Week 7 Study Questions
P&B pp. 142-162
1. Describe the three main forms of exchange in economic systems.
2. Analyze how the form of reciprocity between people varies with social distance.
3. Summarize how the Ju/’hoansi (!Kung) “insult the meat”. Why do they do this?
4. Discuss the relationship between redistribution and political organization.
5. Elaborate on the differences between markets and other kinds of economies and their
relative costs and benefits.
6. Describe money and some of its uses and varieties.
7. Discuss the globalization of markets and its impacts on workers, consumers,
corporations, and cultural preservation.
Shostak pp. 133-180
1) How do !Kung women deal with marriages where they are unhappy with their
husbands.
2) When do !Kung girls typically have their first menstruation? What are the benefits of
this late maturity?
3) Are men and women equal in !Kung society? Explain.
4) Describe !Kung marriages. How many spouses do they have? Are they monogamous?
Polygynous? For both men and women what are the advantages and disadvantages of the
!Kung marriage system?
5) Describe Nisa’s first wedding.
6) What is the ideal life of an adult women !Kung?
7) What is Nisa’s opinion of polygyny?
8) When do the !Kung believe conception occurs?
9) Do the !Kung practice infanticide? Explain.
10) Where and with whom to !Kung woman give birth? Is this practice beneficial? How?
11) How many births, on average, will a !Kung woman have? How many of these
children will live long enough to marry? In what ways does this complicate the view that
!Kung have a high quality of life?
12) How does Nisa’s description of sex differ from how you would describe it?
13) How did Nisa deal with her first pregnancy? Who impregnated her?
14) Where did Nisa give birth?
15) What happened to Nisa’s baby?
16) Overall how healthy are the !Kung?
17) What is the major cause of death?
18) According to the !Kung, what causes illness?
19) How many of Nisa’s newborns died? From what?