Chapter 10 Discussion & Essay Topics

Why Do Anthropologists Study Economic Relations?
  1. Compare and contrast Malinowski’s and Marx’s ideas about consumption.
  1. While redistribution may not be the principle means of exchange within Canadian society, it nevertheless exists. Define redistribution and how it operates. Then, provide two examples of how it operates in our society.
  1. What is an “original affluent society?” How does it challenge notions of how Westerners may define the concept of “affluence?”
  1. How does globalization affect the consumption of particular foods? Discuss with reference to one case study from this chapter.
  1. How would a neo-classical economist explain the reciprocity system of the Maisin, as described in this chapter?
  1. What is the value of mode of production in Wolf’s (1982) conception and how does he illustrate its effectiveness?
  1. What impact do market-based exchange systems have on cultural item’s authenticity and production?
Back to top