your teacher. Ask him/her about any difficulty or confusion you have
encountered in this module.

6. Finally, prepare and gather all your outputs and submit them to your teacher.

7. Please write all your answers of the tests, activities, exercises, and others in
your separate activity notebook.

GOOD LUCK AS YOU BEGIN THIS MODULE!

Importance of Studying Community Dynamics and

LESSON Community Action in relation to applied social
1 sciences and the learners’ future career options

2
Competency 1A: Explain the importance of studying community dynamics and
community action in relation to applied social sciences and the learners’ future
career options, HUMSS_CSC12-IIIa-c-1 (2 hours)

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT

At the end of this lesson, the learners are expected to:

1. understand the meaning of community;
2. identify the types of community;
3. appreciate the importance of studying the community and its
dynamics; and
4. learn the social science for future career options.

WHAT I KNOW

Exercise 1.0 I Dream

Instructions: Complete the statement below and answer the questions that follows:
(10 minutes)

I, , dream to be a/an in the future. (Name)

(Dream)

1. What influenced you to form this dream?

2. How do you think this dream will help your future family and the community?
3. Why do you think that this dream is essential?
4. Is your dream still reachable in your current standing as grade 12 student?

V WHAT IS IT
3
What is community?

A community is a group of people who share something in common. You can

define a community by the shared attributes of the people in it and/or by the strength
of the connections among them. You need a bunch of people who are alike in some
way, who feel some sense of belonging or interpersonal connection.
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such
as norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of
place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, town, or
neighbourhood) or in virtual space through communication platforms. Durable
relations that extend beyond immediate genealogical ties also define a sense of
community, important to their identity, practice, and roles in social institutions such as
family, home, work, government, society, or humanity at large. Although communities
are usually small relative to personal social ties, "community" may also refer to large
group affiliations such as national communities, international communities, and
virtual communities.
The English-language word "community" derives from the Old
French comuneté (currently "Communauté"), which from
the Latin communitas "community", "public spirit" (from Latin communis, "common").
comes
Human communities may share intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs,
and risks in common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of
cohesiveness.
According to David M. Chavis & Kien Lee, “Community” is so easy to say. The
word itself connects us with each other. It describes an experience so common that
we never really take time to explain it. It seems so simple, so natural, and so human.
In the social sector, we often add it to the names of social innovations as a symbol of
good intentions (for example, community mental health, community policing,
community-based philanthropy, community economic development).

However, the meaning of community is complex. Insufficient understanding of

what a community is and its role in the lives of people in diverse societies has led to
the downfall of many well-intended “community” efforts.

Types of Community

4
A formal group is formed when people come together to accomplish specific goals
an
objectives.

An informal group is formed when two or more people come together to accomplish
a specific task which is mainly socially geared.

An urban area is the region surrounding a city. An area with high density of
population.

A rural area is an open swath of land that has few homes or other buildings, and not
very many people. A rural area’s population density is very low.

A global community are the people or nations of the world, considered as being
closely connected by modern telecommunications and as being economically,
socially, and politically interdependent.

Sectoral means relating to the various economic sectors of a society or to a

particular economic sector.

A social space is physical or virtual space such as a social center, online social
media, or other gathering place where people gather and interact.

There are, broadly speaking, five common features of communities.

You can classify every type of community by the purpose that brings them together.
1. Interest. Communities of people who share the same interest or passion.
2. Action. Communities of people trying to bring about change.
3. Place. Communities of people brought together by geographic boundaries.

4. Practice. Communities of people in the same profession or undertake the

same activities.

5. Circumstance. Communities of people brought together by

external events/situations.

About 90% of community projects, especially branded communities, try to

develop a community of interest. But a community of interest competes with our
mental leisure time. Communities of interest are the hardest type of community to
develop.

Community Dynamics is the process of change and development in

communities of all living organisms—including plants, microorganisms, and small
and large creatures of every sort. Populations of an organism will appear in an
environment as its requirements for establishment are met.

What could it be used for?

For commissioners, policy-makers and anybody else involved in the design and
delivery of local services, Community Dynamics data can be used to bring additional
depth into the understanding of your local 5areas.
Particularly, these data sets could have a role to play in projects and initiatives
looking to work in a more asset-based way.

Importance of Understanding Community Dynamics and Community Action

Community Dynamics is the change and development involved in a
community that includes all forms of living organisms.
Community Action is putting communities as the center of the services
development and services delivery. This initiative aims to cater the primary needs of
the communities before implementing it. In such way, community action will help the
community dynamics or the degree of improvement of the community.
It is important to understand these two because these will propel the success
and stability of the communities. They go hand in hand and are proportionally
related.

