(Math. 2011 Reading) Understanding Cooperation and Punishment in Turkana Warfare

These flashcards cover key concepts related to cooperation and punishment in Turkana warfare, focusing on social organization, collective action challenges, and the role of norms in maintaining cooperation.

Free-rider

An individual who benefits from others' contributions without contributing themselves, often targeted by collective punishment.

Collective action

Action taken together by a group of people to achieve a common goal, particularly in contexts such as warfare.

Corporal punishment

A physical punishment imposed by the community as a response to desertion or cowardice during raids.

Egalitarian society

A society in which all members have equal rights and opportunities, typical for the Turkana culture.

Turkana

A nomadic pastoralist group in East Africa known for their large-scale cooperation in warfare.

Ethnolinguistic group

A group defined by a shared language and cultural norms, such as the Turkana, numbering around half a million.

Raiding parties

Groups of warriors organized to carry out raids for resources such as livestock, involving several hundred participants.

Sanctioning system

The informal mechanisms used by the Turkana to enforce norms and punish deviations such as cowardice and desertion during warfare.

Cowardice

Failure to engage in combat or run away during a raid, which is subject to community sanctions.

Desertion

Leaving a raid or run away from combat, often punished by the community.

Warfare context

A primary social context for the Turkana where large-scale cooperation is organized, involving raiding parties and strict enforcement of group norms.