|
These
discussion topics are designed to get you thinking about the readings on
chiefdoms, agricultural states, and industrial states in Scupin.
They also suggest ways to think about the videos for the week on
the Trobriand society, which provides an example of a chiefdom which has
adapted a bit of British culture to its own style. This week also
begins the readings from Theorizing the City, edited by Setha Low.
For this week, just read the introduction (p. 1-23) and Chapter 3 in Part
I on "Fortified Enclaves," which seems a little like a modern-day
Chiefdom.
The reason
for skipping the chapters in Scupin on band societies and tribes (Chapters
8 and 9) is because of time
limitations in order to focus on the chapters on globalization and the other
readings about modern society. Also, these types of societies have
been largely absorbed into modern society, so these seemed the most
logical chapters to cut. Please feel free to read these very
interesting chapters on your own, though I won't be testing you on them.
Based on the
definitions of the tribal societies and chiefdoms, the Kayapo seem to be
somewhere in the middle, since their villages resemble the small living
settings characteristics of tribal groups. But they seem to have the
kind of organized military and age grade structure, along with the
position of chief which is more characteristic of the chiefdoms.
What is
especially interesting about the Trobriand Cricket video is considering the Trobrianders in
more recent times compared to the discussion in the text about the
reciprocal trading arrangement known as the kula ring, which is
based on Malinowski's writing from the 1920s in Argonauts of the
Western Pacific. There
have been debates in the anthropological literature about whether this trade is more
symbolic to affirm the relationship between groups or whether it's more of a way
to support the economic trading relationship. The more recent
approach is to think of their trading to have more of an economic
incentive of acquiring wealth and prestige. The Trobrianders
have also been cited in discussions of the subject of magic, witchcraft, and religion in
anthropology, because of Malinowski's study of the way they used magic when
they went fishing under more uncertain conditions. As described in
Chapter 6, when they fished in the more
dangerous and unpredictable open seas, they used magical practices, whereas when they
fished in enclosed lagoons where fishing was safer and more reliable, they
depended on their technical knowledge and skill, not magic.
Since we can't
cover all of the concepts and characteristics of these three different
social systems or the readings on the modern city in these discussions, be
sure to become familiar with the major points in the chapters.
I've selected those topics for discussion which seem especially relevant
for the modern world and current events. Then post your
thoughts on the discussion board for this week -- and if you want to raise
other topics, post those in the "other" thread on the discussion board.
You'll see an extra section for the discussion of the previous week's
videos for students in Contra Costa County, since videos will arrive there
a week late.
Discussion
Topics from Chapter 10 in Scupin
 |
In Chapter 10, Scupin discusses the hierarchical
structure of a chiefdom and the way the chiefdoms have organized a
regional population through a hierarchy of leaders or chiefs -- either
through a centralized or decentralized structure. While the
examples in the chapter are on Pacific Island, African, and Native
American chiefdoms in the Mississippi and Northwest Coast regions, the
discussion also brings to mind the difficulties of the U.S. and the West
in trying to bring "democracy" to the Mid-East today. For example,
many of these cultures were once nomadic groups under strong chiefs
before the discovery of oil (such as in Saudi Arabia) or regional
warlords (such as Afghanistan). How do you think the
discussion of chiefdoms in this chapter applies to the Middle East?
And
why might that make it more difficult for the U.S. and West to create
democratic structures, constitutions, elections, and promote more
equality for women there today? |
|
There's a discussion about the differences between
reciprocal and redistributional exchanges, including the potlatch on the
Northwest Coast. As you consider these different systems, think
about how these might apply in your life today. For example, under
what circumstances might you engage in reciprocal exchanges? When
might you engage in redistributional exchanges? Can you think
of other examples of events that might be like potlatches used to gain
prestige through sharing wealth with others? (For instance, during Mardi
Gras in New Orleans, the wealthy leaders in the city organize expensive
displays on their floats and some have huge party celebrations.
Does that seem like a kind of modern-day potlatch? Can you think
of other examples?) |
|
The chapter discusses the way assorted rules govern the
interaction between lower and higher strata members of the chiefdom,
which
is characterized by arranged marriages, unequal gender relationships,
warfare, slavery, and a legal and religious system that supports the
social system. By contrast, the earlier band and tribal societies
were much more egalitarian and had much more informal legal and
religious systems. What are your reactions to these developments
and differences? Also, many of these characteristics of the
chiefdoms still appear to be present in modern society (such as the
class divisions and display of wealth with higher status positions --
for example, Donald Trump reminded me of a chief showing off his status
and power, as he travels to his various commercial enterprises).
What sort of parallels do you notice as you think about how these
patterns in chiefdoms might still apply today? |
Discussion
Topics from Chapter 11 in Scupin
|
In Chapter 11, the discussion of agricultural states
emphasizes the importance of geography and the environment in creating
these states in the major river valleys in the Near East, Asia,
Mesoamerica, and South America. Then, even more hierarchical states
emerged based on technological innovations, a surplus, and the control
over even more extensive territories. In some cases, these states
had a more centralized bureaucracy; in other cases, it was a more
dispersed feudalism based on landed estates.
