Anthro Lecture 2 PDF

Questions to Study 1. Political Organization ○ What is the key difference between a band and a tribe in terms of leadership and social structure? Band has groups where everyone is the contributor while tribe are ○ Describe the role of bigmen in...

Questions to Study 1. Political Organization ○ What is the key difference between a band and a tribe in terms of leadership and social structure? Band has groups where everyone is the contributor while tribe are ○ Describe the role of bigmen in societies like the Trobriand Islanders. How does the moka exchange illustrate their role in leadership? ○ Bigmen use their own resources and ○ Compare and contrast the authority of a chief and a state leader. Chiefs don’t have all the power 2. Stratification and Egalitarianism ○ Define stratification and explain how it differs from egalitarianism. Which type of society tends to have more egalitarian structures? ○ What is the difference between achieved status and ascribed status? Provide examples. 3. Leaders and Authority ○ How does authority differ from coercive power? Can a bigman have authority? Explain. ○ In what ways does the moka competition serve to establish and maintain prestige among groups? 4. Kinship ○ What is the difference between bilateral descent and unilineal descent? Give an example of each. ○ Explain the concept of lineages and clans in kinship systems. 5. Production and Social Organization ○ Describe the differences between extensive and intensive agriculture. Which type of agriculture requires more labor and resources? ○ How does the Nuer's use of transhumance reflect their adaptive strategies to different ecological zones? ○ What are the key features of pastoralism, and how does it differ from industrial agriculture? Final Notes: Focus on understanding the concepts of political organization, kinship, and production techniques. Be ready to compare and contrast different systems (e.g., band vs. tribe, horticulture vs. industrial agriculture). Relate examples from specific cultures (e.g., San, Nuer, Trobriand Islanders) to illustrate broader anthropological concepts.  Review key terms like achieved/ascribed status, moka, and descent groups to understand how these influence social organization and leadership. Key Concepts to Know: 1. Sociopolitical Organization ○ Understand the four types of political organization and their differences: Band, Tribe, Chiefdom, and State. ○ 4th World Peoples: Indigenous groups whose social structures and political autonomy are impacted by state control. ○ Nuer Segmentary Lineage System: A kin-based political organization where conflict resolution and power are decentralized and based on clan affiliation. ○ Pantribal Sodalities: Associations that cut across lineage and clan lines, often created in larger tribal societies to unify people for a common purpose (e.g., military, ritual). 2. Stratification and Egalitarianism ○ Stratification: Social division into hierarchical layers (based on wealth, status, or power). ○ Egalitarianism: A society where all members have equal access to resources and power. ○ Ascribed vs. Achieved Status: Ascribed status is inherited, achieved status is earned through actions or accomplishments. ○ Role: Expected behavior associated with a specific social position (e.g., father, teacher, leader). ○ Strata: Layers or divisions in society based on social ranking. ○ Class: A system of social stratification where individuals are grouped based on wealth, occupation, or education. 3. Mode of Production & Means of Production ○ Mode of Production: The way in which societies produce the goods they need to survive (e.g., foraging, horticulture, agriculture, industrialism). ○ Means of Production: The tools, resources, and labor used to produce goods (e.g., land, tools, factories). ○ Multidimensional Approach to Hierarchy: Bourdieu's theory that economic capital, social capital, and cultural capital all contribute to an individual's or group's power and position in society. 4. Types of Leaders and Authority ○ Authority: Legitimate power recognized by society. ○ Headman: A leader in a band or tribe with influence but no formal power, based on personal qualities and alliances. ○ Bigman: A leader in a tribe who gains power through achieved status. The Bigman’s influence is based on wealth and the ability to mobilize resources, not formal authority. ○ Chief: A leader in a chiefdom who holds ascribed authority, often tied to kinship and lineage, and has formal power over a group or tribe.  ○ State Leaders: Leaders in a state-level society with formal, institutional authority over a defined territory, typically through legal or political structures (e.g., presidents, kings, monarchs). 