Power and Agency and Migrant Farmworker Hierarchies

Question 1

Power

Answer 1

Seen as the ability to transform a given situation

Question 2

Different types of power

Answer 2

Individual
Social
Political
Structural (e.g. garment industry in Canada and in Life and Debt)

Question 3

Political power

Answer 3

Visible: Decisions we’re aware of (e.g. the government)
Invisible: Insidious, sinister, embedded in culture (e.g. cops)
Hidden: Lobbyist groups like NRA

Question 4

Agency

Answer 4

• Seen as an “individual’s ability to make choices and to effect change through his or her actions” (Schultz, Lavenda and Dods 2015, 112)
• Think ‘agency’ for micro interactions (individual), power for macro interactions (society)
• Structure vs. agency tension

Question 5

Power and anthropology

Answer 5

• Political anthropology first assumed power located in the state, using coercion
• Anthropological fieldwork offered different evidence – no presence of the state and still order
• Still may have used coercion, but based on fear of punishment than fear of violence
• Based on idea that humans are social, not always acting for themselves

Question 6

Coercion

Answer 6

Domination; rulers use force to govern

Question 7

False consciousness

Answer 7

• Rulers portray their domination as legitimate; subjects accept ruling class ideology
• Subjects somewhat passive and incapable of resistance

Question 8

Persuasion (hegemony)

Answer 8

• Rulers want people to see their rule as legitimate, so they offer them mutual accommodations
• Subjects are persuaded to follow leaders
• Hegemony can help to consolidate social organization and political control (can justify itself)

Question 9

Biopower

Answer 9

• Mode of governing in modern nation-state that emerged in 19th century
• Power over life rather than power over death (sovereign power)

Question 10

2 levels of biopower

Answer 10

• Individual: sites of normalization and discipline – self governing towards greater good
• Population: management through statistical knowledge

Question 11

Hierarchies on the farm

Answer 11

• Each person has some exposure to vulnerability and power, but these are not evenly shared
• Racism and conflation of ethnic identities
• Evolutionary ideas about Mexicans who are seen as ‘more’ indigenous
• Limited control over their time
• Minimum wage tied to amount picked (51 lbs/hour (!) to receive $7.16 daily wage)