After reading The Hunters: Scarce Resources in the Kalahari , Forest Development the…

After reading
The Hunters: Scarce Resources in the Kalahari
,
Forest Development the Indian Way
and
Eskimo Science
, return to the two questions asked in the lecture this week.
Was the invention of agriculture a terrible mistake and what is your definition of “the good life”?
How do practices of gift giving and reciprocity create network systems, and why are these systems important within and between cultures?
How can a misunderstanding of reciprocity between cultures lead to conflict? This can be applied to anthropologist-research participant groups as well. Use examples from this week and the past weeks to support your discussion and opinions.
Think about gift giving practices in your own life. In what ways do these practices reveal role and status? How is reciprocity present?