Final answer:
Eric Wolf's contributions to the discourse on diffusionism and culture highlight the complexities of cultural diffusion, emphasizing power relationships, economic factors, and the dynamic nature of cultures as opposed to static models.
Step-by-step explanation:
What did Eric Wolf suggest about diffusionism and culture? Wolf did not specifically write about diffusionism in the manner it's suggested in the question. Instead, this question may be referring to the broader discourse on diffusionism in anthropology, which concerns how cultural traits and ideas spread across different societies. Wolf, a noted anthropologist, contributed significantly to the conversation around culture and its complexities.
Eric Wolf emphasized the dynamic and interconnected nature of cultures in the context of power relationships and economic factors. He critiqued earlier anthropological views which often regarded cultures as isolated and static. Wolf recognized that cultural diffusion is influenced by social structures and power dynamics, challenging simplistic diffusionist models. In discussions surrounding diffusion and culture, similar insights can be found in the work of Franz Boas and later anthropologists who recognized the mobility and contested aspects of culture, as well as the role of technology in cultural change, as suggested by Lewis Henry Morgan.
Furthermore, critiques of the original theory of state political culture illustrate the dynamic nature of cultural diffusion, especially considering the changing patterns of immigration and the impact of globalization. Such critiques also echo Wolf's understanding of culture as a process subject to social status and ideological debate, rather than a fixed set of features.