week 8 - critique of equilibrium Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is the ‘equilibrium’ model in anthropology?
The equilibrium model assumes that:
- societies are stable, self-regulating systems
- in societies, social institutions function together to maintain balance and continuity
This minimizes the significance of change, conflict, and historical processes.
How did functionalism reinforce the equilibrium model?
Functionalism, especially in the work of Malinowski and Radcliffe-Brown, treated societies as systems where every part serves a function to maintain the whole, thus emphasizing stability and downplaying historical change and conflict.
What is meant by the ‘ethnographic present’?
The ‘ethnographic present’ refers to the practice of describing societies as if they exist in a timeless, unchanging state, ignoring historical context and external influences, which supports the equilibrium perspective.
How did Edmund Leach critique the equilibrium assumption?
Leach argued that anthropologists wrote ‘as if the Trobrianders, the Tikopia, the Nuer are as they are, now and forever,’ ignoring real processes of change, conflict, and the impact of history and external forces.
What is Gluckman’s concept of ‘situational analysis’?
Gluckman’s situational analysis focuses on analysing specific social events or situations to reveal the underlying tensions, conflicts, and dynamics within a society, rather than assuming a static, balanced system.
What was the significance of Gluckman’s ‘Bridge Paper’?
In ‘Analysis of a Social Situation in Modern Zululand,’ Gluckman utilized situational analysis to analyze an specific event in Zululand: a bridge-opening ceremony.
He critiqued segregation and demonstrated how Zulu and European groups, though segregated, were interconnected in a single, conflict-ridden but functioning social system.
How did Gluckman’s work challenge segregationist ideologies?
By demonstrating the interdependence of Zulu and European lives in South Africa, Gluckman critiqued apartheid and the idea that these groups were fundamentally separate, showing instead a dynamic, integrated society.
What is ‘temporary equilibrium’ in Gluckman’s analysis?
Temporary equilibrium refers to a provisional, unstable balance maintained by social and governmental structures, marked by ongoing tensions and conflicts that can lead to change.
How does Gluckman’s approach differ from Radcliffe-Brown’s?
While Radcliffe-Brown emphasized abstract, stable structures, Gluckman focused on empirical observation of real situations, highlighting conflict, change, and the limits of equilibrium.
What is Leach’s main argument in ‘Political Systems of Highland Burma’?
Leach argued that Kachin society was not a stable, integrated whole but a process of oscillation between different political forms (gumsa and gumlao), shaped by individual choices, external influences, and historical events.
What are ‘gumsa’ and ‘gumlao’ in Leach’s analysis?
‘Gumsa’ refers to a hierarchical, autocratic political system, while ‘gumlao’ is egalitarian and democratic. Kachin communities could shift between these forms, showing flexibility and instability rather than equilibrium.
How did Leach use the concept of ‘ideal types’?
Leach described gumsa, gumlao, and Shan systems as ‘as if’ models—ideal types that help analyze real societies, which are always in flux and rarely match these models exactly.
What is the significance of ritual in Leach’s critique of equilibrium?
Leach showed that ritual can create a momentary sense of solidarity or integration, but this does not guarantee ongoing social equilibrium or unity beyond the ritual event.
How does Leach critique the concept of ‘tribe’ or ‘unit culture’?
Leach argued that treating tribes or cultures as bounded, stable entities is misleading; real societies are fluid, with overlapping identities, shifting boundaries, and constant interaction.
What is ‘structural duration’ in Gluckman’s theory?
Structural duration is the time-scale built into an institution’s structure, used to analyze how it would function in equilibrium, even though real historical events often disrupt this.
How does Gluckman distinguish between types of change?
Gluckman differentiates between repetitive (cyclical) changes, limited structural changes, and radical structural changes, arguing that equilibrium analysis helps identify and assess these.
What is the role of conflict in Gluckman’s and Leach’s theories?
Both see conflict as inherent and productive within social systems, driving change and undermining the idea of stable equilibrium.
How do Gluckman and Leach address the colonial context?
Gluckman explicitly critiques segregation and apartheid, while Leach, though aware of colonial and economic factors, often brackets them out in favor of abstract models—both are critiqued for their limitations here.
What is the critique of ‘as if’ equilibrium models?
‘As if’ models are useful analytical tools but risk being mistaken for reality; both Gluckman and Leach stress that real societies are rarely in true equilibrium and that models must be recognized as fictions.
How does Leach’s work anticipate later practice theory and political economy?
Leach’s focus on individual agency, shifting systems, and the constructed nature of social boundaries prefigures later theories that emphasize power, practice, and historical process.
What is the main limitation of equilibrium-based analysis, according to Leach?
It cannot adequately account for the instability, ambiguity, and constant change found in real societies, nor for the ways individuals and groups navigate and transform social structures.
How does Gluckman defend the use of equilibrium models?
Gluckman sees equilibrium models as useful devices for analyzing institutions and their interdependencies - BUT insists they must be supplemented with historical and situational analysis -> they are not the end all be all and don’t reflect reality
What is the relationship between structure and agency in Leach’s work?
Leach emphasizes that individuals are not passively constrained by structure; they make self-serving choices within and between systems, contributing to social change.
How do Gluckman and Leach’s critiques influence contemporary anthropology?
Their critiques shifted anthropology away from static, functionalist models toward approaches that foreground history, conflict, agency, and the dynamic nature of social life.
