Anthropology 2A midterm 2

Social Organization

the way a human society structures its relationships, including the patterns of interactions between individuals and groups:

social structure

the organized patterns of relationships and institutions within a society, encompassing the roles, norms, and hierarchies that dictate how individuals interact with each other

mode of production

a key concept that describes how societies use labor to transform nature into products

means of production

land, labor, capital

relations of production

refer to the power dynamics that exist within a society and are shaped by the organization of labor.

subsistence strategies

the methods a society uses to obtain the resources it needs to survive, such as food, water, and shelter

Techniques of production

foraging,pre-industrial agriculture,patoralism,industrialism

San Foragers of the Kalahari Desert

- Group Size

- Mobility

- Gathering v. Hunting

- Contributions of men and women

- Leisure, Health

- Sharing and Survival

group size- is small around 20-60 people

mobility- they travel seasonally based on resource accessibility

gathering v. hunting- the womeneral gather plants while the men hunt

contribution of men and women- women contribute to most of the food gathering which makes then equal to men

leisure- san spend 2 and a hald days a week foraging, 20hr in all maintenance activity

health- low cardiovascular disease rates, 20% of population are over 60

sharing and survival- they share without expecting something in return right away

domesticiation

the process of genetically altering plants and animals to make them more suitable for human use

Extensive Agriculture (Horticulture)

slash and burn agriculture, using low intensity farming skills for large plots of land

slash-and-burn (swidden) agriculture

a farming method that involves cutting down and burning vegetation to clear land for growing crops

iroquois

the three sisters corn,bean,squash

intensive agriculture

Intensive agriculture involves using more labor, capital, and technology to increase crop yields. T

terracing

an agricultural technique that involves creating flat platforms, or terraces, into hills or mountains to make it possible to grow crops on slopes

irrigation

the practice of artificially applying water to land to assist in crop cultivation

wet-rice agriculture

a farming method that involves growing rice in flooded fields, or paddies, to provide the right amount of water and nutrients for the plants to thrive

intensification

the process by which societies increase their production levels and resource use to support larger populations or enhance their subsistence strategies.

pastrolism

a subsistence strategy where people raise and use domesticated animals in grassland environments

ecology

the study of the relationship between humans and their environment, and how culture shapes that relationship

transhumance

livelihood where people mix different techniques depending on weather

features of industrialism

energy: production and efficiency

energetic comparisons with other techniques of production

distribution and exchange

market principle, redistribution, reciprocity

reciprocity

the exchange of goods or services that is not based on a market, and is rooted in a sense of identity and obligation

generalized reciprocity

balanced reciprocity

negative revi