Chapter Goals

After studying this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

1. Define political anthropology, authority, and power.
2. Distinguish between coercive, persuasive, and hegemonic power.
3. Understand how anthropologists model systems of political organization with the typology of bands, tribes, chiefdoms and kingdoms, and states.
4. Appreciate the variety of ways in which Christians may engage in politics.

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Chapter Outline

Introduction

Power and Culture

Political Organization

Christians and Politics

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Terms

age-set

authority

band

chiefdom or kingdom

coercive power

counterhegemony

formal negative sanctions

formal positive sanctions

formal sanctions

hegemonic power (or hegemony)

informal sanctions

oligarchy

persuasive power

political anthropology

politics

power

social sanctions

state

tribe

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Discussion Questions

1. What is one way that God’s power is like human power? What is one difference?
2. Tell a story about a successful use of persuasive power and an unsuccessful attempt to use persuasive power. What factors make persuasion more or less likely to work?
3. Consider similarities and differences between band societies, tribes, chiefdoms/ kingdoms, and state societies. What is one way in which being a Christian would be the same in all societies? What is one distinctive Christian practice or belief that would be particularly important in a band? In a tribe? In a chiefdom/kingdom? In a state?

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