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Spring 2008 Newsletter of the ASA Section on and Volume 5, No.1

Chair In this issue: 2004-2008 Alexandra Maryanski, UC-Riverside. “Teaching Neurosociology” by David Franks and Ann Eisenberg, p. 3. Chair-Elect “The Revolution in Evolution- A Review 2008-2011 Essay” by Darrell La Lone and Thomas Rosemary L. Hopcroft, UNC-Charlotte D. Hall, p. 8. E&S Sessions and Biosocial Processes Secretary-Treasurer Session at this year’s ASA, p. 10. 2004-2008 Michael Hammond, University of Toronto

Nominating Committee 2004-2008 You are cordially invited to the Jonathan Turner, Chair, UC-Riverside

Nobuyuki Takahashi, Hokkaido University Joseph Whitmeyer, UNC-Charlotte Evolution and Sociology

Council Members Reception 2004-2008 Timothy Crippen, at the Mary Washington University 2008 Annual Meeting of the James F. Hollander, Texas Instruments Inc. Dallas, Tx American Sociological Association Richard Hutchinson, LATech Alexander Lascaux, Co‐sponsored with the University of Hertfordshire, UK Sociology of Emotions Section J. Scott Lewis, Urbana University Stephen K. Sanderson, University of Sunday night, August 3 Colorado-Boulder 6:30 pm to 8:10 pm

Newsletter editor and Webperson Boston Marriott Copley Place Rosemary L. Hopcroft, UNC-Charlotte Room TBA www2.asanet.org/sectionevol/

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Greetings from the Chair about. Yet, the recent popularity of our paper sessions suggests that we have caught the Alexandra Maryanski attention of some of our fellow sociologists. So University of California-Riverside an evolutionary seminar would be timely and perhaps help us to recruit new members. Hi Everyone: Finally, let me take this opportunity to remind you to vote in our section election. We It is hard to believe that summer is almost here are fortunate to have six excellent candidates: with the ASA conference in the forecast. As For Chair-Elect-- Timothy Crippen, University you know, our meetings are in early August of Mary Washington; and Stephen Sanderson, this year, and now that Evolution and Sociology University of California, Riverside. For Council is part of the normal ASA rotation cycle, our members-- Christine Horne, Washington State paper sessions and section activities fall this University; Patrick Nolan, University of South year on the last conference day–Monday the Carolina; Richard Machalek, University of 4th of August. So please jot that down in your Wyoming; and Brent Simpson, University of calendar as on Monday we have two regular South Carolina. You have until June 1st to cast sessions, along with a business meeting. And, your ballot. our ASA reception that we are co-sponsoring I look forward to seeing you in Boston this with the Sociology of Emotions section this summer! year is on Sunday night the 3rd of August from All Good Wishes 6:30 pm to 8:10 pm. Alexandra On a sad note, we need to work on recruitment as our section numbers have NEW PUBLICATION SERIES slipped down. Yet, I am very optimistic that despite this drop, we will survive and in the Transaction Publishers of New Brunswick NJ and long run–thrive as a section. Throughout this London England Announces the introduction of a new series ANTHROPOLOGY AND HUMAN year, I have been getting e-mails around the NATURE. It will be edited by globe from individuals interested in Lionel Tiger who is the Darwin Professor of evolutionary sociology. Graduate students, in Anthropology at Rutgers University. particular, are especially enthusiastic and eager to bring evolutionary thinking back into The publishers are interested in works of social sociology. For my part, I am now regularly science, history, and General intellection which teaching an undergraduate course on provide insight and contribution to the growing evolutionary sociology and right now I am literature on what may be and may not be "human teaching for the first time a graduate course on nature." Transaction also publishes the journal evolutionary theory. I am also encouraged that HUMAN NATURE and is receptive to works of interest to scholars and informed persons a number of established sociologists are provoked by a subject matter only recently returned rethinking some of their own biases against to active scrutiny. Even though Aristotle announced evolutionary theory. Real change is always that "man is by nature a political animal," the slow but it is coming and I am delighted to see emphasis on "political" has heretofore the progress we have made in just a few years. overwhelmed attention to "by nature." This the If you can, please come to our business series hopes to remedy by publishing works widely meeting as we have much to discuss. For advertised in the scholarly community and openers, I would appreciate your help on how maintained in print durably and with care. to increase our membership. I also think we Anyone interested in proposing or contemplating a should follow up on last year’s proposal to book appropriate to this adventure should contact organize an ASA seminar to teach evolutionary Lionel Tiger either at [email protected] or at the Department of Anthropology, Rutgers theory. I think one reason we have problems in University, 131 George Street, New Brunswick recruitment stems from the fact that many NJ 08901-1414. sociologists feel uncomfortable joining a section on a field of research they know so little

