An area of great cultural diversity, the Mediterranean is volatile. As a response to the constant change in their communities, inhabitants in Mediterranean countries have found it necessary to negotiate homogeneity through modifications to their social institutions. While the importance of preserving a sense of nationalism despite an increasing governmental focus on individuality is argued by Julian Pitt-Rivers in his introduction to Mediterranean Countrymen: Essays in the Social Anthropology of the Mediterranean (1963), the diversity of these communities makes it difficult to determine not only to what extent but exactly which aspects of ocean-front life are deteriorating; such difficulties are explored in both Introduction to a Cyprus highland …show more content…
Despite a recognition of lifestyle variation among Mediterranean peoples, Pitt-Rivers greatly emphasizes the negative effect of integrated states; similarly, he emphasizes the importance of collective rights over those of the individual. Such negativity is a direct correlation of his focus on economics. Pitt-River’s analysis is primarily based on the economic instability of two opposing regions of Spain: the Anadalusian plains and the Pyrennean foothills. Although his argument is similar to Persitiany in that it incorporates the importance of inheritance and the difficulties associated with an absence of social mobility in an impoverished community, Pitt-Rivers fails to discuss in detail the social hierarchy of either village. This oversight weakens his argument as it does not factor in the significance of interpersonal relationships; his uneconomical conclusion that “stability of a society depends upon maintaining the continuity of … family heritage” (24) therefore seems to lack depth. The introduction’s paucity of social analysis is the main way it contrasts with his later essay, which places a greater significance on interpersonal relations. While this omission may be due to the concise nature of introductions, it renders his approach lackluster; that of Persitianty, who is addresses both the economic and sociocultural factors throughout his ethnography, is therefore more
Davis addresses various important factors in a peasant’s life. She highlights many components of peasant society, including their social classes and how their society values property in different ways. Davis also includes the peasants’ culture. She elaborates on the importance of children and the consequences of not being able to produce children. She also explains typical marriage procedures and customs. Lastly, Davis talks about some of the laws and common uses of the judicial system by peasants. By incorporating these factors into her book Davis is successful at recreating life for peasants in France during the sixteenth century.
Napoleon Chagnon has spent about 60 months since 1964 studying the ‘foot people’ of the Amazon Basin known as the Yanomamo. In his ethnography, Yanomamo, he describes all of the events of his stay in the Venezuelan jungle. He describes the “hideous” appearance of the Yanomamo men when first meeting them, and their never-ending demands for Chagnon’s foreign goods, including his food. There are many issues that arise when considering Chagnon’s Yanomamo study. The withholding of genealogical information by the tribesmen, and how Chagnon was able to obtain his information is an interesting and significant aspect of this study. Why did Chagnon feel that this genealogical information was important? And was Chagnon’s choice to study the Yanomamo, despite their hesitancy to cooperate, a wise and ethical one?
Through the study of the Peruvian society using articles like “The “Problem of the Indian...” and the Problem of the Land” by Jose Carlos Mariátegui and the Peruvian film La Boca del Lobo directed by Francisco Lombardi, it is learned that the identity of Peru is expressed through the Spanish descendants that live in cities or urban areas of Peru. In his essay, Mariátegui expresses that the creation of modern Peru was due to the tenure system in Peru and its Indigenous population. With the analyzation of La Boca del Lobo we will describe the native identity in Peru due to the Spanish treatment of Indians, power in the tenure system of Peru, the Indian Problem expressed by Mariátegui, and the implementation of Benedict Andersons “Imagined Communities”.
Bartolomé de Las Casas begins by providing a vivid description of each land being invaded by the Europeans and the type of peopl...
In the book “The Great Sea”, author David Abulafia goes thru the history of the Mediterranean. Trade starts in one place and will link to other civilizations in the Mediterranean.
In my essay, I will argue that the application of Marx's theory of the separation of town and country on the social and economical developments, which took place in Jabal Nablus during 17-19th century, confirm the existence of other factors, which cultivated overwhelming city's domination over hinterland. I claim that in addition to private property, growing trade with Europe also had a major impact on the conflict between city and country. In order to prove it, I will perform a critical analysis on Marx's methodology . I will next examine his concepts of productive forces, unequal distribution of labor, and conflict of interests in the society. In the end, I present comparative analysis of the social and economical features of Jabal Nablus in opposition to the claims of Carl Marx.
