ALLYU
This is the traditional form of a community in the Andes, especially among Quechuas and Aymaras. Allyus were essentially extended family groups but they could adopt non-related members, giving individual families more variation and security of the land th
EJIDO
In Mexican system of government, an ejido is an area of communal land used for agriculture, on which community members individually possess and farm a specific parcel. The Mexican Revolution inspired the idea for the ejidos. One of the main objectives of
RECIPROCITY
This is the act of giving gifts. It is a way of establishing social relationships and of re-establishing friendships. Typically, there is mutual expectation, the gift-giving must go both ways, though the magnitudes of the gifts vary from culture to cultur
MARCEL MAUSS
He was a French sociologist and anthropologist who wrote a book called The Gift about reciprocity. His main argument is that there is no such thing as a "free" gift, for all gift-giving requires obligation. He studied a lot about what power an object hold
POTLATCH
A potlatch is a gift-giving feast practiced by the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and the United States. It is their main economic system. This is a form of competitive reciprocity in which hosts demonstrate their wealth and pr
REDISTRIBUTION
This is a way of collectively pooling one's resources. Redistribution refers to a system of economic exchange involving the centralized collection of goods from members of a group followed by the redivision of those goods among those members. It is a form
MOKA
The Moka is a highly ritualized system of exchange in Papua New Guinea. Moka are reciprocal gifts of pigs through which social status is achieved. Moka refers specifically to the increment in the size of the gift. This is a form of competitive reciprocity
KULA RING
This is a ceremonial exchange system conducted in Papua New Guinea. The Kula ring spans 18 island communities, but on the Trobriand Islands, the exchange is monopolized by the chiefs. All Kula valuables are traded purely for the purposes of enhancing one'
ALIENABLE GOODS
These are goods that one can separate from his/herself. These goods are capable of being taken away or transferred.
INALIENABLE GOODS
These are goods that cannot be easily separated from one's own person. The value of something often rises because it is associated with a specific person. Inalienable goods also enhance a person's status and personality . Examples of this can be found wit
MARRIAGE
(also called matrimony or wedlock) Is a social union or legal contract between people called spouses that creates kinship. Marriage often creates dependence and a social alliance between families. There are numerous factors that determine who one is allow
BERDACHE
These were Native American Zuni men who chose to live their lives as female, through dress and social roles. In this culture, it is acceptable for these men to marry other berdaches, though if they are both sexually male, it is frowned upon to a greater d
ENDOGAMY
Endogamy is marrying within a specific group or social group, such as a class, caste, or race. The advantage of endogamy is that few outsiders are brought into the group, therefore, inheritance and property are not dissipated among too many people. Also,
EXOGAMY
Exogamy is the opposite of endogamy, and is marrying outside one's group. The advantage of exogamy is that outsiders are constantly brought in, which might be desirable, for example if the group needs more workers. Also, the exchange of spouses across gro
NATURAL AVERSION THEORY
This theory was proposed by Edvard Westemnark. It states that when children are very young, they tend to develop aversions to having sexual relationships with people they are constantly around. An example of this is a marriage practice found in Taiwan and
MONOGAMY
This is being faithful to only one person. In the majority of cultures, polygamy is accepted as a form of marriage, though when one examines individual couples, it becomes evident that the majority of them are monogamous. Serially monogamous is when one h
POLYGYNY
This is a form of polygamy with one man marrying multiple wives. In those cultures, polygyny may be reserved for only the wealthiest men, for it can be costly and complicated. The economic status of women is usually a main factor that determines how wides
BRIDE WEALTH
This is when a prospective husband, usually with the help of his relatives, must provide a substantial sum of money or highly valued goods to his future wife's family before a marriage can be contracted. This practice typically supports the institution of
BRIDE SERVICE
This is work or services done by a groom for his wife's family instead of paying a bride price. Bride service is usually for a set period of time, often years. It is a common practice in societies that have little material wealth and strong rules requirin
SEX
Refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women. In recent years, people have come to realize that there are more than just 2 sexes. Also, sex does not necessarily determine gender.
GENDER
Refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, and activities that a given society considers appropriate for men and women. There are many different types of genders, such as berdaches or Hijra. Hijra is a Hindu term referring to male-to-female tran
MARGARET MEAD
She was an American cultural anthropologist, whose reports about the attitudes towards sex in South Pacific and Southeast Asian traditional cultures shaped the 1960s sexual revolution. Mead was the first anthropologist to look at human development through
RITE OF PASSAGE
An important event marking a stage in someone's life, especially birth, puberty and marriage. A Fulani woman's right of passage is to get facial tattoos--old-school style. These are very painful and difficult, and take hours to complete. It is something a
GENDER STRATIFICATION
Differences in economic potential, political power, and status based on gender. Men are typically given advantages in most of these fields. For example, men are usually paid more than women for the same exact jobs. Also, the presidency has been completely
SEXUAL DIMORPHISM
Is the phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species, meaning that there are evident differences between the male and female of the species. The main differences are the presence and/or absence of reproductive organs. However, more o
FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
This is a rite of passage most common in northern and central Africa that can take multiple forms. It is a physical transformation that is necessary to become a woman in these cultures. It includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to th
HONOR KILLING
This is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members due to the perpetrators' belief that the victim has brought shame or dishonor upon the family or community. Common reasons for this usually include: refusing to enter an arrange
BAND
This is the 1st part of Service's classification. Service was part of the multi-lineal evolutionary school, and believed that evolution went from simple to complex. His classification system makes comparisons on a global scale easy to do, and possible. A
TRIBE
This comes after Band in Service's classification system. It is a hypothetical form of human social organization based on a set of smaller groups (known as bands), having political integration and defined by traditions of common descent, language, culture
CHIEFDOM
This came after Tribe in Service's classification system. It is a hypothetical form of sociopolitical organization in which political and economic power is exercised by a single person (or group of people) over many communities. Societies were deemed chie
STATE
This was the most complex form of political organization in Service's classification system. It is characterized by a permanent population, a defined territory, a government and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. Service's s