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Tribe Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge

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Study Guide: Anthropological Concepts: The Term 'Tribe'

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Anthropological Concepts: The Term 'Tribe' Study Guide

Conceptualizing the Tribe

Sociology is the primary discipline that utilizes the term 'tribe' for categorizing human social groups.

Answer: False

Explanation: The primary discipline that utilizes the term 'tribe' for categorizing human social groups is anthropology, not sociology.

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Within anthropological classification, a tribe is generally considered larger than a chiefdom but smaller than a lineage.

Answer: False

Explanation: In anthropological classification, a tribe is generally considered larger than a lineage or clan but smaller than a chiefdom, contrary to the statement.

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Elman Service's classification system categorizes societies into five main types, including bands, tribes, chiefdoms, civilizations, and empires.

Answer: False

Explanation: Elman Service's classification primarily categorizes societies into four main types: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and civilizations, not typically including empires as a distinct fifth category in the initial formulation.

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Hunter-gatherer bands, according to Elman Service's classification, are typically described as egalitarian.

Answer: True

Explanation: Hunter-gatherer bands, as categorized by Elman Service, are generally described as egalitarian societies, lacking significant social hierarchy.

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Morton Fried's studies found that tribes consistently exhibit homogenous populations and share singular, undisputed leaders.

Answer: False

Explanation: Morton Fried's studies highlighted that tribes often exhibit fluid boundaries and heterogeneity, challenging the notion of consistently homogenous populations and singular leaders.

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It is easy to apply a universal conceptual framework to the term 'tribe' due to the cultural uniformity among tribal societies.

Answer: False

Explanation: It is difficult to apply a universal conceptual framework to the term 'tribe' because it attempts to encompass diverse cultures and peoples, leading to conflicting scholarly conclusions.

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A 'leveling mechanism' in tribal societies is designed to increase disparities in social status and wealth.

Answer: False

Explanation: A 'leveling mechanism' in tribal societies refers to social or cultural practices that work to reduce or prevent significant disparities in social status or wealth, thereby maintaining a degree of egalitarianism.

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A 'big man' leader in anthropological terms gains influence primarily through inherited status.

Answer: False

Explanation: A 'big man' leader in anthropological terms gains influence primarily through personal charisma, generosity, and resource mobilization, rather than through inherited status.

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'Ethnicity' is never considered a factor contributing to tribal membership or definition.

Answer: False

Explanation: Ethnicity, signifying a shared sense of identity based on common cultural, linguistic, or ancestral origins, is often considered a factor that can contribute to the formation and definition of a tribe.

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'Tribalism' can refer to a strong sense of loyalty and adherence to one's tribe or ethnic group.

Answer: True

Explanation: 'Tribalism' refers to the state of being organized into or characterized by tribes, and can also describe a strong sense of loyalty and adherence to one's tribe or ethnic group.

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A 'tribal chief's' roles and powers are universally consistent across all tribal structures.

Answer: False

Explanation: A 'tribal chief's' roles and powers are not universally consistent, varying significantly depending on the particular tribal structure and cultural context.

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What is the primary discipline that uses the term 'tribe' to categorize human social groups?

Answer: Anthropology

Explanation: The predominant worldwide use of the term 'tribe' in English is within the discipline of anthropology, where it refers to a category of human social group, though its definition is often debated.

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In anthropological classification, how is a 'tribe' typically contrasted in size with other social groups?

Answer: Larger than a lineage but smaller than a chiefdom

Explanation: In anthropology, the concept of a tribe is generally considered larger than a lineage or clan, but smaller than a chiefdom, ethnicity, nation, or state.

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Which anthropologist proposed a classification system categorizing societies into bands, tribal societies, chiefdoms, and civilizations?

Answer: Elman Service

Explanation: Anthropologist Elman Service proposed a system of classification for societies across all human cultures, focusing on the evolution of social inequality and the role of the state, categorizing them into bands, tribal societies, chiefdoms, and civilizations.

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Morton Fried's 1975 study highlighted which characteristic of tribes that challenged traditional concepts?

Answer: Fluid boundaries and heterogeneity

Explanation: Morton Fried's study highlighted that tribes often exhibit fluid boundaries and heterogeneity, challenging traditional concepts that viewed them as rigid, parochial entities.

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In the context of tribal societies, what is a 'leveling mechanism'?

Answer: A practice that reduces or prevents significant disparities in social status or wealth

Explanation: A leveling mechanism, in the context of tribal societies, refers to social or cultural practices that work to reduce or prevent significant disparities in social status or wealth, helping to maintain a degree of egalitarianism.

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What is the basis of leadership for a 'big man' in anthropological terms?

Answer: Personal charisma, generosity, and resource mobilization

Explanation: A 'big man' is a type of leader described in anthropological contexts, particularly in societies like those found in Papua New Guinea. These leaders often gain influence through personal charisma, generosity, and the ability to mobilize resources and followers, rather than through inherited status.