When Europe fell into its depression, many European peasants were struggling to live. It was not a struggle of providing good lives for their families, it was a strug...
Both Rome and Greece had an impact on the Mediterranean Sea, but Rome had the bigger impact. Rome had more of a educational and trading impact on the Mediterranean. Rome did many trading with food, clothes and other tems with Greece and other countries nearby. They either used their roa or used the Mediterranean Sea to transport goods to other countries. The kind of stuff they imported was things like wool which they can use to make clothes and silk from China to make fine clothes. They also imported more items like dyes cotton and silver, they used dyes to color their clothes, cotton to make the clothes and silver to make jewelry and coins. Rome also gave education, but only to the kids that were wealthy. The kids of slaves and poor
In the book “Bless Me Ultima”, by Rudolpho Anaya, there were two families represented, the Marez family and the Lunas family. These two families were very different, but were brought together by the marriage of Gabriel Marez and Maria Lunas. Through the eyes of their son Antonio one may see the comparison of the two. The differentiation of these two families is very clearly noticeable, such as in their personalities, the expression of their religion, and their everyday ways of life.
The purpose of this research paper is to evaluate feudalism’s effectiveness as an economic system. Feudalism was the system most common in Middle Ages Europe. This structure of land distribution involved breaking up land into smaller pieces with their own rulers in exchange for loyalty to the king. This investigation will focus on the Feudalism specifically in Europe in the Middle Ages, as opposed to Oriental feudalism. The books The Middle Ages by Joseph Dahlmus and Feudal Society by Marc Bloch, which dives into Feudalism’s details and effects, are two prominent sources in the paper.
Officially titled the Hellenic Republic, Greece is a country whose historical and cultural heritage continues to influence the modern world through art, philosophy and politics. Greece is located in southern europe. Critically placed at the byroads of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. Greece shares land borders with four countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Republic of Macedonia. The country is greatly consumed by water to the south with over 1,400 islands, the largest of them being Crete. Over eighty percent of Greece is of mountains, the largest and most culturally significant being mount Olympus, which in Greek mythology is the resting place of the twelve olympians. Greece is a country which is filled with aesthetically pleasing landmarks which have existed for thousands of years and are deemed historically significant. These include, but are not limited to the Parthenon, Acropolis of Athens, Panathenaic stadium, Mount Athos, Sounion (where the temple of Poseidon lays), Temple of Hephaestus and Theatre of Dionysus. These are just a few of the influential landmarks this authentic country possesses.
In Italy the social structure of the rural village was founded on the family, whose interests a...
Her point is validated in the literature in Ursula’s response to Jose Arcadio Buendia’s desire “to move Macondo to a better place” (13). Jose Arcadio Buendia feels the insatiable need to relocate to fulfill his craving for exploration, but Ursula will not stand for it and declares “we will not leave…we will stay here, because we have a son here” (14). Jose Arcadio Buendia’s selfish choice to relocate to satisfy his wishes exhibits no regard for others while Ursula’s declaration to remain stationary shows her concern for the women and children’s need for stability.
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, poor living conditions and disease plagued western civilization. Europeans had little control over their environment. The Old Regime way of life caused a fear of change and new ways of thinking were usually condemned. The economy of subsistence reflected the general outlook of society. Little or no growth took place. The mindset during this time period was, in fact, ìbetter safe than sorryî. Improvements, however, were made during the Industrial Revolution and throughout the twentieth centur...
There has always been rich and poor in Spain but never like in recent years, the distance between them is very significant, as well as the difference in relation of incomes. The unemployment rate has taken a toll on the family income. More than 1.7 million households, according to the latest Labor Force Survey, have all members unemployed, and only 67% of those registered in employment offices receive any assistance or provision of the state. As a result, Spain is one of the most troubled positioned countries in statistics that measures social inequality and has the biggest distance between high and low incomes.