Politics And Power

Front 1

Self-help court systems?

Back 1

disputes are either mediated by the individuals, or the individual that has been wronged has the authority to demand retribution (in a fair and just manner).

Front 2

Four types of courts?

Back 2

o Court Systems: authority resides with the group, not the individual.
• Incipient courts: Members of the group decide how the conflict should be resolved and use their influence to enforce the sanction. Influential members are generally part of the decision process. Common in societies that lack central leadership and the concept of authority.
• Courts of Mediation: A neutral third party is chosen by both sides to mediate the dispute. The mediator is usuay someone respected in the community, and is neutral in respect to both parties (Big Men). Since both sides have choosen the mediator, both sides usually agree on the verdict.
o Courts of Adjudication:
• A third party is given the power to determine guilt or innocence and has the authority to enforce the ruling
• The adjudicator can have authority as mandated by the state and/or by religious beliefs.
• Authority derived from religions beliefs are known as trial-by-ordeal (they are put to some test, and if they fail it, they are seen as guilt

Front 3

Trial by ordeal?

Back 3

Like the video... there is some test, and if it is passed or failed, then that determines whether or not the person is innocent of guilty.

Front 4

5 universal characteristics of religion?

Back 4

(1) animism: the belief in supernatural beings
a. Gods, spirits, ghosts, etc. Most cultures belief in some forms of these beings, and they usually have a physical representation of their forms.
b. More common than animatism
(2) Animatism: the belief in the supernatural power (karma or mana – why bad things happen to you).
a. Often includes taboos, rules forbidding contact with sacred things. E.g., don’t walk under a ladder. If you do these things, you have to perform some sort of ritual to cleanse yourself.
(3) Mythologies:
a. Explain elements of history, culture and origins. Always told in a vague manner. They are educational, but only a rough manner – don’t scientifically, or precisely, explain certain things.
b. Can not be proven or disproven -- this is why it’s vague.
(4) Sacred Places: Natural settings, or temples. Somewhere you can go to connect with the gods, or to have some sort of religious experience.
a. Once we became sedentary, we started creating the sacred places (temples).

Front 5

Is animism, or animatism, more common?

Back 5

animism, the belief in supernatural beings!

Front 6

Two types of rituals, and the characteristics of rituals?

Back 6

a. Crisis rituals are performed whenever needed (all have these)
b. Calendrical rituals are performed at specific times (daily, monthly, etc.). (not all religions have these).
c. Characteristics of Rituals:
i. They are symbolically meaningful. The more abstract the things that they are trying to achieve, they more intense and complex the rituals become.
ii. They are performed in repetitive, stereotyped and predictable ways.
d. Functions of Rituals:
i. To unite a community emotionally (communities). – creates continuity and a sense of unity.
ii. To portray or act out important aspects of myths or cosmology (e.g., by acting out our creation, we can assure that the world doesn’t end).
iii. To influence the spiritual world (sorcery, curing rituals, etc.).
iv. To inspire feelings of awe or dread (feel the weight of their religious beliefs … inspire fear for the sake of social control).

Front 7

Four types of magic?

Back 7

(1) Divination: foreseeing the future
(2) Healing: curing illnesses
(3) Sorcery: learned use of rituals to cause harm
(4) Witchcraft: using innate mental powers to harm others.

Front 8

Imitative magic vs. contagious magic?

Back 8

- Imitative magic: rituals that act out or portray the intended result (like produced like). E.g., forms of voodoo.
- Contagious Magic: the idea that things or people once in contact, can influence each other after contact is broken. E.g., enhanced voodoo by adding some part of the person to the voodoo → grab a piece of their hair, and now it will be even more effective.

Front 9

Difference between magic and religion?

Back 9

Magic is more anonymous (you don't necessarily want the whole community knowing you're a witch).

Religion deals with larger, more important existential issues.

Practitioners of religion are recognized by the society at large

Religion, unlike magic, tends to be a very social activity

Front 10

What are the functions of sorcery and witchcraft.. why haven't they been replaced?

Back 10

- Social control. No one ever wants to be accused of being a witch or sorcerer, so they will tow the line. Also, since you don’t know who can be a witch or not, means that you don’t want to cross anyone ... you want to be nice, less you get cursed.
- Negative role models – represents what not to do.
- Explains why bad things happen – sense of proper justice, and order.

Front 11

Two main functions of religion?

Back 11

(1) Social functions: group solidarity, conflict resolution, social control, etc.

(2) Psychological functions: explains the unknown (cognitive function), emotional/existental function (stress reduction... prayer makes one feel like they are contributing to the universe in a meaningful way)

Front 12

Four types of religious practitioners?

Back 12

(1) Shamans:
a. Part-time religious practitioners. Oldest specialists.
b. Believed to have a direct relationship with the supernatural
c. Use their skills to help others (healing or divination)
d. Usually perform crisis rituals
(2) Priest/Priestess:
a. Full-time religious specialists – they do nothing else. Only religion.
b. Position acquired through formal training. Often chosen early in life for these roles and tasks.
c. Positions are often hereditary
d. Perform a wider variety of rituals (crisis and calendrical)
e. Great deal of political power
(3) Diviners:
a. Discovers the wills or wishes of the supernatural through specialized rituals (taro, entrails, palm readings, etc.).
b. Lots of political power
c. A ton of leeway in how one interprets the oracle.
(4) Prophets:
a. Convey divine revelations through visions or dreams. They tend to help people believing in new things, and progress to some extent.
b. Usually charismatic
c. May be able to perform miracles
d. Often are founder of new

Front 13

Where do you find supernatural sanctions?

Back 13

In societies with the greatest differences in wealth... keeps everyone in their place, comfortably justified.

Front 14

Where would you find:

Shamanic, Communal, Olympian, and Monotheistic?

Back 14

Sham -- foragers. they are part-time pracitioners

Communal -- among food producing horti or pastoralist. Community based rituals, mainly about the gods who have control over their food production

Olympian -- priesthood, hierarchial pantheon with powerful gods. seen in advanced horti/or chiefdoms.

Monotheistic -- Only seen in agriculturalist societies and states.