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What distinguishes 'ritual warfare' from other forms of conflict?

Answer: It involves specific ceremonies, rules, or symbolic meanings

Explanation: Ritual warfare refers to conflicts between groups that are conducted with specific ceremonies, rules, or symbolic meanings, often distinct from warfare aimed solely at territorial conquest or resource acquisition.

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What is the significance of 'ethnicity' in relation to tribal groups?

Answer: It is a factor that can contribute to the formation and definition of a tribe

Explanation: Ethnicity, in the context of tribal groups, refers to a shared sense of identity based on common cultural, linguistic, ancestral, or national origins, and it is one of the factors that can contribute to the formation and definition of a tribe.

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Etymology and Historical Context

The modern English word 'tribe' derives directly from the Latin word 'tribus', bypassing Middle English.

Answer: False

Explanation: The modern English word 'tribe' derives from Latin 'tribus' via Middle English, not directly from Latin bypassing Middle English.

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The Latin word 'tribus' is believed to derive from a Proto-Indo-European compound signifying 'three lands'.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Latin word 'tribus' is believed to derive from a Proto-Indo-European compound *'tri-dṽh₁u/o-', which signifies 'rendered in three' or 'tripartite division,' not 'three lands'.

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What is the origin of the English word 'tribe'?

Answer: Latin

Explanation: The modern English word 'tribe' originates from Middle English 'tribu,' which itself derives from the Latin word 'tribus.' The Latin term is believed to stem from a Proto-Indo-European compound meaning 'rendered in three' or 'tripartite division.'

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What is the etymological connection between the Latin 'tribus' and Proto-Indo-European?

Answer: 'Rendered in three' or 'tripartite division'

Explanation: The Latin word 'tribus' is believed to derive from the Proto-Indo-European compound *'tri-dṽh₁u/o-', which signifies 'rendered in three' or 'tripartite division,' suggesting an ancient concept related to division or organization.

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Critiques and Revisions of the Term

The term 'tribe' began facing significant controversy and deprecation in anthropology around the 1990s.

Answer: False

Explanation: The term 'tribe' began facing significant controversy and deprecation in anthropology from the late 1950s and 1960s, not around the 1990s.

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J. Clyde Mitchell attributed doubts about the term 'tribe' primarily to the lack of archaeological evidence.

Answer: False

Explanation: J. Clyde Mitchell attributed doubts about the term 'tribe' to inconsistent definitions among scholars and increased global involvement with industrial nations, not solely to a lack of archaeological evidence.

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Anthropologist Martin van Bruinessen found that standard anthropological terms like 'tribe' perfectly described the social reality of Kurdistan.

Answer: False

Explanation: Martin van Bruinessen found that standard anthropological terms like 'tribe' acted as a 'straitjacket' that did not fit the social reality of Kurdistan, illustrating the challenges of applying universal categories.

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When did the term 'tribe' begin to face significant controversy and deprecation in anthropology?

Answer: From the late 1950s and 1960s

Explanation: The term 'tribe' was commonly used in anthropology until the late 1950s and 1960s, after which it began to attract controversy and scholarly challenges regarding its utility as an analytical category.

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What did J. Clyde Mitchell attribute the doubts about the term 'tribe' to?

Answer: Inconsistent definitions among scholars and increased global involvement with industrial nations

Explanation: J. Clyde Mitchell noted that doubts about the term 'tribe' arose from inconsistent definitions among scholars and the increasing involvement of peoples worldwide in political, economic, and social relationships with industrial nations.

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What criticism did Martin van Bruinessen offer regarding the application of anthropological terms to Kurdish society?

Answer: They acted as a 'straitjacket' that did not fit the social reality of Kurdistan

Explanation: Anthropologist Martin van Bruinessen argued that standard anthropological terms like 'tribe' acted as a 'straitjacket' that did not fit the social reality of Kurdistan, illustrating the challenges of applying universal categories to specific cultural contexts.

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Tribalism in Societal Development

Morton Fried argued that a tribal stage was an absolute necessity in the transition from a single settlement to a complex state-structured polity.

Answer: False

Explanation: Morton Fried argued that a tribal stage was not an absolute necessity in the transition from a single settlement to a complex state, suggesting it could be a reaction to complex structures rather than a required preliminary step.

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'Secondary' tribes, according to Morton Fried's theory, are direct descendants of pre-state tribes.

Answer: False

Explanation: According to Morton Fried, 'secondary' tribes are modern products of state expansion, not direct descendants of pre-state tribes; they often developed from pre-state bands.

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States may encourage the formation of 'secondary' tribes to extend their administrative and economic influence.

Answer: True

Explanation: States may encourage the formation of 'secondary' tribes to extend their administrative and economic influence, often by requiring or encouraging centralized polities on their frontiers.

