ANTHRO 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Trobriand Islands, Premarital Sex, Endogamy
Document Summary
Social structure: cultural norms, dominant values, political and economic institutions: power. Violent force persuasion hegemony: dominant beliefs that support the status quo, but usually are taking for granted (outcome of elections; government; property is owned by an industry; capitalism is fair an efficient) Agency: the capacity of act (not simplistic free will: within the constraints imposed by social structure, and based upon desires that are also share (but not necessarily dictated) by social structure. Sexuality: all societies have rules about proper and improper sexual conduct. Most societies place more restrictions on female sexuality then male sexuality. Societies that restrict sex are more often restrictive in related issues (clothing, demeanor) Irish island, 1950s perhaps like inis beag : disgust of the body, very catholic with a deep fear of gossip, repressive society. Trobriand islanders: premarital sex was encouraged, inappropriate of unmarried couples to share a meal, but not a bed. But it"s too simple to classify societies as sex-positive or sex-negative.