The sectarian Amana Society of Iowa existed for 89 years as a communal enterprise. In 1932, for a combination of reasons, the Society abandoned communalism and reorganized as a joint-stock corporation. The reasons for the change are discussed in terms of double-bind theory. It is argued that all members faced a conflict between the demands of the sect's plan for salvation and the group's economic dependence on external markets. In addition, the elders experienced a second bind between preserving the community and upholding its rules. The stresses in the Society were resolved through reorganization.
To promote active, discovery-mode learning, the authors have experimented with the SilverPlatter Cross-Cultural Data Base and the electronic Human Relations Area Files in a variety of courses, from introductory to advanced. These include classes in cultural anthropology, archaeology, and ecological anthropology. The Probability Sample Files of 60 cultures has been used both as the central focus of the class and as a supplementary focus. After describing several of these classes, the authors review some of the decisions that must be made in designing a course using one or both of the databases. Both the benefits and the problems of this teaching approach are discussed.
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