INSET DEMO FEST

Understanding Culture, Society & Politics

By Michael Salcedo

RECAP

Multiple Choice

1. Cultural Variation is the...

• process of learning a new culture after moving to another country

• existence of differences in customs, beliefs, and behaviors among societies

• belief that all cultures are equal and should be respected

• tendency to judge other cultures using one's own standards

Multiple Choice

2. Cultural Universal is a...

• a) practice that is shared by most modern industrial societies

• b) unique tradition practiced only in indigenous communities

• c) form of behavior that only appears in Western civilizations

• d) cultural trait or pattern found in all known human societies

Multiple Choice

3. Subculture is a...

• a) community that imitates foreign cultural practices

• b) tradition that replaces dominant culture within a society

• c) culture that completely rejects mainstream societal norms

• d) group within a larger society that shares distinct norms, values, and lifestyles

Multiple Choice

4. Counterculture is...

• a) A small-scale version of the dominant culture

• b) A society’s preferred set of values

• c) A cultural group that directly opposes and rejects the dominant culture’s norms

• d) A group that peacefully coexists with the dominant culture

Day Starter!

Open Ended

Can you think of a time when someone judged you based on appearance, language, or lifestyle? Why do you think that reaction occurred?

Learning Targets

1. I can define cultural relativism and ethnocentrism

2. I can explain the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural understanding

3. I can determine real-life scenarios or examples where cultural relativism can be applied to avoid ethnocentrism.

Word Cloud

What Aspect of Culture can you relate the video that you just watched?

Ethnocentrism

A literal meaning of ethnocentrism is the regard that one’s culture and society is the center of everything and therefore far more superior than others.

Ethnocentrism

The word “ethno” comes from the Greek and refers to a people, nation, or cultural grouping.

“centric”, on the other hand comes from Latin and refers to the center.

Ethnocentrism

The sociologist William Graham Sumner is widely credited with coining the term "ethnocentrism" in 1906.
He introduced the concept in his book, Folkways, where he defined it as the belief that one's own group or culture is superior to others.

History

Multiple Choice

It is the feeling of disorientation, uncertainty, out of place, or even fear when immersed in an unfamiliar culture.

• Social anxiety
• Globalization effects
• Culture shock
• Cultural adaptation

Culture Shock

• It is the feeling of disorientation, uncertainty, out of place, or even fear when immersed in an unfamiliar culture.

• Human beings are innately biased.

• We find discomfort to things were not familiar.

• It is a product of the ways of our culture.

Open Ended

Can you cite examples of ethnocentrism in your community? Have you experienced being on the receiving end of such an ethnocentric view?

What realizations you had when we were discussing the examples of ethnocentrism?

Therefore...

• Ethnocentrism limits our understanding and creates barriers between people.

• In real life, it leads to discrimination, division, and misunderstanding.

Open Ended

What do you think CAN MITIGATE ethnocentrism?

Cultural Relativism

Cultural Relativism is the Key!

Cultural Relativism

The concept of cultural relativism underscores the idea that a person’s beliefs and activities should be understood based on their own culture, not judged against another.

Cultural Relativism is the Key!

Cultural Relativism

Societies are qualitatively different from one another, such that each one has its own “unique logic”.

Cultural Relativism is the Key!

Cultural Relativism

The idea of cultural relativism was developed and popularized by anthropologist Franz Boas, with his initial articulation occurring in 1887.

Process Question: Would it be possible for CR to mitigate EC?

Your Turn! Think-Pair-Share

Pair Work: With your partner, reflect on the following scenarios related to ethnocentrism and suggest 1 or 2 ways to overcome these ethnocentric views.

Open Ended

Scenario 1: “I am being criticize because of my accent or dialect.”

Open Ended

Scenario 2: “I am being discriminated because of a cultural practice that I often do."

Open Ended

Scenario 3: “People will have a look of disgust in their eyes due to the way I dress.”

Open Ended

Scenario 4: “I feel excluded due to my different moral standards.”

Your Turn! Think-Pair-Share

Afterwards, through the spin wheel, there will be a chosen pair that will represent the class. The pair will share their suggestions in front.
Guide Questions:
1. What was your initial reaction to the scenarios/views?
2. How did your perception change after suggesting ways to overcome ethnocentrism?
3. Why is it important to consider the cultural context in understanding societies?

Daily Inquiry

• Based on your answers for every scenario (T-P-S), would CR mitigate EC? yes or no?

• What advantages could Cultural Relativism contribute to society?

Daily Insight

“Respect grows when we realize that different doesn’t mean wrong, it just means there’s more than one way to live, believe, and belong.”

SUM IT UP!

Multiple Choice

One world, many ways of doing dinner.

• EC

• CR

Multiple Choice

Think globally, judge locally, if at all.

• CR

• EC

Multiple Choice

Understanding starts where judgment ends.

• EC

• CR

Multiple Choice

We eat with forks what’s your excuse?

• EC

• CR

Multiple Choice

Your normal is someone else’s strange, but both are valid.

• EC

• CR

​Key Answers:

1. CR (Cultural Relativism)

2. EC (Ethnocentric)

3. CR (Cultural Relativism)

4. EC (Ethnocentric)

5. CR (Cultural Relativism)

Answer these questions before exiting the class:

Exit Ticket

Open Ended

In your own words, what is ethnocentrism?

Open Ended

How does cultural relativism help reduce misunderstandings between cultures?

Open Ended

Give one example of a real-life situation where you think cultural relativism is important.

Open Ended

What is one thing you learned today that changed the way you think about other cultures?

Poll

Rate your understanding of today’s lesson

• 😕

  1 – Still confused

• 🙂

  2 – Getting there

• 😀

  3 – I understand it well

• 🤩

  4 – I can explain it to others!

Assignment
(Reflection Poster)

Instruction

Make a reflection poster (using a digital tool) that includes:

• One real example of ethnocentrism (from your life, your community, or the news).

• One way to respond with cultural relativism (how to show respect and understanding).

• A short reflection (3–5 sentences): How can I help promote respect for cultural differences in school or in my community?

Thank you.