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According to Morton Fried, how might tribalism arise in societal evolution?

Answer: As a reaction to the formation of complex political structures

Explanation: Morton Fried suggested that tribalism could arise as a reaction to the formation of complex political structures, positing that bands might organize into tribes as a means to resist the violence and exploitation often associated with early kingdoms and states.

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According to Morton Fried's theory, what are 'secondary' tribes?

Answer: Modern products of state expansion

Explanation: 'Secondary' tribes, as proposed by Morton Fried, are not direct descendants of pre-state tribes but rather modern products of state expansion, often formed to serve the interests of expanding states or to defend against them.

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How might states encourage the formation of 'secondary' tribes?

Answer: By requiring or encouraging centralized polities on their frontiers

Explanation: States may encourage the formation of 'secondary' tribes by requiring or encouraging people on their frontiers to form more centralized polities, which can facilitate the production of surpluses and taxes, and ensure leadership responsive to state needs.

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Contemporary Tribes and Identity

The term 'tribe' has acquired negative connotations similar to the word 'nation'.

Answer: False

Explanation: The term 'tribe' has acquired negative connotations similar to the word 'Indian,' often associated with colonialism, rather than 'nation'.

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Survival International distinguishes between 'tribal' and 'indigenous' peoples by stating that tribal peoples lack special status in international law.

Answer: False

Explanation: Survival International distinguishes tribal peoples by their special status acknowledged in international law, not by a lack thereof.

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Most tribes today remain isolated from modern state systems.

Answer: False

Explanation: Few tribes today remain isolated from modern state systems; many have lost their traditional functions to state institutions like taxation and law courts.

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Native American tribes in North America are considered sovereign nations.

Answer: True

Explanation: Native American tribes in North America are considered sovereign nations, possessing inherent rights to self-governance and maintaining a government-to-government relationship with the federal government.

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Yemen is notable as the least tribal nation in the Arab world.

Answer: False

Explanation: Yemen is notable as the most tribal nation in the Arab world, characterized by the significant influence of tribal leaders and their integration into the state.

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The creation of 'Scheduled Tribes' (ST) in India was based on colonial administrative divisions unrelated to community needs.

Answer: False

Explanation: The creation of 'Scheduled Tribes' (ST) in India was based on advocacy for special protections for certain communities, leading to lists of those deserving support, rather than solely on unrelated colonial administrative divisions.

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George Catlin's 1834 painting depicts Comanche warriors attempting to lance an Osage warrior.

Answer: True

Explanation: George Catlin's 1834 painting depicts Comanche warriors attempting to lance an Osage warrior during a tribal conflict on the plains.

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Pashtuns are described as constituting the world's smallest tribal society.

Answer: False

Explanation: Pashtuns are described as constituting the world's largest tribal society, with an estimated population of over 60 million people across numerous tribes and clans.

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The map of 'uncontacted tribes' illustrates their distribution as depicted around the start of the 20th century.

Answer: False

Explanation: The map of 'uncontacted tribes' illustrates their distribution as depicted around the start of the 21st century, showing indigenous groups remaining isolated from the modern world.

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'Neotribalism' describes the decline of localized, identity-based group affiliations in modern societies.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Neotribalism' describes the resurgence or formation of tribal-like social structures or identities in modern or postmodern societies, suggesting a return to localized, identity-based group affiliations.

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'Tribal sovereignty' means a tribe must submit to external governmental control.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Tribal sovereignty' refers to a tribe's inherent right to govern itself and its territory, independent of external governmental control, not submission to it.

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What is the legal status of Native American tribes within the United States according to the text?

Answer: Domestic dependent nations with a government-to-government relationship

Explanation: In the United States, Native American tribes are legally recognized as having 'domestic dependent nation' status, maintaining a government-to-government relationship with the federal government.

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The term 'tribe' has acquired negative connotations similar to which other word?

Answer: Indian

Explanation: The term 'tribe' has acquired negative connotations, similar to the word 'Indian,' that are associated with colonialism, contributing to its reduced usage in some academic circles.

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How does Survival International distinguish between 'tribal' and 'indigenous' peoples?

Answer: Tribal peoples possess a special status acknowledged in international law

Explanation: Survival International emphasizes the distinction between 'tribal' and 'indigenous' peoples, noting that tribal peoples possess a special status acknowledged in international law and face unique problems in addition to those common to the broader category of indigenous peoples.

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What has been the general trend for tribes in relation to modern state systems?

Answer: Few tribes remain isolated; many lost functions to states

Explanation: Few tribes today remain isolated from modern state systems; many have lost their traditional functions, such as collecting tithes or administering justice, as these roles have been taken over by state institutions.

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Which regions are given as examples where states encouraged the formation of more centralized polities, sometimes labeled 'aboriginal tribes'?

