GLST 290 FINAL LIBERTY UNIVERSITY.
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH 100%
CORRECT ANSWERS | LATEST
VERSION 2025/2026.
Political Anthropology - ANS the study of power and authority, and systems of organizing
social life
Power - ANS influencing or controlling the behavior of others
Authority - ANS the right granted to exercise power
Coercive - ANS the use of force, legitimate or illegitimate, by individuals or groups
persuasive - ANS the use of words, relationships, and actions that influence others
hegemonic - ANS the dominance of ideas or culture which serve to maintain balance in a
society
social sanctions - ANS the responses, positive and negative, that people receive for their
behavior
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,formal sanctions - ANS approved or delivered by institutions holding official power (fines and
other punishments)
informal sanctions - ANS positive or negative actions or words intended to shape behavior.
How have you seen these power dynamics played out in your life?
Have you ever been coerced or persuaded?
What hegemonic power is in place in our society?
How did you react to a "formal" sanction?
How have you been involved in "informal" sanctions?
Bands - ANS existing of fewer than 100 members, most of whom are related to one another
through kinship.
• Most ancient political system.
• Flexible membership (members come and go).
• Hunting and gathering
• Decisions are made by consensus.
• Egalitarian
• Conflict resolution happens through informal sanctions.
tribe - ANS a decentralized political system that may be associated with any economic form.
• Several tribes may be united as a society by culture, language, or heritage.
• Each tribe has its own leadership based on personal ability.
• Tribes can create associations for temporary purposes (wage war, engage in economic
exchange, or religious ceremonies).
• Conflict resolution is informal.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, Chiefdoms and Kingdoms - ANS a system of political organization involving an inheritable
office, which usually passes down through a family line.
• A family or individual is the authority.
• Status of the other members of the society is understood in relation to the distance between
the authority figure.
• Have the ability to consolidate control through coercive means.
• Division of labor is more specialized.
• Food surpluses are redistributed through taxation.
• Conflict resolution is more formalized.
States - ANS highly centralized forms of political organizations in which authority rests in
institutions and offices.
• Power resides in an office rather than a person.
• Members of the society trust the holder of the office to represent their interests.
oligarchy - ANS a small group holding power over the majority
Why do humans live in groups? - ANS • Takes a long time for physical and social maturation.
• Need for companionship.
• The need to stay together to survive (physical weakness).
Group Properties - ANS 1. Consists of two or more people.
2. Interaction between the people.
3. Symbolic objects are present.
4. Relation to other people and objects.
5. Unit awareness.
cultural objects - ANS norms, roles, beliefs, and values
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH 100%
CORRECT ANSWERS | LATEST
VERSION 2025/2026.
Political Anthropology - ANS the study of power and authority, and systems of organizing
social life
Power - ANS influencing or controlling the behavior of others
Authority - ANS the right granted to exercise power
Coercive - ANS the use of force, legitimate or illegitimate, by individuals or groups
persuasive - ANS the use of words, relationships, and actions that influence others
hegemonic - ANS the dominance of ideas or culture which serve to maintain balance in a
society
social sanctions - ANS the responses, positive and negative, that people receive for their
behavior
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,formal sanctions - ANS approved or delivered by institutions holding official power (fines and
other punishments)
informal sanctions - ANS positive or negative actions or words intended to shape behavior.
How have you seen these power dynamics played out in your life?
Have you ever been coerced or persuaded?
What hegemonic power is in place in our society?
How did you react to a "formal" sanction?
How have you been involved in "informal" sanctions?
Bands - ANS existing of fewer than 100 members, most of whom are related to one another
through kinship.
• Most ancient political system.
• Flexible membership (members come and go).
• Hunting and gathering
• Decisions are made by consensus.
• Egalitarian
• Conflict resolution happens through informal sanctions.
tribe - ANS a decentralized political system that may be associated with any economic form.
• Several tribes may be united as a society by culture, language, or heritage.
• Each tribe has its own leadership based on personal ability.
• Tribes can create associations for temporary purposes (wage war, engage in economic
exchange, or religious ceremonies).
• Conflict resolution is informal.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, Chiefdoms and Kingdoms - ANS a system of political organization involving an inheritable
office, which usually passes down through a family line.
• A family or individual is the authority.
• Status of the other members of the society is understood in relation to the distance between
the authority figure.
• Have the ability to consolidate control through coercive means.
• Division of labor is more specialized.
• Food surpluses are redistributed through taxation.
• Conflict resolution is more formalized.
States - ANS highly centralized forms of political organizations in which authority rests in
institutions and offices.
• Power resides in an office rather than a person.
• Members of the society trust the holder of the office to represent their interests.
oligarchy - ANS a small group holding power over the majority
Why do humans live in groups? - ANS • Takes a long time for physical and social maturation.
• Need for companionship.
• The need to stay together to survive (physical weakness).
Group Properties - ANS 1. Consists of two or more people.
2. Interaction between the people.
3. Symbolic objects are present.
4. Relation to other people and objects.
5. Unit awareness.
cultural objects - ANS norms, roles, beliefs, and values
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
