ANTHR101 Lecture Notes - Ascribed Status, Universal Binary, Social Inequality

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANTHR101
• Professor: Dan Syrotuik

Document Summary

Members of the group decide how the conflict should be resolved and use their influence to enforce the sanction. People who are knowledgeable about the conflict and those who are influential decide the outcome of the dispute. Influential members are generally part of the decision process. Common in societies that lack central leadership and the concept of authority. A neutral third party is chosen by both sides to mediate the dispute. The mediator is usually someone respected in the community (big men) Because both sides have chosen the mediator, they usually abide by the decision of the mediator. 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. (i. e. ascribed status) Authority derived from religious beliefs are known as trial-by-ordeal. These courts only exist in state organized societies.