The Rise and Fall of Ancient Civilizations
Take-Home Final (Essay Assignment #5)
Early in the course, before you had any data to work with, I asked you whether you considered yourself a conflict theorist or an integration theorist. Since then we have studied the Sumerians, Egyptians, Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas (and some other civilizations in less detail), and you've written four papers in which you evaluated interpretive arguments. Now that you've gained this background, I want to return to the issue of conflict and integration theories. For the final exam, please answer the following question:Based on your own interpretation of the archaeological record presented in the course, do you think conflict theory, integration theory, or some combination of the two theories provides the best overall explanation for the origin and nature of the state and civilization? (In other words, do you consider yourself a conflict theorist, an integration theorist, or something in between?) Support your argument with archaeological evidence.
Requirements:
- 4 to 5 pages of text; same format as the other essays.
- Print out a copy of the grading sheet and attach it as a separate page at the end of your paper.
- Due by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 3; no extensions. Counts for 20% of course grade.
- Use the same format for citations as in the other essays. The same warnings about plagiarism and academic dishonesty apply.
Advice:
- To help you, I am including a copy of my notes to Lecture 6, in which I discussed conflict and integration theories. You may want to compare them to your own notes from that lecture.
- In supporting your argument with evidence, you can use both specific data about individual civilizations and more general, comparative analyses of ancient civilizations.
- Remember that, taken as wholes, conflict theory and integration theory are contradictory and incompatible. Therefore, you can't simply say that you support a combination of conflict and integration theory. If you want to argue in favor of a combination, you have to be specific about which elements of conflict theory and integration theory you are accepting and which elements you are rejecting, and why.
- I have tried to be even-handed in presenting the course material, but I do have my own view of things, which I discussed in the last week of lectures. However, don't be swayed by what you think I think. Think for yourself! We're dealing with a great unresolved question, and conflict theory, integration theory, and various combinations are all sustainable positions.
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Last updated: 22 January 2002
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