41 pages • 1 hour read
E.E. Evans-PritchardThe Nuer: A Description of the Modes of Livelihood and Political Institutions of a Nilotic People
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1940A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Assess Evans-Pritchard’s argument regarding ecological influences on culture. Do you think this principle holds true for all human cultures, or only those in similar conditions to the Nuer?
Research the model of social anthropology which Evans-Pritchard represented, structural functionalism, and observe how it is treated in anthropological circles today. Write an essay in the form of a letter to Evans-Pritchard, advising him how he might revise and strengthen his book by taking into account later critiques and refinements of structural functionalism.
Evans-Pritchard depicts Nuer culture as being fundamentally egalitarian. Consider his depiction of gender relations in Nuer society and assess whether it fits with this view of an overarching egalitarianism.
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