Genes, Culture, and Human Evolution

Genes, Culture, and Human Evolution: A Synthesisis a textbook on human evolution that offers students a unique combination of cultural anthropology and genetics. Written by two geneticists—including a world-renowned scientist and founder of the Human Genome Diversity Project—and a socio-cultural anthropologist. Based on recent findings in genetics and anthropology that indicate the analysis of human culture and evolution demands an integration of these fields of study. Focuses on evolution—or, rather, co-evolution—viewed from the standpoint of genes and culture, and their inescapable interactions. Unifies cultural and genetic concepts rather than rehashing nonempirical sociobiological musings. Demonstrates that empirical genetic evidence, based on modern DNA analysis and population studies, provides an excellent foundation for understanding human cultural diversity.

Figures. Plates. Preface. Introduction by L. Luca Cavalli-Sforza. 1. Genetic and Cultural Theory: A Brief Overview. 2. Human Descent and Paleoanthropology. 3. Foundations of Classical and Molecular Genetics. 4. Genetics as a Key to Human Origins and Prehistory. 5. Fundamentals of Human Evolution: Mutation and Natural Selection. 6. Fundamentals of Human Evolution: Drift, Migration, and Quantitative Analysis of Human Genetic Diversity. 7. Cultural Evolution. 8. Geography of Human Genes and Correlation with Languages. 9. The Prehistory of Human Genes. 10. Voyages: Prehistoric Human Expansions. 11. The Neolithic Transition in Europe and the Peopling of the Americas. 12. Genes, Kinship, and Identity. 13. Cultural Clines, Clades, Cycles, and Waves: The Process of Cultural Evolution. 14. Genes and Culture in Medicine. General Conclusion. Appendix 1. The Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC) Technique. Appendix 2. The Hardy–Weinberg Theorem. Appendix 3. A Simulation of Drift. Appendix 4. The Diversification of Languages. Notes. Key References. Glossary. Index.