The Collapse of Complex Societies: A Case Study

For students in my year 10 GATE Society & Environment class, here is an outline of the task (complete with external links) to the task due on 20 March.

Definition:
History provides many examples of societal collapse. Jared Diamond defines collapse as “a drastic decrease in human population size and/or political/economic/social complexity, over a considerable area, for an extended time.” Full scale collapse – evidenced by dramatic loss of complexity and population for a prolonged period – should be distinguished from a minor decline which may involve conquest by another power or short-term decline caused by natural disaster, famine, etc.

Examples:
Mycenean Greece, the Greenland Norse, the Mayans, the Western Roman Empire, the Khmer Empire surrounding Angkor, the Han and Tang Dynasties of China, the Olmec, the Mauryan and Gupta states of India, and many more...

Task:
Investigate one example of societal collapse in order to better understand the causes of collapse and the modes of societal response. In order to develop a structured understand of the collapse you may want to use Jared Diamond's five point framework for understanding collapse. And you may want to refer to Joseph Tainter's three modes of societal response to collapse. However, even if you use these conceptual frameworks to understand the collapse that you investigate, you do not need to be bound by it (unless you think that the framework is completely applicable), but should investigate the source material carefully to understand the exact causes and modes of societal response in the face of collapse.

Optional extra: In the main part of your report draw comparisons between the collapse of your chosen society and at least one other society. Explain salient similarities and/or differences. Then write a final section to your report which answers the question, “what can contemporary society learn from the collapse of this past society?”. Draw links between collapses of the past and the potential threats of collapse in future.
Note that this optional extra section must be done in order to attain level 6!

Format:
Type up your conclusions in report format on your blog. You may include tables and pictures if appropriate, and should aim to write between 1200 – 1600 words (no more than an extra 500 words for optional task). (Please note that more words does not mean higher levels!) Please ensure that there is a reference list (bibliography) at the end of the article and that web sources are linked for quick easy access to your internet sources.