Mary K. Shenk: University of Missouri Department of AnthropologyEvolutionary anthropologists have given significant attention to the global phenomenon of the demographic transition, especially the remarkable decreases in fertility that characterize it. The literature is crowded with competing theories and sub-theories, and scholars often call for more comprehensive, better-controlled studies that would allow us to distinguish […]

Peter Nonacs: UCLA Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyHamilton’s theory of inclusive fitness broadly states that whether or not a trait increases in frequency is dependent on both the direct reproductive success of individuals having that trait and the help that such individuals can provide to other trait bearers for their reproduction. The latter portion […]

Siobhán M. Mattison: Stanford University Department of Anthropology and Morrison Institute for Population and Resource StudiesThe study of kinship is foundational to anthropology. Though interest in kinship waned briefly, it has recently been rekindled, particularly in the area of evolutionary ecology. In this talk, I review briefly the major trends in anthropological thought on kinship […]