Social Anthropology Unseen

Question 1

Julian Steward - Evolutionism

Answer 1

• Environment crucial to culture - determines cultures development - similar environments = similar cultures
• Rejects unilineal evolutionism - Multilineal evolutionism - Societies develop in many different ways

Question 2

Leslie White - Evolutionism

Answer 2

• Problem with uninlineal evolutionism
• Separate cultures into Technological development, Sociological development and Ideological development
• Control of societies to become more advanced

Question 3

Wolf - Marxist/Evolutionist

Answer 3

• Peasants cultivators existing in power relationship with authorities
• Mode not method of production
• Produce own social reproduction
• Internal and External balance of demands

Question 4

Interpretive Approach

Answer 4

• Comparative
• Universal theories and explanations
• In-Depth View
• Intensive Fieldwork
• Meanings and Understandings

Question 5

Geertz - Interpretivist - Balinese Cockfights

Answer 5

• Spatial and Social Organisation determines cultural and social hierarchies in Bali village
• Communicates social and cultural meanings of Balinese society at the time
• Deep ritual communicating meaningful experience
• Thick description

Question 6

Colonialism 1500-1800

Answer 6

Effective control of much of America’s and Africa
Foundation of Early Plantations

Question 7

Colonialism 1800-1950

Answer 7

Expansion and Development
Intensification of slave trade

Question 8

Colonialism 1950-Present

Answer 8

End of colonialism as a direct governance
But legacies continue to shape present development
Free Trade, Technological Advances, MNCs

Question 9

Social Anth Colonialism Shaping 1880s-1920s

Answer 9

• 1960s/70s - Debate of extent of colonialism shaping
• Lack of early attention to colonial power shaping places of study

Question 10

Wolf and Mintz - Anth and Colonialism

Answer 10

Historical Materialist Approach
Focus on colonialism’s integration with capitalist economic system and modes of production

Question 11

Edward Said - Colonialism

Answer 11

Colonial authorities misrepresent people ruled and romanticise/objectify them to justify their colonial rule

Question 12

Classification Definition

Answer 12

Way of organising world into classes and types
Methods of this are hugely varied, cross-culturally and over time
Why do people classify the way they do? - Anthropologists main concern

Question 13

Classification Example - Rituals
+
Function and Meaning?

Answer 13

Identifying Factor for classifying cultures and societies
Function - Social cohesion and society survival - Express and resolve social tensions and conflicts
Meaning - Enact meanings and express thoughts and myths and ideas

Question 15

Political Ideology

Answer 15

Politics is the exercise of power and authority + how public decisions are made
- Values, Beliefs and Material factors that make exercise of power acceptable
- Could be combined with coercion/force

Question 16

Political Anthropology - Interest?

Answer 16

• Nature of political exercise?
• Political ideologies occurring?
• Legitimisation of political arrangements?

Question 17

Political Functionalist

Answer 17

Social Order and Cohesion Maintenance

Question 18

Political Evolutionist

Answer 18

Development of Political Organisations ( out of each other )

Question 19

Primitive Social Organisation

Answer 19

Bands
Tribes
Chiefdoms
States

Question 20

Bands

Answer 20

Egalitarian
Less than 100 people
Eg: Forager Groups

Question 21

Tribes

Answer 21

Egalitarian
1000-20K People
Eg: Nuer (Communal Ownership Groups)

Question 22

Chiefdoms

Answer 22

Ranked
1000s-30K People
Eg: Precolonial Hawaii (Central Control with Communal Labour)

Question 23

States

Answer 23

Classes
Large Population
Eg: 15thC Inca Empire (Highly productive developed system)
Usually have coordinated labour with technological innovation

Question 24

Problems with Primitive Social Organisation Model

Answer 24

Social Organisation that no longer exists
This idea is fully recognised in Anthropology
Tribal language also carries a lot of colonial baggage

Question 25

Political Anthropological Interest Now

Answer 25

Ethnicity and Nationalism
Study of state, national identities and ethnicities
Role of state as well - Even those marginal states

Question 26

Anderson - Imagined Communities : Key Ideas/Questions

Answer 26

How and why do people identify with nation?
How do national identities form?
How is shared identity possible?
A nation is an imagined political community and is socially constructed - Made and shared by its people

Question 27

Barth - Defining Ethnic Groups : Key Ideas/Questions

Answer 27

Ethnic groups have key characteristics and traits
Language, Religion, Culture Customs, Traditions, Origins, Territories, Cultural Continuity etc

Question 28

Economy Definition

Answer 28

Consists of Production, Consumption and Exchange

Question 29

Categories of Exchange

Answer 29

Reciprocity
Redistribution
Market

Question 30

Types of Reciprocity

Answer 30

Generalised - Objects/Services given with no expectation of return
Balanced - Objects/Services given with expectation of something roughly equivalent
Negative - Objects/Services given with aim of gaining as much as possible

Question 31

Redistribution Definition

Answer 31

Paying into a pool in a group controlled by some authority

Question 32

Market Exchange Consists of…

Answer 32

Goods and Services sold in a free market
Money involved - A generalised medium of exchange that is a standard and store of value AND a symbol