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Unhierarchical and Hierarchical Core‐Periphery Relations: North Fennoscandian Trade Network from the Middle Ages to the Post‐Sixteenth Century
Author(s) -
Kuusela JariMatti,
Nurmi Risto,
Hakamäki Ville
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
american anthropologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1548-1433
pISSN - 0002-7294
DOI - 10.1111/aman.13104
Subject(s) - perspective (graphical) , social network analysis , power (physics) , scale (ratio) , macro , history , social network (sociolinguistics) , economic geography , geography , archaeology , sociology , political science , computer science , social science , law , cartography , physics , quantum mechanics , programming language , social capital , artificial intelligence , social media
This article studies the medieval northern Fennoscandian trade network utilizing a macro‐scale perspective—namely, the world‐systems analysis—while still maintaining a decidedly local approach to the analysis. It is argued that local factors, formed of a synergy between social and natural components, created a situation where the trade network of northern Fennoscandia remained an unhierarchical peer network despite a seeming power asymmetry between the participants. This study demonstrates how a local analysis is always important even—and especially—when utilizing a macro‐scale perspective, as assumptions (for example, pertaining to power asymmetries) may lead to misconceptions of the social forces in play within a social network. [ medieval archaeology, world‐systems analysis, northern Fennoscandian trade network ]