Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics Notes

Industrial Revolution and Types of Societies

  • Progression of societies:
    • Foraging Society
    • Pastoral Society
    • Horticultural Society
    • Agricultural Society
    • Industrial Society
    • Postindustrial Society

Tracing the Evolution of a Cultured Human Being

  • Module 3 focuses on understanding culture, society, and politics.

Natural Selection

  • Definition: The process by which organisms adapt to their environment through selective reproduction of genetic changes (Britannica, T. Editors, 2022).

Evolution of the Human Lineage

  • Human evolution stages:
    • Australopithecus afarensis
    • Homo habilis
    • Homo erectus
    • Homo neanderthalensis
    • Homo sapiens

Evolutionary Characteristics

  • Comparison of traits across species:
    • Chimpanzee
      • Arboreal (living in trees)
      • Quadrupedal (using four limbs)
      • Frequent grasping hallux (big toe)
    • Ardipithecus
      • Teeth, molars, canine characteristics
      • Bipedal (using two limbs) - frequent
    • Australopithecus
      • Bipedal - frequent
    • Homo erectus
      • Bipedal - some
    • Human
      • Bipedal - rare

Socio-cultural Evolution

  • Definition: Change and development in cultures from simple to complex forms due to human adaptation.
  • Factors driving socio-cultural evolution:
    • Threats to security
    • Climatic changes
    • Population increase

Types of Socio-cultural Change (Lenski, G. 2005)

  • Extinction:
    • Omission of old elements from sociocultural systems.
  • Innovation:
    • Addition of new elements.
    • More frequent than extinction, characterized as a cumulative process.

Stages of Socio-cultural Evolution

  • Hunting and Gathering Societies
  • Horticultural and Pastoral Societies
  • Agricultural Societies
  • Industrial Societies
  • Post-industrial Societies

Hunting and Gathering Societies

  • Strongest dependence on the environment among preindustrial societies.

Horticultural and Pastoral Societies

  • Societies adapt by relying on animal domestication.

Agricultural Societies

  • Around 3000 B.C.E., the Agricultural Revolution led to farming.

Industrial Societies

  • Technological changes, especially in new energy sources, led to industrialization.
  • Transformation of an agricultural society into production and manufacturing.

Post-industrial Societies

  • Also known as information or digital societies.

Civilization

  • Definition: Complex societies that create agricultural surpluses, allowing for specialized labor, social hierarchy, and the establishment of cities.

Political Evolution

  • Competition between political societies is important.
  • Weaker political institutions either adopt the model of competitors or are conquered/eliminated.

Types of Political Organizations

  • BAND
    • Smallest unit, consisting of a few families with no formal leadership positions.
  • TRIBE
    • Larger populations organized around family ties.
    • Fluid or shifting systems of temporary leadership.
  • CHIEFDOMS
    • Large political units with a chief, usually determined by heredity, holding a formal position of power.
  • STATE
    • Most complex form of political organization.
    • Features:
      • Central government with a monopoly over legitimate uses of physical force.
      • Sizeable bureaucracy.
      • System of formal laws.
      • Standing military force.

Democratization

  • Process through which a political regime becomes democratic, allowing more participation from the people.

Basic Categories of Political Order (Fukuyama, 2011)

  • The State
  • The Rule of Law
  • Accountability mechanisms

The End of History (Fukuyama, 1992)

  • Democracy has solved all social contradictions, ended ideological battles, and led humans to the end of history.

Globalization

  • Gradual process of political, economic, and cultural integration through increased exchange of products.
  • Questions to consider:
    • Is the state still significant in a globalized world?
    • Is it acceptable for supranational organizations to impose policies on member states?

Announcements

  • Finalize groupings by Tuesday, EOD.
  • Submit proposed topics for insight paper; approval until June 6 ONLY.
  • June 10 - Module 1-3 Preliminary Exam (3 separate online quizzes - 10 items each).
  • June 18 - Online make-up class:
    • STEM 12 M - 11 AM - 12:30 PM
    • STEM 12 L - 12:45 PM - 2:15 PM