Human Geography & Non-Tribal Societies
August 23, 2011 at 8:33 AM
Human Geography & Non-Tribal Societies
Does mapping of social groups only pertain to tribal societies?
Some suggest GSI’s process of mapping social dynamics in a region only works for areas where tribal structures remain an important aspect of the social structure. Francis Fukuyama in his book The Origins of Political Order describes the evolution of societies from small kinship bands to tribes to nation states positing that there are certain recurring patterns of behaviors across time and cultures. Further he notes that in twenty-first century Europe “trade unions, business groups, students, nongovernmental organizations, religious organizations, and a host of other social actors” replace the earlier kinship groups.[1] In areas where the rule of law, state authority, and accountability have broken down, patrimonial relationships typical of tribal societies come to the fore. This pattern can be seen in two contemporary examples, one in the tribal society of Iraq and another in non-tribal society of Brazil, illustrating Fukuyama’s idea.
The value of mapping groups and relationships lies in that it reveals associations that may determine the cause of events or the outcome of policy decisions. The relationships of people to the land they occupy and the social groups they belong to are key factors for security and economic activity.
Identification of the social groups, significant individuals in those groups, and the relative levels of influence among those groups in a geospatial context provides a means for developing policies and actions that increase the stability of a social environment. Understanding the social dynamics of an area and the relationship of the groups involved to the geography of that area are important whether the society is dominated by a tribal structure or other social groups within a more contemporary context.
Human_Geography__Non-Tribal_Societies_--_POV3.pdf
[1] Francis Fukuyama, The Origins of Political Order (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011), p. 480.
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