Kurnick, Sarah, editorBaron, Joanne, editorUniversity Press of Colorado, publisher2016-05-252016-05-252016http://hdl.handle.net/10217/172924Includes bibliographical references and index.Political authority contains an inherent contradiction. Rulers must reinforce social inequality and bolster their own unique position at the top of the sociopolitical hierarchy, yet simultaneously emphasize social similarities and the commonalities shared by all. Political Strategies in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica explores the different and complex ways that those who exercised authority in the region confronted this contradiction. New data from a variety of well-known scholars in Mesoamerican archaeology reveal the creation, perpetuation, and contestation of politically authoritative relationships between rulers and subjects and between nobles and commoners. The contributions span the geographic breadth and temporal extent of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica--from Preclassic Oaxaca to the Classic Peten region of Guatemala to the Postclassic Michoacan--and the contributors weave together archaeological, epigraphic, and ethnohistoric data. Grappling with the questions of how those exercising authority convince others to follow and why individuals often choose to recognize and comply with authority, Political Strategies in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica discusses why the study of political authority is both timely and significant, reviews how scholars have historically understood the operation of political authority, and proposes a new analytical framework to understand how rulers rule. Contributors include Sarah B. Barber, Joanne Baron, Christopher S. Beekman, Jeffrey Brzezinski, Bryce Davenport, Charles Golden, Takeshi Inomata, Arthur A. Joyce, Sarah Kurnick, Carlo J. Lucido, Simon Martin, Tatsuya Murakami, Helen Perlstein Pollard, and Victor Salazar Chavez.--Provided by publisher.Chapter 1. Paradoxical politics: negotiating the contradictions of political authority / Sarah Kurnick -- Chapter 2. Theories of power and legitimacy in archaeological contexts: the emergent regime of power at the formative Maya community of Ceibal, Guatemala / Takeshi Inomata -- Chapter 3. Negotiating political authority and community in terminal formative coastal Oaxaca / Arthur A. Joyce [and four others] -- Chapter 4. Conflicting political strategies in late formative to early classic central Jalisco / Christopher S. Beekman -- Chapter 5. Patron deities and politics among the classic Maya / Joanne Baron -- Chapter 6. Entangled political strategies: rulership, bureaucracy, and intermediate elites at Teotihuacan / Tatsuya Murakami -- Chapter 7. Landscapes, lordships, and sovereignty in Mesoamerica / Bryce Davenport and Charles Golden -- Chapter 8. Ruling "Purepécha Chichimeca" in a Tarascan world / Helen Perlstein Pollard -- Chapter 9. Reflections on the archaeopolitical: pursuing the universal within a unity of opposites / Simon Martin.born digitalbooksengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.All rights reserved. User is responsible for compliance. Please contact University Press of Colorado at https://upcolorado.com/our-books/rights-and-permissions for use information.Indians of Mexico -- AntiquitiesIndians of Central America -- AntiquitiesIndians of Mexico -- Politics and governmentIndians of Central America -- Politics and governmentAuthority -- Political aspects -- Mexico -- History -- To 1500Authority -- Political aspects -- Central America -- History -- To 1500Social archaeology -- MexicoSocial archaeology -- Central AmericaEthnoarchaeology -- MexicoEthnoarchaeology -- Central AmericaTextAccess is limited to the Adams State University, Colorado State University, Colorado State University Pueblo, Community College of Denver, Fort Lewis College, Metropolitan State University Denver, Regis University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, University of Denver, University of Northern Colorado, University of Wyoming, Utah State University and Western Colorado University communities only.