What seemed especially interesting in
thinking about these agricultural states is the way so many of them have
left their mark as ancient archaeological sites, such as the ruins of the
Mayan, Aztec, and Inca empires in Mesoamerica and South America and the
ruins of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Rome, and Greece. These sites
help to show the way the society was organized around an elite supported
by the labor of the peasants, and how the priesthood and religious system,
as well as the pattern of trade and warfare between states helped to support
the elite political system. Has anyone visited any of these ancient
sites? What were your impressions? How might the ideas
you read about in this chapter apply to what you saw? You can
see a presentation I did called "The Success Secrets of the Maya,"
that applies some principles contributing to success for the Maya to achieving success today
at
http://www.behaviorresearch.net/presentations.htm. Just click on the
Success Secrets of the Maya presentation.)
|
|
These agricultural states were characterized by a highly
stratified social system, supported by a variety of factors:
people knowing their place in a mostly ascribed social status system, a
caste system and slavery, racial and ethnic stratification, an
extended family and arranged marriages, and a system of patriarchy that
placed women in a subservient role. Today, despite
modernization, we can still see remnants of these patterns in places that
had such systems, such as in Latin America, the Mediterranean, and
the Near East. Often this conflict between old and new is is reflected in the conflict that goes
on between the younger more educated and urbanized generation and the
parents and grandparents trying to hang on to old traditions.
What are your thoughts about these changes? And how do you
think you would respond if you lived in one of these agricultural
societies? What if you were a member of the elite?
What if you were a member of the peasantry? What would you like or
not like about life in such a society?
|
Discussion Topics from Chapter 12 in Scupin
|
One of the arguments for the development of the industrial
revolution in Europe is that it benefited from the diffusion of ideas,
technology, and resources, building on the agricultural societies that had
gone before as well as trade and mercantilism. The result was a
growing global unity and the global diffusion of philosophical and
practical knowledge leading to the scientific revolution. So in a
sense Europe borrowed many ideas from the Middle East, Asia, and India,
leading to its ascendancy with the transformation caused by the industrial revolution. What do
you think of this theory, which was proposed in the book
Guns, Germs, and Steal: The Fate of Human Societies (1997)? If Europe borrowed many of these ideas
from other highly
developed agricultural societies in the Middle East, Asia, or India, why
didn't these societies themselves make
the breakthrough? And might there be some modern day equivalents, in
that innovation commonly comes from outsiders who don't have the same
investment in a current system, such as the way Microsoft, at one time a
small software company, borrowed ideas from Apple and IBM, to achieve
dominance?
|
|
One of the characteristics of a modernized society is the
emergence of a market economy, based on competition and principles of
supply and demand to establish the value of goods and services.
Yet, as the text describes, there are variations from capitalism to
socialism to hybrid economic systems. And now the
multinational corporation is emerging as a growing force that may
challenge the existence of the nation state. What are your
thoughts about these developments? What sort of state do you think
is most efficient, productive, or satisfying for residents?
Do you think the multinational corporation might eventually become the
new form of political organization? And if so, do you think
that is a positive or negative development and why?
|
|
The modern state has led to many changes in the social
structure from the more structured societies found in the chiefdom
and agricultural state. For example, the extended family has
declined in importance, the nuclear family has become more important,
marriage has become more individualized based on romantic love, and
divorce has become more common, without the traditional use of marriage to
bind families together. Also, women have gained increasing status,
freedom, and power, as they have moved into the workplace and gained
increased earning power through better jobs. Meanwhile, the
older members of society have experienced a decline in their status and
authority compared to preindustrial societies. What do you
think of these developments? Some critics claim these changes
are undermining the foundations of society; while others welcome them as
providing new freedoms and opportunities in the modern, global world.
What are your opinions? Does post-industrial society represent
progress to a better society? Or is there much that is valuable
which is being lost
from the early type of society represented by the chiefdom or agricultural
state?
|
Discussion Topics from the Videos: Trobriand Cricket (1975)
|
What did you think of the videos about the Triobrianders
playing cricket? How did they change it from the traditional
game as played in Britain? In what ways did those changes reflect
differences in their society compared to British culture?
|
Discussion Topics from "Fortified Enclaves" in
Theorizing the City
|
In "Fortified Enclaves," Theresa P. R. Caldeira discusses the
new urban segregation, using examples from São
Paulo, Brazil and Los Angeles. As you read this article, think about how
these patterns of separation and stratification, such as high walls and
fences, armed guards, and the great wealth of the elite and the
poverty of the masses, reflects similar patterns in the chiefdoms and
agricultural states. What are your thoughts about this trend
in modern cities and the similarities and differences between them and the
highly stratified chiefdoms and agricultural states?
|
|
