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  1. Home
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  3. Power from Below in Premodern Societies
  • Cited by 7
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
October 2021
Print publication year:
2021
Online ISBN:
9781009042826
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009042826
Subjects:
Prehistory, Middle East Studies, Area Studies, Archaeology of Europe and The Near and Middle East, Archaeology
Information

Book description

This volume challenges previous views of social organization focused on elites by offering innovative perspectives on 'power from below.' Using a variety of archaeological, anthropological, and historical data to question traditional narratives of complexity as inextricably linked to top-down power structures, it exemplifies how commoners have developed strategies to sustain non-hierarchical networks and contest the rise of inequalities. Through case studies from around the world – ranging from Europe to New Guinea, and from Mesoamerica to China – an international team of contributors explores the diverse and dynamic nature of power relations in premodern societies. The theoretical models discussed throughout the volume include a reassessment of key concepts such as heterarchy, collective action, and resistance. Thus, the book adds considerable nuance to our understanding of power in the past, and also opens new avenues of reflection that can help inform discussions about our collective present and future.

Reviews

‘The book … is a pleasure to handle. It is beautifully presented in hardback, printed on high quality paper, with an attractive layout and clearly printed figures in black and white. Each chapter is well-argued, thoughtful and stimulating.’

Susan Oosthuizen Source: Antiquity

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