Society and Its Categories

Society and Its Categories is not easily defined into Eras, compared to the other themes. Rather, I think it is more important to list the types of categories people can be associated with. These categories include the following:

• Kinship
• Familial
• Gender
• Age
• Class
• Political
• Religion
• Race

Throughout history, people categorize other humans for the sake of organization. I think it is human nature, across the globe, to put people into categories.

Most of my anthropological undergraduate classes poke fun at this idea on occasion. Another way to look at society and its categories is with Culture and Personality and Neo-evolutionism. This involves culture's effect on personality in regards to socialization, culture's effect on human nature, and the progression of different civilizations based on the technoenvironmental situations (similar to the ideas of Jarred Diamond in Guns, Germs, and Steel).

I digress. The actual connections between society and its categories pertaining to Civilization V is few. To start, we discussed women throughout global history. My ruler, Wu Zetian, is an actual topics for discussion in class.

Actual Portrait

Empress Wu Zetian in Civilization V

Most of the game does not deal with categories with the people. If the game was designed similar to Sim City, with functionality within the capitals and cities, then society and category theme would apply.  The only categories I would associate with it political, gender, and religion.  There is no class structure, familial and kinship ties, race issues, nor age (rulers are immortal) organization.

Political category goes with the Civilization you chose and its affiliates. Either choosing to gain positive or negative reputation from city-states or other civilizations the player interacts with.

Gender category is divided early in the game with the leader of the civilization. As stated, my ruler is female (one of very few in history). There are a total of 8 female rulers.

Of the 9 European civilizations, England, Spain, Portugal, France, Dutch, Austria, Germany, Russia, and Venice, 5 have female leaders. You'd think medieval Europe was a bastion of gender equality, or even discrimination against men!

Religious category is interesting to say the least. First, it is re-introduced with the God and Kings expansion. There are eleven religions to chose from (13 with Brave New World). The interesting part is you pick the religion you want. You do not have to follow history. I can be Chinese with Christianity and spread my prophet and beliefs around the world.  Religion doesn't exist at the start of a game (unlike Culture and Science, which start developing immediately after settling the Capital). It has to be created, first, and the path to this depends on the new stat -
Faith.

Religion works to influence others. This grants benefits for you such as the following:

When a City-State shares your Religion, your Influence with it diminishes 25% slower.

Sharing Religion with another nation nets you a 25% bonus to Tourism.

You can designate a Religion to be the official World Religion via the World Congress, by successfully passing the respective resolution. Once enacted, this religion spreads 25% faster than others (conversion is 25% faster, but still in the same distance), its Holy City receives a 50% Tourism bonus, and all nations following this religion will receive two additional congress delegates.

(Tourism only applies to Brave New World expansion)

I don't think this theme had has many connections compared to the rest. I think the next theme, Artistic Endeavors, will have more solid connections between the game and real life.