Question 1

The debate continues over whether human beings are naturally peaceful or violent. Discuss the possible foundations of human violence and the evidence presented, and evaluate the author's conclusion.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The debate continues over whether human beings...

Question 2

The Occupy Wall Street movement was able to gain support by focusing on inequality with the motto "We are the 99 percent" and combining physical and virtual elements of their protest. What is this is an example of?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a framing process, as the movement framed their message around the issue of inequality and the concept of the 99 percent. They used this framing to gain support and mobilize their protest both physically and virtually.

Question 3

When the farmers in Costa Rica marched, blocked streets, and held demonstrations to protest inequality and injustice, what were they participating in?

Accepted Answer

The farmers in Costa Rica are participating in a social movement, as they are protesting for systematic change in the society and challenging the current power structures.

Question 4

Sometimes a group of people within the domain of a state creates their own nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in an effort to challenge inequities and assert their political rights to resources and recognition within their state. What do we call this type of formal organization?

Accepted Answer

This type of formal organization is called a civil society organization (CSO). CSOs are non-governmental, non-profit organizations that operate independently from the state and aim to promote social, economic, and political goals. They are often formed by groups within a society to challenge government inequities and advocate for their political rights. Options A, B, and C do not accurately describe this type of organization.

Question 5

What do we call the method by which social movements create shared meanings and definitions that motivate and justify collective action?

Accepted Answer

The method by which social movements create shared meanings and definitions that motivate and justify collective action is called the framing process. Option A is incorrect as cause célèbre refers to a controversial issue that attracts a lot of public attention. Option C is incorrect as rationalization refers to the process of finding reasons to justify one's behavior or decisions. Option D is not a commonly used term to refer to this concept.

Question 6

In his examination of the Occupy movement, what was it that Jeffrey Juris discovered as a key part of the success of the movement?

Accepted Answer

Jeffrey Juris found that the interplay between the virtual and physical was a key part of the success of the Occupy movement. This included the use of social media to organize and mobilize people, as well as the physical occupation of public spaces.

Question 7

The Fatwa Council in Egypt is a form of alternative legal structure used to deal with internal problems and avoid the interference and control of the state legal system. Despite the fact that these structures do not have coercive power that compels adherence to the outcome, individuals seeking redress here generally do observe the results carefully. What is one of the key differences between the fatwa and the court system?

Accepted Answer

In the fatwa system, the individual seeking redress and the mufti offering the guidance share responsibility for the outcome. This is different from the court system where the responsibility for the outcome lies solely with the judge or judicial panel.

Question 8

What surprising discovery did Carolyn Nordstrom make in her study of war and violence in Mozambique?

Accepted Answer

Nordstrom discovered that the political violence of war can be resisted and defeated through the resilience and daily actions of ordinary people, emphasizing the power of grassroots efforts in maintaining social order and peace amidst chaos.

Question 9

To resist the power of state institutions, some societies make use of different systems to settle issues that might normally go to the state court system. What are these systems known as?

Accepted Answer

Alternative legal structures refer to systems used by societies to resolve disputes outside of the state court system, often to resist state power.

Question 10

In Egypt, people view the decisions of the official Egyptian Personal Status courts with great suspicion, and they often turn to the traditional Al Azhar Fatwa Council for guidance on important matters of daily life, even though their decisions are not legally binding. The Fatwa Council is an example of what kind of social response to the state?

Accepted Answer

The Al Azhar Fatwa Council is an example of an alternative legal structure because it is not a formal part of the state's legal system and its decisions are not legally binding. People turn to it as an alternative to the official court system, indicating a lack of trust in the state's legal institutions.

Question 11

Foraging bands and egalitarianism have been the standards of social interaction for most of human history; however, many societies are highly hierarchical today. Discuss the role egalitarianism has played in human life and, quite possibly, human evolution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Foraging bands and egalitarianism have been the...

Question 12

Most of us never consider how our immediate families function in a larger social context in our lives. In reality, though, what aspect of social behavior is strongly present in our family relationships and echoed in our place in society as a whole?

Accepted Answer

The aspect of social behavior that is strongly present in our family relationships and echoed in our place in society as a whole is power. Power dynamics play a significant role in shaping family relationships and social interactions, influencing how individuals navigate and negotiate their roles and identities within these contexts. Thus, understanding power dynamics within families can provide insight into broader social structures and power relations within society as a whole.

Question 13

Anthropologist Marc Edelman's study of rural peasants in Costa Rica as they responded to the economic and political upheavals brought about by civil war and increased debt demonstrate what aspect of human response to the state?

Accepted Answer

Edelman's study shows how the peasants were not simply passive recipients of the changes brought about by civil war and debt, but rather they maintained a strong sense of agency in responding to these challenges. They actively sought out new ways of making a living and interacting with the state, rather than just reacting to external pressures. This demonstrates the importance of agency as a key aspect of human response to the state.

Question 14

Collective group actions in response to uneven development, inequality, and injustice that seek to build institutional networks to transform cultural patterns and government policies are referred to as what kind of action?

Accepted Answer

Social movements are collective group actions that aim to address social, economic, and political injustice by mobilizing people and resources to transform cultural patterns and government policies. Crusades refer to religious or moral campaigns, social initiatives are specific projects or programs designed to address a particular issue, and public causes refer to issues or events that gain public attention and support.

Question 15

Compare and contrast the concepts of the band, the tribe, and the chiefdom. What are the advantages of each?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast the concepts of the...

Question 16

A local nongovernmental organization (NGO) that challenges state policies and uneven development and advocates resources and opportunities for members of its local communities is known as what?

Accepted Answer

A local NGO that challenges state policies and advocates for its community members falls under the category of civil society organizations. These are non-governmental organizations that focus on promoting social justice, equality, and democracy in their respective communities.

Question 17

Modern states play a central role in shaping what happens in every part of the world today. Discuss the aspects of the state that make it the dominant form of political organization in the world today.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Modern states play a central role in...

Question 18

Many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been powerful voices against the exercise of state power. These organizations can be seen as exercising what particular form of response to the state?

Accepted Answer

NGOs can be seen as exercising agency, which refers to their ability to take action on their own behalf and influence the actions of others, including the state. NGOs are not necessarily exercising political will, as this refers to the collective willingness of a society to take action on a particular issue. Hegemony refers to the dominance of one group over others, and local advocacy may be a component of NGO activities but does not capture the full scope of their response to the state.

Question 19

Members of the civil rights movement held protests, sit-ins, and marches to oppose inequality. Their actions eventually resulted in the Civil Rights Act, which eliminated much of the legal inequality in the country. What is this is an example of?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a social movement, where a group of people comes together to advocate for a common cause or goal, in this case, opposing inequality and discrimination.

Question 20

In 2014, police in Ferguson, MO, shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in an incident that evoked nationwide protest. In the ensuing months, social media was employed to powerful effect using the hashtag #blacklivesmatter. The creation of the #blacklivesmatter hashtag helped galvanize support and is an example of what kind of action?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In 2014, police in Ferguson, MO, shot...

Quiz 14: Politics and Power