Pathways to Power

Beschreibung

There are few questions more central to understanding the prehistory of our species than those regarding the institutionalization of social inequality. Social inequality is manifested in unequal access to goods, information, decision-making, and power. This structure is essential to higher orders of social organization and basic to the operation of more complex societies. An understanding of the transformation from relatively egalitarian societies to a hierarchical organization and socioeconomic stratification is fundamental to our knowledge about the human condition.  In a follow-up to their 1995 book Foundations of Social Inequality, the Editors of this volume have compiled a new and comprehensive group of studies concerning these central questions. When and where does hierarchy appear in human society, and how does it operate? With numerous case studies from the Old and New World, spanning foraging societies to agricultural groups, and complex states, Pathways to Power provides key historical insights into current social and cultural questions.
There are few questions more central to understanding the prehistory of our species than those regarding the institutionalization of social inequality. Social inequality is manifested in unequal access to goods, information, decision-making, and power. This structure is essential to higher orders of social organization and basic to the operation of more complex societies. An understanding of the transformation from relatively egalitarian societies to a hierarchical organization and socioeconomic stratification is fundamental to our knowledge about the human condition.  In a follow-up to their 1995 book Foundations of Social Inequality, the Editors of this volume have compiled a new and comprehensive group of studies concerning these central questions. When and where does hierarchy appear in human society, and how does it operate? With numerous case studies from the Old and New World, spanning foraging societies to agricultural groups, and complex states, Pathways to Power provides key historical insights into current social and cultural questions.
Follow up to the very popular Foundations in Social Inequality, with brand new research and case studies Authors are all well-known experts in archaeology, and particularly in the development of social hierarchies Case studies have implications for understanding the development of social inequalities throughout different time periods and geographic regions, including the present day Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autor*in

T. Douglas Price

Themen in »Pathways to Power«

Europe Evolution Prehistory burials and rituals Prehistory social hierarchy bronze age devleopment of hierarc foraging society history of feudalism inequality in hunter gatherer cultures iron age organizatin of agricultural cultures prehistory social inequality social stratification and religion societal structure in the Iron Age

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"While most archaeologists are interested in origins, only a few wish to investigate the "big picture". Most authors are well known from their publications and conference presentations, and their contributions are thoughtful, but I preferred Pathways."

Thomas N. Huffman

South African Archaeological Bulletin

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