Final answer:
In anthropology, 'survivals' refer to cultural practices, customs, or beliefs that continue to exist in a society from an earlier development stage. These elements may no longer serve their initial purpose but persist due to cultural reasons, overlapping with the study of modes of subsistence. The term is also historically associated with the discredited social Darwinism.
Step-by-step explanation:
In anthropology, survivals are cultural elements that have persisted over time from an earlier stage of a society's development and remain in a culture. These survivals could be practices, customs, or beliefs that no longer serve their original purpose but continue to exist. This concept is particularly relevant when considering the work of anthropologists who explore different modes of subsistence, such as gathering-hunting, pastoralism, plant cultivation, and industrialism/post-industrialism. These modes help societies meet basic necessities like food and shelter while also shaping societal roles, trade practices, and cultural values.
The term can also be linked to the discredited notion of social Darwinism, which took Herbert Spencer's concept of 'survival of the fittest' and applied it to human societies. This theory postulated that societies advanced and evolved through the domination of stronger societies over weaker ones. Importantly, this theory has been widely criticized for promoting inequalities and has no place in contemporary anthropological theory. Evolutionary social theory in the late 20th century has instead focused on understanding societal changes and how human cultures respond to environmental constraints and opportunities.