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ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURES AND SOCIETIES:Variation in Associations, Age Sets

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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ­ SOC401
VU
Lesson 32
ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURES AND SOCIETIES
What Are Associations?
Associations are non-kin and non-territorial groups found amidst all types of societies and cultures around
the world. Associations possess some kind of formal, organizational structure and their members also have
common interests and a sense of purpose which binds the varied types of societies together.
Cultural anthropologists are interested in examining how different cultures give shape to different types of
associations and in turn what functions different types of associations perform within particular cultures.
Variation in Associations
Associations can vary from society to society. They vary according to whether or not they are voluntary and
whether the qualities of members are universally ascribed, variably ascribed or achieved.
Qualifications for Associations
Achieved qualities or skills are those acquired through one's own efforts, there may be hurdles in acquiring
necessary skills, but by and large skills have to be learnt through personal effort as they are not biologically
transferable.
Ascribed qualities are determined at birth because of gender or ethnicity or family background. A person
does not need to make an effort to acquire ascribed qualities nor can effort do much in changing ascribed
status since it is largely determined by forces beyond the control of individuals.
Universally ascribed qualities are found in all societies. Gender is an example of an ascribed quality.
Variably ascribed qualities are unique and thus vary across cultures, like ethnicity, social class differences etc.
Non-Voluntary Associations
In relatively non-stratified societies, associations tend to be based on universally ascribed characteristics like
gender and age. An age set is a common form of non-voluntary associations, evidenced around the world,
even today.
Age Sets
An age grade includes a category of people who fall into a culturally distinguished age category. An age set
on the other hand is a group of people of similar age and the same sex who move through some or all of
life's stages together.
Entry into an age set is usually through an initiation ceremony and transitions to new stages are marked by
succession rituals.
In non-commercial societies, age sets crosscut kinship ties and form strong supplemental bonds. Age sets
are prominent amongst the Nadi of Kenya for example. Young warriors were given spears and shields in
the past and told to bring back wealth to the community, now they're given pens and paper by their elders
and told to go out and do the same.
The Karimojong are predominantly cattle herders and number 60,000 people living in northeastern Uganda,
who are organized via age and generation sets, including 5 age-sets covering 25 years.
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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ­ SOC401
VU
The retired generation passes on the mantle of authority to the senior generation and the junior generation
recruits members until ready to assume authority and thus the society continues to function in a seamless
manner.
Useful Terms
Recruit ­ to admit or to actively enlist
Supplemental ­ added on, so as to help reinforce existing ties
Characteristics ­ identifying features
Seamless ­ continuous
Organizational ­ having features of an organization, like defined roles and responsibilities
Suggested Readings
Students are advised to read the following chapters to develop a better understanding of the various
principals highlighted in this hand-out:
Chapter 22 in `Anthropology' by Ember
Internet Resources
Please visit the following web-site for this lecture, which provide useful and interesting information:
Voluntary Associations:
http://www.fathom.com/feature/122550/
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Table of Contents:
  1. WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY?:Cultural Anthropology, Internet Resources
  2. THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND THE APPLICATION OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
  3. MAJOR THEORIES IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Diffusionism
  4. GROWTH OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL THEORY (continued):Post Modernism
  5. METHODS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Comments on Fieldwork
  6. METHODS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (continued):Census Taking
  7. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMPTION IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD
  8. ECONOMIC ANTHROPOLOGY (continued):THE DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES
  9. FOCUSING ON LANGUAGE:Languages of the World, Structure of Language
  10. FOCUS ON LANGUAGE (continued):Levels of Complexity, Cultural Emphasis
  11. OBTAINING FOOD IN DIFFERENT CULTURES:Optimal Foraging, Suggested Readings
  12. FOOD AND CULTURE (continued):Food Collectors, Food Production
  13. OBTAINING FOOD IN DIFFERENT CULTURE (continued):Pastoralism, Agriculture
  14. RELEVANCE OF KINSHIP AND DESCENT:Kinship Criteria, Rules of Descent
  15. KINSHIP AND DESCENT (continued):Tracing Descent, Primary Kinship Systems
  16. THE ROLE OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN CULTURE:Economic Aspect of Marriage
  17. ROLE OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN CULTURE (continued):Family Structures
  18. GENDER AND CULTURE:Gender Stratification, Suggested Readings
  19. GENDER ROLES IN CULTURE (continued):Women Employment, Feminization of Poverty
  20. STRATIFICATION AND CULTURE:Social Ranking, Dimensions of Inequality
  21. THEORIES OF STRATIFICATION (continued):The Functionalists, Conflict Theorists
  22. CULTURE AND CHANGE:Inventions, Diffusion, Donor, Conventional
  23. CULTURE AND CHANGE (continued):Cultural Interrelations, Reaction to Change
  24. CULTURE AND CHANGE (continued):Planned Change, Globalization
  25. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION:Bands, Tribal Organizations, Chiefdoms
  26. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION (continued):State Systems, Nation-States
  27. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION (continued):Social Norms, Informal Mechanisms
  28. PSYCHOLOGY AND CULTURE:Emotional Development, Psychological Universals
  29. PSYCHOLOGY AND CULTURE (continued):Origin of Customs, Personality Types
  30. IDEOLOGY AND CULTURE:Ideology in Everyday Life, Hegemony
  31. IDEOLOGY AND CULTURE (Continued):Political ideologies, Economic Ideology
  32. ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURES AND SOCIETIES:Variation in Associations, Age Sets
  33. ASSOCIATIONS, CULTURES AND SOCIETIES (continued):Formation of Associations
  34. RACE, ETHNICITY AND CULTURE:Similarity in Human Adaptations
  35. RACE, ETHNICITY AND CULTURE (continued):Inter-group Relations
  36. CULTURE AND BELIEFS:Social Function of Religion, Politics and Beliefs
  37. LOCAL OR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE:Changing Definitions of Local Knowledge
  38. LOCAL OR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE (continued):The Need for Caution
  39. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT:Influence of Development Notions
  40. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (Continued):Contentions in Development
  41. ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT (Continued):Operational
  42. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND ART:Relevance of Art, Art and Politics
  43. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND ART (continued):Art as a Status Symbol
  44. ETHICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY:Ethical Condemnation, Orientalism
  45. RELEVANCE OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY:Ensuring Cultural Survival