Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Shipbuilding And The English International Timber Trade, 1300-1700: A Framework For Study Using Niche Construction Theory, Jillian R. Smith

Nebraska Anthropologist

Much scholarship has been undertaken with regards to the evolution of the European shipbuilding traditions and their physical changes, but few explanations for the changes are given. This paper seeks to identify the correlations between the expansion of the English timber trade in the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries and the changes in shipbuilding at the time, thereby creating a framework for future study of this correlation and its possible relatedness using Niche Construction Theory as a framework. Directions the research can take and the data needed are the focus of this work.

The Expansion Of Class Concepts And The Colorado Coal Field War Project, David M. Amrine

Nebraska Anthropologist

The Colorado Coal Field War Project was an attempt by McGuire, Reckner, and others to develop a 'working-class' archaeology that served the public as well as the archaeologists performing excavations and research. The attempt was successful, promoting and supporting ideas that had been discussed in archaeology about gender, class, and the treatment of archaeology as a craft. Their example of using archaeology to benefit communities as well as academic interests can and should be tested in other regions of the United States as well as the rest of the world.

A Preliminary Survey Of Lesser-Known Polyandrous Societies, Katie Starkweather

Nebraska Anthropologist

To challenge the common misconception that there are only four societies in the world that allow polyandry, this paper uses types of polyandry, suggested by Levine and Sangree (1980), to identify polyandrous societies from India, Africa, South America, and North America. Basic issues of these societies are examined within the context of four commonly cited attempts to explain the existence of polyandry. The goal of the paper is a preliminary look at the existence of polyandry around the world and an initial exploration of issues that mayor may not be associated with this form of marriage.

Utopian And Communal Societies: The Importance Of Institutionalized Awe Through Ideology, Matthew H. Brittingham

Nebraska Anthropologist

America s utopian and communal societies have a long history of using transcendence as a commitment mechanism for followers and converts. The most prevalent commitment mechanism is institutionalized awe through ideology. This principle is extremely important to utopian communities and societies in terms of longevity. Sometimes the ideologies need to be changed in order to help a community sustain awe, and, through the awe, membership. Some of the most successful utopian communities in American history utilized the flexibility of their ideologies to maintain awe and sustain the needs of their members, especially in tragic and difficult circumstances. The American communal …

"This Countries Ladies": Gender Negotiations At The Northwest Company, Grand Portage, Andrew E. Labounty

Nebraska Anthropologist

French interactions with Indians during the fur trade were characterized by intermarriage and cultural assimilation. Later, when Canadian traders took over, women were notably present at the Northwest Company s depot at Grand Portage, and participated in its affairs. Although the seasonal workings of Canadian fur trade depots are well-established, gender roles have been typically overlooked in the day-to-day recount of fur trade societies. This paper will thus investigate the aspect of gender at fur trade posts, and particularly at Grand Portage, as a study in cross-cultural negotiations for the fulfillment of gender roles.

Domestication And Significance Of Persea Americana, The Avocado, In Mesoamerica, Amanda J. Landon

Nebraska Anthropologist

The avocado (persea americana) is grown all over the modern world in tropical and subtropical climates for food and cosmetics (Humani 1987). In antiquity, the avocado was important to the Ancient Maya not only for food but also as a part of their mythology. Avocados were grown in sacred gardens, and important ancestors were thought to become reborn through fruit trees, including the avocado. Here, I examine the cultural context of the avocado and the issues related to understanding the domestication of the avocado and other tropical fruit trees. I discuss archaeological and molecular evidence, and offer direction …

Nebraska Anthropologist Volume 24 : 2009 Table Of Contents

Nebraska Anthropologist

The Expansion of Class Concepts and the Colorado Coal Field War Project (David M. Amrine)

A Preliminary Survey of Lesser-Known Polyandrous Societies (Katie E. Starkweather)

"This Countries Ladies": Gender Negotiations at the Northwest Company, Grand Portage (Andrew E. LaBounty)

Utopian and Communal Societies: The Importance of Institutionalized Awe Through Ideology (Matthew H. Brittingham)

Domestication and Significance of Persea americana, the Avocado, in Mesoamerica (Amanda J. Landon)

Trends of Pathogen Overload and the Influence on Social Behavior (Dylan Wall)

Shipbuilding and the English International Timber Trade, 1300-1700: a framework for study using Niche Construction Theory (Jillian R. Smith)

Trends Of Pathogen Overload And The Influence On Social Behavior, Dylan Wall

Nebraska Anthropologist

A review of the literature has been undertaken showing that higher levels of pathogen stress have been positively correlated with multiple aspects of social structure: non-sororal polygyny (Ember et al. 2007; Low 1990), exogamy and bride capture (Low 1990), resource defense (Barber 2008; Hames 1996), and male-female body alteration (Singh and Bronstad 1997). Non-sororal polygyny is the most effective reproductive strategy to defend against pathogen stress, as it promotes much genetic variability within gene pools, allowing for more pathogenic resistance in individuals because of heterozygous al/eles. In order to secure mates while faced with ecological extremes, individuals will modify their …