UTS (Understanding Politics) : Kendall (1998)

UTS (Understanding
Politics)
Kendall (1998) defines politics as a social institution through which power is acquired and exercised
by people and groups.
Aristotle’s work Politics, he describes the role that politics and the political community must play
in bringing about virtuous life in citizenry. He observes that “man by nature is a political animal.”
Politics is an important part of human development because it promotes ideologies about

democracy, citizenship, human rights, freedom, family, health, and other social issues.
Citizenship is the most basic identification with the nation. The term denotes the membership of a
citizen in a political society. As a citizen, a person enjoys full civil and political rights, including
protection inside and outside the territory of the state.
Political community where people belong offers an opportunity for them to define themselves and
provide opportunities to satisfy their needs for affiliation.
Political Self and Identity

The political self helps in defining the structure and functions of the government, in telling and
understanding the relationship between the state and the citizens, and in describing their rights,
freedom, and obligations as citizens.
Identity, one important component of political self, the person’s understanding of who and what he
or she is.
Citizenship becomes a salient basis for political self.
The political self is defined by citizenship.
Ma. Serena Diokno (1997) In her book, Democracy and Citizenship, she mentions that citizenship is
the most basic identification with the nation and, as such, is oriented towards the state and its
expressions in law and policy.
The institutions which influence the values of citizenship are:
Family, Church, School, Media, Government, and Non- government organizations
Social interaction, through that people learn the status, duties, rights, and power necessary to
interact successfully with other people in the group or community.
The Origins of Political Self
Family has a hierarchical structure which requires each member to perform his or her role. Each
position carries a set of rights, responsibilities, and expectations. The family consists of members
who differ in status, obligations, influence, or power.
Father is the most influential member in the family. His role as the leader entails power and
authority. He coordinates with the mother in helping the children perform the roles necessary for a
successful family.
School The Philippine Constitution recognizes the vital role of schools in inculcating among the
youth the value of patriotism and nationalism and in encouraging their involvement in public and
civic affairs of the country.
Church also helps shape the ideals of citizenship and democracy through their religious teachings,
values, and traditions.
Peers are also important in influencing the political self. In peer groups, the members are equal in
status. interaction with peers encompasses and emphasizes the equal distribution of power,
rights, and privileges among members of the group.
Mass Media could also be a key source of information on politics, and thus may influence an
individual’s political values and beliefs.
Theories of Political Self

According to the Social Learning theory, a person can acquire learning through observation and
imitation.
Imitation the learner watches the behavior of another person (model) and then performs the
behavior in a similar way.
Observation and imitation are important in a process known as political socialization, the lifelong
process by which individuals gain knowledge about politics.
Cognitive theory suggests that the mental activities (e.g. knowledge, perceptions, ideas) of
individuals are important determinants of behavior (political attitudes).
Theory of symbolic interaction

Theory of symbolic interaction suggests that behaviors are products of communication, meaning
and symbols. People give meanings to symbols, and they express the meanings through language
and communication.
Theory of Political Participation
Political participation can be defined as citizen’s actions or activities anchored in politics. Thus,
any activity concerning the government or governance of the state is an example of political
participation.

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UTS (Understanding

Politics is an important part of human development because it promotes ideologies about

Political Self and Identity

Citizenship becomes a salient basis for political self.

The political self is defined by citizenship.

The institutions which influence the values of citizenship are:

Family, Church, School, Media, Government, and Non- government organizations

Theories of Political Self

Theory of symbolic interaction

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