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ecological niche theory in sociocultural anthropology: a conceptual framework and an application 1
Author(s) -
LOVE THOMAS F.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
american ethnologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.875
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1548-1425
pISSN - 0094-0496
DOI - 10.1525/ae.1977.4.1.02a00020
Subject(s) - sociocultural evolution , niche , competition (biology) , sociology , niche construction , conceptual framework , resource (disambiguation) , ecology , agriculture , ecological niche , outcome (game theory) , anthropology , geography , social science , habitat , economics , biology , computer science , computer network , mathematical economics
The concept of “ecological niche” is frequently employed in sociocultural anthropology, but there have been few systematic applications of it. This paper examines the utility of the concept for the analysis of social interaction and change, with special reference to complex societies. In a small agricultural valley of northern California, competition between two status groups over a scarce resource—land—has led to displacement and changing patterns of resource use. “Niche” describes the aggregate outcome of underlying processes of competition on the individual level.