What is community action?

Community action is any activity that increases the understanding,
engagement and empowerment of communities in the design and delivery of local
services. It includes a broad range of activities and is sometimes described as ‘social
action' or ‘community engagement'. These activities can vary in their objective, the
role the community plays, the types of activities involved, their scale and their
integration within the council. What they have in common is that they all involve
greater engagement of local citizens in the planning, design and delivery of local
services.

Why is community action important?

Community action is about putting communities at the heart of their own local
services. Involving communities in the design and delivery of services can help to
achieve a number of objectives, including:
 Building community and social capacity – helping the community to share
knowledge, skills and ideas.
 Community resilience – helping the community to support itself.
 Prevention – a focus on early access to services or support, engagement in
design, cross-sector collaboration and partnerships.
 Maintaining and creating wealth – for example helping people into
employment or developing community enterprises.

Role of the Community

The role the community includes community consultation, joint planning, joint
design, joint delivery and community-led activities.

Applied Social Sciences

These are social science disciplines, professions and occupations which seek
to use basic social science research and theory to improve the daily life of
communities, organizations and persons.

6
What can I do with my degree in Social Sciences?
Social Science Careers

The occupations listed below are a selection of those which may interest
Social Sciences students and graduates from the School of Social Policy, Sociology
and Social Research.

Advice Worker- Advice Workers provide information, advice and guidance on

a range of topics depending on the role. These topics may include housing,
employment, welfare, education, finance and law.

Civil Service Career- The Civil Service delivers public services according to
government policies. There are a large number of different departments and so a
huge variety of different roles.

Charity Officer- here are a variety of different roles within charities including
project management, volunteer co-ordination and fund raising.

Community Development Worker- Working in communities and liaising with

different agencies to bring about change and improvements. Some work may be
targeted towards certain groups of people e.g. the unemployed or the homeless.

Community Education Officer- Promoting and coordinating a range of

educational options to members of a local community.

Equality and Diversity Officer- Equality Officers promote diversity and work
to ensure that people are treated fairly and not discriminated against for
characteristics including race, gender, age or disability.

Family Support Worker- Working with families facing a variety of difficulties

and helping them to solve problems and move forward.

Housing Officer- Housing Officers work for local authorities or housing

associations to manage rented accommodation including solving problems raised by
tenants, organizing maintenance, allocating properties and dealing with payment
issues. Housing Policy Officers develop policies for local authorities or housing
associations.

Human Resources Officer- Human Resources Officers aim to ensure that

organizations have a skilled and efficient workforce. They are involved in recruitment
7
and selection, training and development, grievance and discipline and provide advice
on employment law.

Immigration, Customs and Border Roles- There are a variety of roles involving
monitoring people, banned substances and other goods leaving and entering the
country to ensure safety and security and to maintain the law.

Intelligence Analyst- Analyzing and assessing intelligence data largely for the
purposes of security and crime prevention.

International Aid/Development Worker- Working to improve the lives of people in

developing countries.

Legal Careers- Providing legal services to clients.

Local Government Careers- Developing policies and delivering local services.

There are a huge variety of roles within local government including roles in social
care, housing and education to name just a few.

Mediator- Working with people to help them solve conflicts and disagreements.

Police Officer- Police Officers work to make communities safer by maintaining the
law and preventing crime.

Prison Officer- Prison Officers are responsible for maintaining security in prisons
and supporting the rehabilitation of prisoners.

Probation Officer- Probation Officers work with offenders and aim to reduce rates of
re-offending and protect the public.

Psychologist- There are a range of different psychologist roles but broadly they
help clients to improve their psychological well being.

Psychotherapy, Counselling and mental Roles- Supporting people to overcome a

range of psychological or emotional difficulties.

Social Researcher- Social Researchers could work for universities or

research/market research organizations. Social research covers a wide range of

8
topics including crime, transport and education. Social Researchers manage
research projects including collecting and analyzing data and presenting the results.

Social Worker- Social Workers work with people in the community who need
support, for example, the elderly, children who are at risk, people with disabilities or
mental health difficulties.

Substance Misuse Worker- Supporting clients to overcome their problems with

drug, alcohol or solvent misuse.

Teacher/Lecturer/Education Roles- There are a variety of opportunities within

education from primary schools to universities.