5. Mobilization of Labor ○ Bigman: Uses personal influence and the ability to give and receive resources (e.g., pigs in New Guinea) to rally support and mobilize labor. ○ Chief: Mobilizes labor through kinship-based authority—a chief commands labor from his kin group or followers, often for projects like building roads, preparing for war, etc. ○ State Leaders: Have the power to mobilize labor on a much larger scale, with formal systems like taxation, conscription, or the use of a police/military apparatus. 6. Holism and Ethnographic Research ○ Holism: Understanding the entirety of a culture by examining all aspects (economy, politics, kinship, religion, etc.) in relation to each other. ○ Ethnographic Fieldwork: The process of collecting data through immersion in a culture and direct interaction with the people. ○ Survey Research: A quantitative method of gathering data through structured questionnaires or interviews. Vocab Definitions: 1. Band ○ A small, kin-based group with no formal leadership. Typically associated with foraging societies. 2. Tribe ○ Larger than a band, with informal leadership. Social organization is based on clans or lineages. No centralized authority. 3. Chiefdom ○ A kin-based society with centralized leadership, where a chief has authority over a defined group or region. The chief holds power based on ascribed status. 4. State ○ A centralized society with formal authority over a territory. Leaders have institutionalized power (e.g., presidents, kings). 5. Stratification ○ Social differentiation based on wealth, status, or power. Examples: social classes (upper, middle, lower class). 6. Egalitarianism ○ A society in which resources and power are equally distributed among members. 7. Bigman ○ A leader in a tribal society who holds influence based on personal qualities and the ability to gather followers through wealth and generosity.  8. Chief ○ A leader in a chiefdom with authority over his kin or group. The chief’s power is based on inheritance or ascribed status, not individual achievement. 9. Moka ○ A ceremonial exchange in New Guinea Highlands where wealth (typically pigs) is exchanged to create social ties and establish prestige. 10. Nuer Segmentary Lineage System ○ A political system where authority and decision-making are decentralized, with each clan or segment acting autonomously but uniting for common purposes in times of crisis. Practice Questions: 1. Compare and contrast Bigmen, Chiefs, and State Leaders in terms of authority. ○ Bigman: Authority is based on personal influence and the ability to gather resources. Power is achieved, not inherited. ○ Chief: Authority is ascribed through lineage, with power based on kinship and inheritance. Chiefs hold formal power within their tribe or chiefdom. ○ State Leaders: Authority is institutionalized, often tied to the role of president, king, or other official titles. Power is centralized and based on formal laws. 2. How do the methods of mobilizing labor differ between Bigmen, Chiefs, and State Leaders? ○ Bigman: Uses persuasion, generosity, and the exchange of resources (e.g., pigs) to gain followers and mobilize labor. ○ Chief: Uses kinship ties to demand labor or loyalty from his kin group for communal tasks. ○ State Leaders: Use formal institutions, such as taxation, conscription, or legal mandates, to mobilize labor on a large scale. 3. What is the role of wealth in the authority of Bigmen and Chiefs? ○ Bigman: Wealth is important for creating influence. A Bigman’s wealth (often in the form of pigs or other resources) is used to create social ties and political power. ○ Chief: While wealth can enhance a Chief's status, the real source of authority comes from lineage and kinship, not personal wealth. 4. Explain the relationship between gender and power in the context of women's wealth as mentioned by Annett Weiner. ○ Women's economic activities often play a critical role in the power dynamics within a family or society. A man’s wealth and status can be impacted by the economic contributions and wealth managed by his wife, creating interdependence between the genders in terms of social and political power. 5. How does Bourdieu’s concept of capital apply to the stratification in society? ○ Economic capital refers to material resources (e.g., money, property).  ○ Social capital involves relationships and networks that provide access to resources. ○ Cultural capital refers to knowledge, education, and cultural competencies that enhance an individual’s status. ○ These types of capital help shape a person’s position in society and contribute to the hierarchical structure of stratified societies. Final Tips for Studying: Focus on definitions and differences: Understand the basic distinctions between Bigman, Chief, and State Leaders. Apply concepts: Think about how stratification, power, and wealth shape social organizations in various societies. Use examples: For each concept, try to recall specific examples (e.g., Trobriand Islanders for chiefdoms, Nuer for segmentary lineage).