Answer: United States and British India

Explanation: The text provides the United States and British India as examples where states encouraged the formation of more centralized polities, often labeling these communities as 'aboriginal tribes'.

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What is the status of Native American tribes in North America regarding sovereignty?

Answer: Retained sovereignty or granted legal recognition

Explanation: Native American tribes in North America are considered sovereign nations, having either retained their sovereignty or been granted legal recognition by the federal government, acknowledging their inherent right to self-governance.

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What makes Yemen notable in the context of tribal structures in the Arab world?

Answer: It is the most tribal nation with deep integration of leaders

Explanation: Yemen is notable as the most tribal nation in the Arab world, largely due to the significant influence of tribal leaders and their deep integration into various aspects of the Yemeni state.

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What was the context for the creation of 'Scheduled Tribes' (ST) in India?

Answer: Advocacy for special protections

Explanation: India's 'Scheduled Tribes' (ST) were created following advocacy by representatives of certain communities, such as Jaipal Singh for the Munda tribe, leading to special provisions and protections for these groups.

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What does the image caption reveal about Pashtuns?

Answer: They are the largest tribal society globally

Explanation: The image caption indicates that Pashtuns in Afghanistan and Pakistan constitute the world's largest tribal society, with an estimated population of over 60 million people comprising between 350 and 400 tribes and clans.

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Associated Sociopolitical Structures

'Pantribal sodalities' are defined as kinship groups that operate exclusively within a single tribe.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Pantribal sodalities' are defined as organizations that span across multiple tribes, potentially serving unifying or coordinating functions, not kinship groups operating exclusively within a single tribe.

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'Segmentary lineage' is a form of organization based on shared territory rather than kinship.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Segmentary lineage' is a form of social and political organization common in tribal societies, structuring groups based on kinship, not shared territory.

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'Customary law' refers to written legal codes established by modern state governments.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Customary law' refers to the unwritten rules and norms that govern behavior and resolve disputes within a community, often predating or existing alongside formal legal systems.

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'Ritual warfare' is primarily conducted for territorial conquest and resource acquisition.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Ritual warfare' refers to conflicts conducted with specific ceremonies, rules, or symbolic meanings, often distinct from warfare aimed solely at territorial conquest or resource acquisition.

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A 'chiefdom' represents a political organization less complex and hierarchical than a tribe.

Answer: False

Explanation: A 'chiefdom' represents a form of political organization that is generally more complex and hierarchical than a tribe, typically characterized by hereditary leadership.

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A 'petty kingdom' is a political entity generally considered smaller and less complex than a chiefdom.

Answer: False

Explanation: A 'petty kingdom' is generally considered larger and more complex than a chiefdom, representing a level of political organization that surpasses that of tribal structures.

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'State formation' refers to the process of developing decentralized, kin-based groups.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'State formation' refers to the historical process by which centralized authority and monopoly over the legitimate use of force develop, contrasting with decentralized, kin-based groups.

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'Political economy in anthropology' examines the interplay between political power, economic systems, and social structures.

Answer: True

Explanation: 'Political economy in anthropology' examines the interplay between political power, economic systems, and social structures within different societies, analyzing resource control and distribution.

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'Circumscription theory' explains state emergence primarily through increased population mobility.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Circumscription theory' explains state emergence through factors limiting population movement, such as environmental or social barriers, not primarily through increased population mobility.

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'Stateless societies' are characterized by the presence of a strong central government.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Stateless societies' are characterized by the absence of a strong central government or state apparatus, relying instead on kinship or other forms of organization for governance.

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'Tribal warfare' is exclusively focused on resource acquisition.

Answer: False

Explanation: 'Tribal warfare' is not exclusively focused on resource acquisition; it can encompass various social, political, or ritualistic motivations and meanings.

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What does the term 'pantribal sodalities' refer to in the context of tribal organization?

Answer: Organizations that span across multiple tribes

Explanation: Pantribal sodalities are organizations that span across multiple tribes, potentially serving unifying or coordinating functions within a broader cultural or geographical area.

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What is 'customary law' in relation to tribes?

Answer: Unwritten rules and norms within a community

Explanation: Customary law refers to the unwritten rules and norms that govern behavior and resolve disputes within a community. For tribes, customary law often plays a central role in maintaining social order and resolving conflicts.

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How does a 'chiefdom' compare to a 'tribe' in political organization?

Answer: More complex and hierarchical

Explanation: A 'chiefdom' represents a form of political organization that is generally more complex and hierarchical than a tribe, typically characterized by hereditary leadership and a more centralized authority structure.

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What does the term 'state formation' refer to in anthropology?

Answer: Centralized authority and monopoly on force

Explanation: State formation refers to the historical process by which political entities develop into states, characterized by centralized authority, defined territory, and monopoly over the legitimate use of force, often contrasted with the development of tribal societies.

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