Victim Care Officer- Providing help to people who have been victims of crime,
including supporting them during court proceedings.

Volunteer Coordinator- Managing the recruitment, training, placement and retention

of volunteers.

Youth Offending Officer- Working with young offenders with the aim of reducing
rates of re-offending and supporting young people to achieve positive outcomes.

Youth Worker- Working with young people to provide support, raise aspirations and
break down barriers to achieving. This is done in a variety of ways including through
recreational activities, organizing projects, mentoring and liaising with other
agencies.

WHAT’S IN

9
INSTRUCTIONS:

In your notebook, answer the following questions.

1.) Define Community in your own words.

2.) Give three (3) reasons why do we need to study community.
3.) Describe your community in one (1) word, and why?
4.) List down at least five (5) activities in your community that you actively
engaged in.
5.) Give at least five (5) contributions you did to your community as an individual.

Note to the teacher:

Have your own assessment on the above What’s
In activity. Also, you decide the scoring of this activity.

Thank you.

WHAT’S MORE

ACTIVITY 1
1.) Make a non-sequential blocks in your notebook focusing in the Social Science
Careers listed above, select the top five (5) priority career you want in the
future.
(Note: Limit 5 careers only and you can have your own graphical design)

To the teacher:
You can vary the instructions such as:
1. Vary the number of timeline-events, genres and their structures.
2. Give your own graphical design or ask the students
to have their own.
3. Opt to have another activity as long as it has something to do with tracing
the literary evolution of the Philippines.

ASSESSMENT

10
 Instructions: Match each statement in Column A with what it describes
in Column B. Write the letter of the answer in your notebook.
Column A Column B
1 A human settlement with a high population
density. a. Social Science
2.Areas have a low population density and small b. Rural community
settlements. c. Community action
3.Known as the change and development d. Community dynamics
involved in a community that includes all forms e. Social space
of living organisms. f. Community
4.A physical or virtual space such as a g. Urban community
social center, online social media, or other h. Sociology
gathering place where people gather and
interact.
5.A situation putting communities as the center of
the services development and services delivery.
6.A group of people who share something in
common.

SOCIAL SCIENCE PERSPECTIVES,

LESSON INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE, CIVIL SOCIETY
2 PERSPECTIVE AND LOCAL/GRASSROOTS

Learning Competency 1B: Define using various perspectives, e.g., social sciences,
institutions, civil society, and local/grassroots level HUMSS_CSC12-IIa-c-2 (2 hours).

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. understand the community through the lens of the social sciences;
2. identify the various social science perspectives;
3. appreciate the value of community action initiatives; and
4. discuss the community through the five main social institutions.

WHAT I KNOW

11
Instruction: Write T if the statement is true and F if it is false. Write your
answer in your notebook.
1. Family is responsible for reproduction to replace members, provides protection,
socialize the young.
2. Politics produce and distribute goods and services.
3. Education is a way to pass on culture, knowledge, and values.
4. Religion helps people find purpose in their live, develops spiritual side of people,
provides guidelines for personal behavior and social interaction.
5. Social science is the branch of science devoted to the study of societies and the
relationships among individuals within those societies.
6. Sociology is the study of what makes us human.
7. Anthropology is the study of human social life.
8. Economic is the art or science of government.
9. Anthropological perspective focuses on the study of the full scope of human
diversity and the application of that knowledge to help people of different
backgrounds.
10.Institution is a society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social,
or similar purpose.

WHAT’S NEW

I. SOCIAL SCIENCE
Social science is the branch of science devoted to the study of societies and the
relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used
to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of society", established in the
19th century. In addition to sociology, it is now encompasses a wide array of
academic disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, economics, human
geography, linguistics, management science, media studies, musicology, political
science, psychology, welfare and nursing studies[1] and social history.

Sociology is the study of human social life. Sociology is a branch of the social
sciences that uses systematic methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis
to develop and refine a body of knowledge about human social structure.

The perspective of sociology involves seeing through the outside appearances of

people’s actions and organizations (Berger, P. 1963). It is the way of looking at the
society and the social behaviour—the subject matter of sociology. It goes beyond

12
identifying patterns of social behaviour. It also attempts to provide explanations for
such patterns.

What is a social science perspective?

The Social Science Perspective is viewing life through the tinted spectacles of
the speculations passed off as “science” by bullying academics. In sad truth, they
cannot predict wars, social changes, elections, or anything else. And certainly they
are incapable of creating or manipulating anything significant.

