Hi Steve,
There has actually been a fair amount of research on it, it just isn't taught that much any more. The Malinowski book I mentioned in my last post is one example, and there have also been studies on failed cultures and failed attempts at cultural engineering.
I do agree with you that there hasn't been that much rigorous research on the issue recently, but that is partly because the underlying unilinear evolutionary assumptions are rejected now by most Anthropologists and Sociologists.
Marc
Bookmarks