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Introduction

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The Evolution of Social Institutions

Part of the book series: World-Systems Evolution and Global Futures ((WSEGF))

Abstract

Introduction describes the main aim of the volume as to present a novel approach to the study of social evolution. This approach is based on a look at, and analysis of social evolution through the evolution of social institutions associated with the rise and development of social complexity. Evolution is defined as the process of structural change. Within this framework, the society, or culture, is seen as a system composed of a great number of various social institutions that are interacting and changing. As a result, the whole structure of society is changing, that is evolving. Evolution does not have any particular direction, as any significant (that is, transforming the societal structure in any direction) change is evolutionary. Introduction gives an outline of the history of the notion of social institution and its conceptualization, and describes social institutions’ main characteristics and functions. It also summarizes the volume’s theoretical chapters and case studies.

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Acknowledgements

Support from the Basic Research Program of the National Research University Higher School of Economics is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Center of Anthropology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, 21/4 Staraya Basmannaya St., 105066, Moscow, Russia

    Dmitri M. Bondarenko

  2. Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, 30/1 Spiridonovka St., 123001, Moscow, Russia

    Dmitri M. Bondarenko

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. International Center of Anthropology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia

    Dmitri M. Bondarenko

  2. Laboratory of Archaeology, Department of Anthropology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Stephen A. Kowalewski

  3. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA

    David B. Small

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Bondarenko, D.M. (2020). Introduction. In: Bondarenko, D.M., Kowalewski, S.A., Small, D.B. (eds) The Evolution of Social Institutions. World-Systems Evolution and Global Futures. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51437-2_1

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