They call themselves “scientists” because they explain the world in complex
language and invented words that they pretend to understand. In reality, they have
no science because science means to be able to predict without error and to
manipulate or create phenomena.

A lens maker can create a lens for a specific function because he knows the
materials, the math, and the laws of optics. An astronomer can predict eclipses and
the path of planets. A chemist can synthesize new chemicals, and predict reactions
and the energies involved. Always, without error.

However a social scientist can only generate large volumes of garbled prose,
too thick to be called a lie and without the work ability required of the truth.

ompare
it to the beliefs and practices
of other societies, past, and
present (Dudgeon). The
holistic,
cross-cultural and comparative
approach can help us think
more deeply about other
people and
13
cultures, and live more
consciously in our global
world. It also changes
your way of thinking
about the world with a
wider
appreciation of the
experience. human It allows
understand us to
how the evolutionary package
inherited from our ancestors
work in today’s environment.

Sources:

14
Dudgeon, Roy C. “The
Anthropological Perspective:
What Makes it Unique.”

“Why is Anthropology
Important.”
https://classroom.synonym.co
m/why-is-anthropology-
important-12080725.html.
ompare
it to the beliefs and practices
of other societies, past, and
present (Dudgeon). The
holistic,
cross-cultural and comparative
approach can help us think

15
more deeply about other
people and
cultures, and live more
consciously in our global
world. It also changes
your way of thinking
about the world with a
wider
appreciation of the
experience. human It allows
understand us to
how the evolutionary package
inherited from our ancestors
work in today’s environment.

16
Sources:
Dudgeon, Roy C. “The
Anthropological Perspective:
What Makes it Unique.”

“Why is Anthropology
Important.”
https://classroom.synonym.co
m/why-is-anthropology-
important-12080725.html.
ompare
it to the beliefs and practices
of other societies, past, and
present (Dudgeon). The
holistic,

17
cross-cultural and comparative
approach can help us think
more deeply about other
people and
cultures, and live more
consciously in our global
world. It also changes
your way of thinking
about the world with a
wider
appreciation of the
experience. human It allows
understand us to
how the evolutionary package
inherited from our ancestors
work in today’s environment.

18
Sources:
Dudgeon, Roy C. “The
Anthropological Perspective:
What Makes it Unique.”

“Why is Anthropology
Important.”
https://classroom.synonym.co
m/why-is-anthropology-
important-12080725.html.
ompare
it to the beliefs and
practices of other
societies, past, and

19
present (Dudgeon).
The holistic,
cross-cultural and comparative
approach can help us think
more deeply about other
people and
cultures, and live more
consciously in our global
world. It also changes
your way of thinking
about the world with a
wider
appreciation of the
experience. human It allows
understand us to

20
how the evolutionary package
inherited from our ancestors
work in today’s environment.

Sources:
Dudgeon, Roy C. “The
Anthropological Perspective:
What Makes it Unique.”

“Why is Anthropology
Important.”
https://classroom.synonym.co
m/why-is-anthropology-
important-12080725.html.

21
What is anthropological
the Why is it
perspective?
important?
Anthropologyis the study
of people, past and present,
that focuses on
understanding the human
condition both culturally
and biologically.
Other than culture
concept,
Anthropology has
different distinctive ways of
thinking about the world,
human cultures, societies, and
people.
22
Anthropological Perspective
focuses on the study of the full
scope of human diversity and
the
application of that knowledge
to help people of different
backgrounds. Some of the
aspects of the
Anthropological Perspective
are culture, cultural relativism,
fieldwork, human diversity,
holism,
biocultural focus. The four
main perspectives of
Anthropology are
the cultural or cross-

23
comparative emphasis,
its evolutionary/historical
emphasis, its ecological
emphasis, and its
holistic emphasis (Dudgeon).
From an anthropological
perspective, these concepts are
related to
each other and they are also
seen as integrated with one
another.
In order to understand the
origin and the history of
human and
acknowledge
beings, to

24
global cultured and
communities, people should be
able to
consider anthropological
in their both social and
perspectives
academic
Anthropological perspectivelives.
is very important because it
looks at shared aspects
humanity of like language,
cultural
economics, and curiosity
connections,
to find the common thread.
What makes the
Anthropological Perspective
unique is that unlike

25
other social scientists,
anthropologists look beyond
the confines of our own
society and compare
it to the beliefs and practices
of other societies, past, and
present (Dudgeon). The
holistic,
cross-cultural and comparative
approach can help us think
more deeply about other
people and
cultures, and live more
consciously in our global
world. It also changes
your way of thinking

26
about the world with a wider
appreciation of the
experience. human It allows
understand us to
how the evolutionary package
inherited from our ancestors
work in today’s environment
Whatis the
anthropological perspective?
Why is it important?

