Categories Anthropology

I.1.2 Political anthropology and political science

Anthropology Political Science

Universal scope because it studies political systems of primitive, peasant, pre-industrial and modem societies.

It pays its greatest attention to the study of political systems of primitive, peasant and pre-industrial societies.

Limited scope because it studies political systems of complex, advanced or modern societies.

Pays little attention to the study of political systems of pre-industriail societies.

A whole-science because it studies political systems as integral parts of social- Cultural systems.

It demonstrates politics as distinct
activities not amenable to separate analysis

A part-science because it studies political systems as special systems independent of other systems of society.

It demonstrates politics as distinct activities amenable to separate analysis

Explains the causation and process of  man becaming a political being.

Examines evolution of political systems in relation to social and cultural systems.

Deals with the spatial, structural, organizational and functional aspects of different types of political systems in relation to other systems.

It reveals the uniformities and diversities in the stale and stateless political systems in relation to economic, social and religious systems.

Assumes that man is a political being.

Studies evolution of modem political systems independent of other systems.

Deals with the structure, organization and functions of slate political systems of complex societies.

It reveals the uniformities and diversities in the spatial, structural and functional aspects of stale political systems of complex societies.

Examines in detail the social and cultural bases of distribution of power in all societies.

Studies the maintenance of order on the basis of mechanisms of social control and systems of laws and jural norms.

Examines in detail the distribution of power in terms of degree of formality and informality, and tradition and modernity in advanced societies.

Studies the maintenance of order on the basis of laws, courts and councils, military force, and constituted judicial machinery.

Gives an expanded comparative understanding of political systems by showing that law and crime are not cultural universal and by examining the expression and resolution of conflict in societies without government.

Gives a limited comparative understanding of political systems by showing that law and crime are cultural univcrsals in complex societies and by examining the expression and resolution of conflict in complex societies with governments.

Field work oriented.

Uses structural-functional approach, conflict      approach,     processual approach and world systems approach to study political life of different societies

To some extent field-work oriented but to a great extent text-guided.

Uses structural, functional and Marxian approaches to study political life in modem societies.

Examines the levels of socio-political integration in different types of societies in terms of functional or conflict models

Studies unconscious activities also to analyze the political life of humans.

Studies the integration of legislative, executive and judicial organs of political systems.

Studies conscious activities only to analyze the political life of humans.

Studies politics of ethnicity in different societies.

Studies politics and development with social- cultural implications.

Proves that war as a part of politics is not universal “and that there are many primitive societies which are exceptions to war.

Studies politics of ethnicity only to a lesser degree.

Studies politics and development in terms of politics of modem societies.

Depicts that war as a part of politics is universal so far as the modem societies are concerned.

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