Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses.
War and Peace
The origin and source of human violence is a central topic for anthropologists. Cross-cultural studies show evidence of both peaceful and violent societies. In this discussion, choose to answer one of the prompts below. Choose only one:
- Some argue that gender roles play a part in the extent of violence in a society. Based on chapter eight, especially pages 322-323 and the research report by Horn et al. (2014), what are some of the differences in gender roles between peaceful and violent societies? Cite and explain some reasons for these differences. Make sure to give examples from specific cultures and provide the empirical evidence why some scholars argue for this connection. Then, discuss what form of evidence would not support this connection.
- War has been seen as a causal agent for cultural change, specifically on the development of complex societies. Based on Chapter 8 of the textbook, in particular pages 325-326, explain what Robert Carneiro argues is the effect of war on the evolution of societies. Explain his theory and make sure to provide evidence that supports this. Then, discuss what form of evidence would not support this theory.
Guided Response: Respond to at least two peers and/or instructor. Make sure to respond to a peer who chose a different question than you chose yourself. In your answer, try to add a consideration, based on evidence from the textbook or another reliable source that was not fully discussed in the peer post.