Anthropology is the study

of people, past and
present, that focuses on
understanding the human
condition both culturally
and biologically.
27
Other than culture concept,
Anthropology has
different distinctive ways
of thinkingabout the world,
human cultures, societies, and
people.
Anthropological Perspective
focuses on the study of the full
scope of human diversity and
the
application of that knowledge
to help people of different
backgrounds. Some of the
aspects of the
Anthropological Perspective
are culture, cultural relativism,

28
fieldwork, human diversity,
holism,
biocultural focus. The four
main perspectives of
Anthropology are the
cultural or cross-
comparative emphasis, its
evolutionary/historical
emphasis, its
ecological emphasis, and its
holistic emphasis (Dudgeon).
From an anthropological
perspective, these concepts are
related to

29
each other and they are also
seen as integrated with one
another.
In order to understand the
origin and the history of
human and
acknowledge
beings, to
global cultured
and communities, people
should be able to
consider anthropological
in their both social and
perspectives
academic
Anthropological perspective
lives.
is very important because it

30
looks at shared aspects of
humanity like language,
cultural
economics, and curiosity
connections,
to find the common thread.
What makes the
Anthropological Perspective
unique is that unlike
other social scientists,
anthropologists look beyond
the confines of our own
society and compare
it to the beliefs and practices
of other societies, past, and
present (Dudgeon). The
holistic,

31
cross-cultural and comparative
approach can help us think
more deeply about other
people and
cultures, and live more
consciously in our global
world. It also changes
your way of thinking
about the world with a
wider
appreciation of the
experience. human It allows
understand us to
how the evolutionary package
inherited from our ancestors
work in today’s environment
What is Anthropology?

Anthropology is the study of what makes us human. Anthropologists take a broad

approach in understanding different aspects of the human experiences, which we

32
call holism. They consider the past, through archaeology, to see how human groups
lived hundreds or thousands of years ago and what was important to them. They
consider what makes up our biological bodies and genetics as well as our bones,
diet, and health.

1. ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

-focuses on the study of the full scope of human diversity and the application of
that knowledge to help people of different backgrounds. These are culture, cultural
relativism, fieldwork, human diversity, holism, bio-cultural focus.

2. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

-involves the investigation of the problem on micro and macro levels. At micro
level, sociology studies how individuals behave in social situations—at work, at play,
at home, or in school, or in small and large groups. It deals with people’s everyday
interactions (social interactionist, ethno methodological and phenomenological
approaches of study).
At macro level, sociology focuses on patterns of behaviour and forms of
organisation that characterise entire societies (classical and grand theorist’s
approaches). At this level, sociology deals with large-scale structures (such as
bureaucracy), broad social categories, institutions, social systems, and social
problems such as war, unemployment, poverty, corruption, and solutions to these
problems are sought at the structural or organisational level. In their studies,
sociologists utilise both approaches of study, i.e., qualitative (introspective-
participant method) and quantitative (statistical, interview and survey techniques).

3. POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE

Politics (from Greek: Πολιτικά, politiká, 'affairs of the cities') is the set of activities
that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power
relations between individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The
academic study of politics is referred to as Political Science.
Perspectives on politics seeks to provide a space for broad and synthetic
discussion within the political science profession and between the profession and the
broader scholarly and reading publics. Such discussion necessarily draws on and
contributes to the scholarship published in the more specialized journals that
dominate our discipline. At the same time, Perspectives seeks to promote a
complementary form of broad public discussion and synergistic understanding within
the profession that is essential to advancing research and promoting scholarly
community. Perspectives seeks to nurture a political science public sphere,
publicizing important scholarly topics, ideas, and innovations, linking scholarly
authors and readers, and promoting broad reflexive discussion among political
scientists about the work that we do and why this work matters.
II. INSTITUTIONS NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE
PICTURE USED.

A society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar

purpose. It is an established organization or corporation (such as a bank or
university) especially of a public character financial institutions

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 NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE
PICTURE USED.

