Exam 14: Politics and Power

Why does the author say that the image of the state as fixed, cohesive, and coherent is an illusion?

In his examination of the Occupy movement, what was it that Jeffrey Juris discovered as a key part of the success of the movement?

In 1871, hundreds of principalities were united to form Germany. After defeat in World War I, Germany's government was known as the Weimar Republic until the Nazis came to power in 1933. With the defeat of Nazi Germany, the country was divided into East and West during the cold war, and finally reunited when the Soviet Union collapsed. Germany has existed in many forms, demonstrating what characteristic of states?

Why did students at Swarthmore College occupy a university administration building during spring 2016?

Early states played an important role in the development of most areas of the world, so their origin, construction, and organization are frequently the focus of which branch of anthropology?

Most of us never consider how our immediate families function in a larger social context in our lives. In reality, though, what aspect of social behavior is strongly present in our family relationships and echoed in our place in society as a whole?

To resist the power of state institutions, some societies make use of different systems to settle issues that might normally go to the state court system. What are these systems known as?

The dominant group in a state reinforces its ability to create consent and agreement about what is normal and appropriate through the promotion of what kinds of intense feelings?

Small, kin-based groups that hunt and gather over a particular territory and constantly break up and re-form in response to conflicts are referred to as what?

Margaret Mead says people must first recognize militarism as a problem before attempting to change it. What else does she say is needed?

What is considered a transitional form between the simpler political structures of tribes and the more complex political structures of states?

The Maasai, who live outside the direct control of the government of Tanzania, have had to form their own nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to achieve goals that their state government neglected. Today they might be known as what kind of group?

Members of the civil rights movement held protests, sit-ins, and marches to oppose inequality. Their actions eventually resulted in the Civil Rights Act, which eliminated much of the legal inequality in the country. What is this is an example of?

Collective group actions in response to uneven development, inequality, and injustice that seek to build institutional networks to transform cultural patterns and government policies are referred to as what kind of action?

In a brief essay, compare and contrast the concept of power, in general, with state power, and give an example of each.

Foraging bands and egalitarianism have been the standards of social interaction for most of human history; however, many societies are highly hierarchical today. Discuss the role egalitarianism has played in human life and, quite possibly, human evolution.

What surprising discovery did Carolyn Nordstrom make in her study of war and violence in Mozambique?

What strategy did hunter-gatherer communities develop to enhance cooperation, generosity, and the sharing of resources?

The debate continues over whether human beings are naturally peaceful or violent. Discuss the possible foundations of human violence and the evidence presented, and evaluate the author's conclusion.

In the modern world, the state is typically considered the ultimate authority in any particular territory. Despite this illusory ideal, what does the author note is true about the state?