Download three theoretical perspectives in political anthropology

Three Theoretical Perspectives in Political Anthropology
Structural Functionalism
The Process Appproach
Process Theory
Action Theory
To show how particular
To define the processes
To describe individual
institutions serve to maintain involved in political
strategies for gaining and
Goals
the equilibrium of the whole competitions and in
maintaining power
society
implementing public goals
A society, tribe, social
The "political field," a
The "political arena," an
group, etc., usually treated flexible and relative concept area in which individual
as an ideal whole: this
referring to any area in
actors or small groups vie
group was considered for which political interaction
for political power. Political
analytical purposes as a
takes place;
arenas may be, or be
Unit of Analysis
closed system insofar as
may involve a part of
comprised all or in part of,
little regard was paid to the society or extend beyond factions, patron-client
wider environment
social or ethnic boundaries relations, parties, elites,
and other informal parapolitical groups
Synchronic: society is viewed Diachronic, or "in time":
Diachronic, but often
Analytic
as though outside of time, in analysis may focus on actual focused on the actions of
Approach
ideal present
history or on ideal processes individuals within the
to Time
of change through time
duration of the
anthropologist's fieldwork
In some writings, there was Conflict, tension, and change Change within a political
simply no interest expressed are viewed as the normal arena is virtually constant,
in change; society was
condition of society
though there may be a
treated in a purely structural
relative stability of the
fashion;
in
other
writings,
wider system
Attitude toward
change
(in
the
sense
of
Change
adaptive adjustments of the
parts) was emphasized, but
the whole was seen to he in
equilibrium
Key Terms
Examples
Structure, function,
equilibrium, integration
Process, competition, conflict, Strategy, manipulation,
power,
decision making, roles,
legitimacy, support
goals, games, rules
African Political Systems, ed. Political Systems of Highland Schism and Continuity in an
African Society, by Turner
by Fortes and EvansBurma, by Leach
Pritchard
(transitional)
"Political Anthropology:
The Nuer, by Evans-PritchardPolitical Anthropology, ed. Manipulative Strategies,"
By Swartz, Turner, and
by Vincent, in Annual
Tuden
Review of Anthropology
1978
Adapted from Ted C. Lewellen, 1992
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