The 5 Major Social Institutions and Their Functions

The five major social institutions and their functions are fairly universal, but
could vary depending one’s culture or geographic location. However, it is likely that
there be some common or overlapping social institutions, each with its relevant set of
functions, which vary somewhat depending on social values, moral standards, and
level of civilization.

Traditionally, sociology identifies the following major types of social institutions:

NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE PICTURE

USED.

Functions of major institutions

34
Family - Responsible for reproduction to replace members,
provides protection, socialize the young

NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE

PICTURE USED.

Economic- Produces and distributes goods and services

NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE THE PICTURE

USED.

Political- Assists group in decision making

NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE

PICTURE USED.

Education - A way to pass on culture, knowledge, and values

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 NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE
PICTURE USED.

Religion - Helps people find purpose in their lives

Develops spiritual side of people
Provides guidelines for personal
behavior and social interaction

NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE

PICTURE USED.

III. CIVIL SOCIETY PERSPECTIVE

36
 NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE
PICTURE USED.

Civil society refers to the space for collective action around shared interests,
purposes and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for profit
actors. Civil society includes charities, development NGO’s, community groups,
women organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trade
unions, social movements, coalitions and advocacy groups. However, civil society is
not homogeneous and the boundaries between civil society and government or civil
society and commercial actors can be blurred. There is certainly no one 'civil society'
view, and civil society actors need to contend with similar issues of
representativeness and legitimacy as those of other representatives and advocates.

1. MANIFESTATIONS OF CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS

The emergence of civil society groups is well received by development

practitioner in varied forms. Such groups are formed based on the customs and
norms of the prevailing society. Groups that are formed under these have individuals
who can freely choose to associate with not just one but as many as he or she likes.
Since people have the liberty to do such, the groups act like leverage for particular
individuals to be with like-minded citizens. Think of these groups as an intermediary
of the citizens in their relationship with their government and the private sector. An
individual alone will not have the same lobbying power as when he or she is with a
group that has more social capital as an enabler. This combination of networks and
relationships promotes clout in order to carry out the group’s advocate and goals.

2. ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION

NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE OF THE
PICTURE USED.

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 The role of civil society in good governance is to apprise people of their
fundamental rights and responsibilities. In addition, civil society is instrumental in
making people aware about the role of the government and state institutions, as well
as the responsibilities of state functionaries. Without that knowledge, most people
are unaware of governance, public issues and the administrative structures and
functions.

3. NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS

NGOs are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs

and associations which provide services to its members and others. They are usually
nonprofit organizations. Many NGOs are active in humanitarianism or the social
sciences. Surveys indicate that NGOs have a high degree of public trust, which can
make them a useful proxy for the concerns of society and stakeholders. However,
NGOs can also be lobby groups for corporations, such as the World Economic
Forum. According to NGO.org, (the non-governmental organizations associated with
the United Nations [), NGOs are any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is
organized on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by
people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian
functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and
encourage political participation through provision of information.

Some NGOs rely primarily on volunteers, while others support a paid

staff. Two broad groups of NGOs are identified by the World Bank:
 Operational NGOs- which focus on development projects.
 Advocacy NGOs- which are organized to promote particular
causes.

How NGOs are Funded?

As non-profits, NGOs rely on a variety of sources for funding, including:

 membership dues
 private donations
 the sale of goods and services
 grants

38
 Despite their independence from government, some NGOs rely significantly on
government funding. Large NGOs may have budgets in the millions or billions of
dollars.

Some common characteristics of NGOs according to Ball and Dunn are:

 They are formed voluntarily.
 They are independent of government.
 They are not for private profit or gain.
Their principal is to improve the circumstances and prospects of disadvantaged
people.

4. SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

A social movement is a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to

achieve a particular goal, typically a social or political one. Interest group, also called
special interest group or pressure group, any association of individuals or
organizations, usually formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared
concerns, attempts to influence public policy in its favor. All interest groups share a
desire to affect government policy to benefit themselves or their causes. Their goal
could be a policy that exclusively benefits group members or one segment of society
(e.g., government subsidies for farmers) or a policy that advances a broader public
purpose (e.g., improving air quality). They attempt to achieve their goals by lobbying
—that is, by attempting to bring pressure to bear on policy makers to gain policy
outcomes in their favour.

5. INTEREST GROUPS

Interest groups are a natural outgrowth of the communities of interest that

exist in all societies, from narrow groups such as the Japan Eraser Manufacturers
Association to broad groups such as the American Federation of Labor–Congress of
Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) and to even broader organizations such as the
military. Politics and interests are inseparable. Interests are a prevalent, permanent,
and essential aspect of all political systems—democratic, authoritarian, and
totalitarian regimes alike. Furthermore, interest groups exist at all levels of
government—national, state, provincial, and local—and increasingly they have
occupied an important role in international affairs.

