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University of North Carolina -- Chapel Hill

Sociology 801-002 (Formerly 326-002) -- Evolutionary Sociology

Fall 2005

Professor François Nielsen

1.  Time, Place & Contacts

2.  Description & Goals

The term Evolutionary Sociology is used here to encompass all uses of evolutionary theory for understanding social behavior.  It is a vast and fascinating subject that covers distinct bodies of knowledge.  These bodies of knowledge have their own literatures (e.g., center around different research problematics, academic departments, sets of journals, scientific associations...) and enjoy different degrees of acceptance and integration in the "mainstream".  (As we will see what constitutes the mainstream in different fields, such as sociology and psychology, may be quite different.)  The areas and sub-areas that we are going to survey in this seminar are the following.

3.  About the Readings

Readings will be taken from the following books.  (All with a paperback edition.)  In approximate order of use. There will also be a few articles.

4.  Course Work

There are two main requirements in this graduate seminar.
  1. Readings & Class Participation.  You should do the readings for the day and think about issues the readings raise so you can participate in an optimal way in class discussions.  Questions for discussion will sometimes (but not always) be posted in advance of the class.  You are encouraged to adopt a critical, even skeptical, attitude toward the materials we read.  Remember that some of these materials are currently disputed; it is important to acquire a clear view of the issues at hand.
  2. Term Powerpoint Presentation.  The main material product of the class will be a Powerpoint presentation that you will present to the group during one of the last 2 classes.  (If you feel technologically challenged, you may turn in a paper instead, but no more than 5000 words please.)  The presentation may be on any topic related to the class.  The following are examples of acceptable topics:
    1.  
    2. a quantitative analysis of cross-cultural data (such as Ethnographic Atlas or Standard Cross-Cultural Sample) to investigate some issue(s) related to socio-cultural evolution (talk to me ahead of time about practical issues of access to data, methodology, etc.)
    3. a critique of some application of the evolutionary approach to human behavior from a social-constructionist point of view (that's okay with me; some of my best friends are social-constructionists); if you do this you should explore the sociology/social science literature for arguments related to the issue
    4. a discussion of the ideological (political/philosophical/spiritual) consequences of an evolutionary approach with respect to some important issue(s).  Is an evolutionary approach dangerous for social justice, for gender equality, for democracy, for public attitudes concerning sexual minorities (gay, lesbian, transgender), for social peace...?  Could it be liberating instead?
    5. a critical analysis of the statement by the American Sociological Association (a few months ago) on issues of gender equality.  How well does the statement fare with respect to current behavioral and social sciences literature on gender differences?

5.  Outline & Schedule

Module Date Subject
1 Tue 30-Aug Introduction – Sex Unknown
2 Tue 06-Sep Biology of Behavior – Human Nature I
3 Tue 13-Sep Biology of Behavior – Human Nature II
4 Tue 20-Sep Biology of Behavior – Human Nature III
5 Tue 27-Sep Biology of Behavior – Human Nature IV
6 Tue 04-Oct Biology of Behavior – Human Diversity I
7 Tue 11-Oct Biology of Behavior – Human Diversity II
8 Tue 18-Oct Biology of Behavior – Human Diversity III
9 Tue 25-Oct Biology of Behavior – Human Diversity IV
10 Tue 01-Nov Socio-Cultural Evolution I
11 Tue 08-Nov Socio-Cultural Evolution II
12 Tue 15-Nov Socio-Cultural Evolution III
13 Tue 22-Nov Socio-Cultural Evolution IV
14 Tue 29-Nov Student Presentations I
15 Tue 06-Dec Student Presentations II

6.  Detailed Outline

Introduction

Module 1 -- Tue 30-Aug Introduction – Sex Unknown

Part 1 -- Human Nature

Please see discussion of Human Nature above (Section 2) for contents.

Module 2 -- Tue 06-Sep Biology of Behavior – Human Nature I

Module 3 -- Tue 13-Sep Biology of Behavior – Human Nature II

Module 4 -- Tue 20-Sep Biology of Behavior – Human Nature III

Alternative reading:

Module 5 -- Tue 27-Sep Biology of Behavior – Human Nature IV

Alternative reading:

Additional references for Part 1

Degler.  1991.  In Search of Human Nature.  [A remarkable history of social thought concerning the role of biology in human affairs.]  The major theoreticians of sociobiology: George Williams, William Hamilton, John Maynard Smith, Robert Trivers.  The major theoreticians and public exponents of sociobiology: Edward O. Wilson, Richard Dawkins.  Major public critics: Marshall Sahlins, Stephen J. Gould, Richard C. Lewontin, Steven Rose, Leon J. Kamin.  See specific references in Pinker. The Blank Slate.  Rose, Hilary and Steven Rose, eds.  2000.  Alas, Poor Darwin: Arguments Against Evolutionary Psychology.  New York: Harmony Books.  [Collection of essays critical of the evolutionary approach, with chapters by Stephen J. Gould and Anne Fausto-Sterling, among others.]

Part 2 -- Human Diversity

Please see discussion of Human Diversity above (Section 2) for contents.

Module 6 -- Tue 04-Oct Biology of Behavior – Human Diversity I

Module 7 -- Tue 11-Oct Biology of Behavior – Human Diversity II

Module 8 -- Tue 18-Oct Biology of Behavior – Human Diversity III

Module 9 -- Tue 25-Oct Biology of Behavior – Human Diversity IV

Part 3 -- Socio-Cultural Evolution

Please see discussion of Socio-Cultural Evolution above (Section 2) for contents.

Module 10 -- Tue 01-Nov Socio-Cultural Evolution I

Module 11 -- Tue 08-Nov Socio-Cultural Evolution II

Module 12 -- Tue 15-Nov Socio-Cultural Evolution III

Module 13 -- Tue 22-Nov Socio-Cultural Evolution IV

Student Presentations

Module 14 -- Tue 29-Nov Student Presentations I

Module 15 -- Tue 06-Dec Student Presentations II

7.  References

Includes readings and additional references.

Last modified 8 Jun 2007