Some interest groups consist of individuals such as ranchers or fruit growers

who may form farm commodity organizations. In other instances, an interest group
consists not of individuals but of organizations or businesses.

The term interest rather than interest group is often used to denote broad or
less-formalized political constituencies, such as the agricultural interest and the
environmental interest—segments of society that may include many formal interest
groups. Similarly, interest is often used when considering government entities
working to influence other governments (e.g., a local government seeking to secure
funding from the national government). In authoritarian and developing societies,

39
where formal interest groups are restricted or not as well developed, interest is often
used to designate broader groupings such as government elites and tribal leaders.

The common goals and sources of interest groups obscure, however, the fact
that they vary widely in their form and lobbying strategies both within and across
political systems. This article provides a broad overview that explains these
differences and the role that interest groups play in society.

6. Local and International Organizations

There are variety of legal types of organizations, including corporations,

governments, non-governmentalorganizations, political organizations,
international organizations, armed forces, charities, not-for-profit corporations,
partnerships, cooperatives, and educational institutions.

An organization is an entity, such as a company, an institution, or an association,

comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose.

Local International

Government Organizations International Organizations

Local organization means an An international
organization whose activities are limited organization (intergovernmental
to this state or to a specific geographical organization) is an organization
area within this state. established by a treaty or
A local government is a form of public instrument governed
other by international
administration which, in a majority of law and possessing its own
contexts, exists as the lowest tier of international legal personality, such as
administration within a given state. The the United Nations, the World Health
term is used to contrast with offices Organization and NATO. International
at state level, which are referred to as organizations are composed of
the centralgovernment, national primarily Member states, but may also
government, or include other entities, such as other
appropriate) federalgovernment and
(where
also to supranational government which international organizations.
deals with governing institutions between
states. Local governments generally act Notable examples include the United
within powers delegated to them Nations (UN), Organization for Security
by legislation or directives of the higher andCo-operation i
level of government. In federal states, Europe (OSCE), Council n
local government generally comprises of
the third (or sometimes fourth) tier of Organization
Europe (COE),
(ILO) InternationalLabour
and International
government, whereas in unitary states, Police Organization (INTERPOL).
local government usually occupies the
second or third tier of government, often
with greater powers than higher-level
administrative divisions.

Non-government Organizations International Non-government

40
 Organizations

Organizations which are independent of

An international non-governmental
government involvement are known as
organization (INGO) extends the
non-governmental concept of a non-governmental
organizations or NGOs or organization (NGO) to an international
non- government organizations.
scope.
NGOs are a subgroup of organizations
founded by citizens, which include clubs NGOs are independent of governments
and associations which provide services and can be seen as two types,
to its members and others. They are advocacy NGOs, which aim to
usually nonprofit organizations. Many influence governments with a specific
NGOs are active in humanitarianism or goal, and operational NGOs, which
the social sciences. Surveys indicate that provide services. Examples of NGO
NGOs have a high degree of public trust, mandates are environmental
which can make them a useful proxy for preservation, human rights promotions
the concerns of society and or the advancement of women. NGOs
stakeholders. However, NGOs can also are typically not-for-profit, but receive
be lobby groups for corporations, such funding from companies or
as the WorldEconomic Forum. membership fees. Many large INGOs
According to NGO.org (the non- have components of operational
governmental organizations associated projects and advocacy initiatives
with the United Nations), "[an NGO is] working together within individual
any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group countries.
which is organized on a local, national or
international level ... Task-oriented and
driven by people with a common interest,
NGOs perform a variety of service and
humanitarian functions, bring citizen
concerns to Governments, advocate and
monitor policies and encourage political
participation through provision of
information

IV. GRASSROOTS LEVEL

A grassroots movement is one which uses the people in a given district, region,
or community as the basis for a political or economic movement. Grassroots
movements and organizations use collective action from the local level to effect
change at the local, regional, national, or international level. Grassroots movements
are associated with bottom-up, rather than top-down decision making, and are
sometimes considered more natural or spontaneous than more traditional power
structures.
Grassroots movements, using self-organization, encourage community members
to contribute by taking responsibility and action for their community. Grassroots
movements utilize a variety of strategies from fundraising and registering voters, to
simply encouraging political conversation. Goals of specific movements vary and
change, but the movements are consistent in their focus on increasing mass
participation in politics. These political movements may begin as small and at the

41
local level, but grassroots politics as Cornel West contends are necessary in shaping
progressive politics as they bring public attention to regional political concerns.
The idea of grassroots is often conflated with participatory democracy. The Port
Huron Statement, a manifesto seeking a more democratic society, says that to
create a more equitable society, "the grass roots of American Society" need to be the
basis of civil rights and economic reform movements.[6] The terms can be
distinguished in that grassroots often refers to a specific movement or organization,
whereas participatory democracy refers to the larger system of governance.

STRATEGIES OF GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS

Grassroots movements use tactics that build power from local and community
movements.
Below is a list of strategies considered to be grassroots because of their focus
on engaging the populace.

 Hosting house meetings or parties

 Having larger meetings
 Putting up posters
 Talking with pedestrians on the street or walking door-to-door (often involving
informational clipboards)
 Gathering signatures for petitions
 Mobilizing letter-writing, phone-calling, and emailing campaigns
 Setting up information tables
 Raising money from many small donors for political advertising or campaigns
 Organizing large demonstrations
 Asking individuals to submit opinions to media outlets and government
officials
 Holding get out the vote activities, which include the practices of reminding
people to vote and transporting them to polling places.

V. COMMUNITY ACTION INITIATIVE

What is community action?

Community action is any activity that increases the understanding,

engagement and empowerment of communities in the design and delivery of local
services. It also includes a broad range of activities and is sometimes described as
‘social action' or ‘community engagement'. These activities can vary in their
objective, the role the community plays, the types of activities involved, their scale
and their integration within the council. What they have in common is that they all
involve greater engagement of local citizens in the planning, design and delivery of
local services.

Why is community action important?

42
 Community action is about putting communities at the heart of their own local
services. Involving communities in the design and delivery of services can help to
achieve a number of objectives, including:

 Building community and social capacity – helping the community to share

knowledge, skills and ideas.
 Community resilience – helping the community to support itself.
 Prevention – a focus on early access to services or support, engagement in
design, cross-sector collaboration and partnerships.
 Maintaining and creating wealth – for example helping
peopleinto employment or developing community enterprises.

WHAT ARE THE CORE VALUES OF COMMUNITY ACTION INITIATIVES?

It focuses on community-action initiatives such as community engagement,

solidarity, and citizenship as guided by the core values of human rights, social
justice, empowerment and advocacy, gender equality, and participatory
development.
The types of activity can include:

 Asset transfer (either through formal transfer to bodies such as parish

councils or community interest companies, or transfer of their management to
local community and voluntary groups).
 Making better use of physical resources, such as council-owned buildings, to
support community-led activities.
 Community engagement in decision-making (for example through public
engagement events where the community helps to decide local priorities, co-
design or co-commission services).
 Community networks

 Community grants NOTE: CONSIDER PROVIDING SOURCE THE PICTURE

USED.

ASSESSMENT
43
 Instructions: Choose a word in the box that corresponds to each of the
following statements below. Write the letter of your choice in your notebook.

a. Civil society
g. grassroots movement
b. Sociology
h. Community action
c. Politics i. local government
d. social movement
j. Local organization
e. non-governmental organization (N GO)
k. Organization
f. anthropology

1. The study of what makes us human.

2. The study of human social life.
3. Art or science of government.
4. Refers to the space for collective action around shared interests,
purposes and values, generally distinct from government and
commercial for-profit actors.
5. A non-profit, citizen-based group that functions independently of
government.
6. Loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a
particular goal, typically a social or political one.
7. One which uses the people in a given district, region, or community as
the basis for a political or economic movement.
8. Any activities that increase the understanding, engagement and
empowerment of communities in the design and delivery of local
services.
9. A local government is a form of public administration which, in a
majority of contexts, exists as the lowest tier of administration within a
given state.
10. It is an organization is an entity, such as a company, an institution, or
an association, comprising one or more people and having a particular
purpose.

44
 ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Instructions: Do the following activity in your activity notebook.

1.Take five (5) minutes to think about your community and write down all the needs
and wants of your community in the first box.

2.After listing the needs and wants, list down on the second box list the actors in the
different institutions in your community and how these institution intervene or help
out in making your community a better place to live in.

Needs Wants

Institution and Actors Possible Intervention

Government

Family

References:
pouncedigital.com.au

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