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Teaching Neurosociology Roger Sperry’s argument for a materialistic, but emergent theory of mind that opened the door David D. Franks to a sociological view of the workings of the Professor Emeritus of Sociology brain. Later, however, Warren suggested the Virginia Commonwealth University and use of the term “neurosociology”. This was during a hastily organized dinner session at the Anne F. Eisenberg ASA meetings in about 1997 when we were Assistant Professor SUNY-Geneseo deciding to devote the last volume of my JAI emotions series to launch the field. (Mind, When I (Franks) was writing for the emotions Brains and Society came out in 1999.) This newsletter I used to tell people that the social was in part to distinguish it from the nascent psychology of emotions was the "sky-diving of field of social neuroscience that had become teaching": it is academically risky, it’s exciting associated with psychology. Certainly the fields and you are on your own--like edge-work. would overlap, but we wanted a clear focus on There will be many people--colleagues as well social interaction as the unit of analysis that as administrators-- who will question what you avoided a one-sided, exclusively reductionistic are doing, mainly out of unfamiliarity with the approach. One may wonder how you could field. It was the same for the three hour course avoid an exclusive focus on reductionism while in neurosociology I taught for the Honors studying the brain, but we were interested in College at Virginia Commonwealth University working brains and one brain doesn’t work last spring semester, but I have to say it was without other brains that are joined in everyday more difficult. One reason is that you are symbolic discourse. Ours was a bottom-up/ actually teaching two courses: advanced social top-down approach. In 2006 my entry psychology and neuroscience. Also more than describing neurosociology came out in George several of my students had no previous Ritzer’s The Blackwell Encyclopedia of sociology exposure. To help with this, I wrote Sociology. This solidified ownership of the “essays” for the class every week that I hope term by sociology (at least to me) and will end up as a book and make things go more emphasized the fusion of brain processes with smoothly for myself and others teaching linguistic,cultural and self-processes. This neurosociology in the future. Next winter I plan premise was taken from Brothers (1997) who to teach it to graduate students. In this essay argued that the living content of the brain’s we highlight how the idea of a “neurosociology” capacities (meanings) were supplied by culture is becoming more formalized as illustrated and human talk (Brothers 1997). The entry through the two courses that bear its name, gave examples of research by sociologists The first two parts of this essay represents compatible with this view-point. Contrary to Franks’ discussion of the term neurosociology their pragmatic tradition, many symbolic and describe how he taught it this past interactionists reject terms like mind and semester. The last part of the essay presents meaning that were once essential to its Eisenberg’s discussion of teaching founders. While there is nothing amiss about neurosociology and how the class is driven by departing from one’s mentors, it is still her own research interests. Consider this a interesting that these terms, including dialogue in which we ask you to join. emergence, are critical to much of the current neuroscience literature that I have read since Neurosociology: The Term and its Focus by the 90s. Much of this literature adds David Franks confirmation to the pragmatic framework dominant in the pre-second world war “Golden First let me say a few words about the term Age of Chicago” (See Franks 2003). Following “neurosociology”. Warren TenHouten had first much of the same logic, Mead's early social sent me copies of his newsletter from 1993 behaviorism and current neuroscience “drive a entitled Social Neuroscience Bulletin. I was stake in the heart” of the anti-social, tabula hooked by his essay about the neurosurgeon rasa, correspondence theories popular with the

Evolution and Sociology Vol. 5, No. 1 Spring 2008 - 4 – western enlightenment thinkers and still sources give contemporary scientific support to assumed today (Lakoff and Johnson 1999). those relative few who argued powerfully against the western ideological tenets of the Introduction to the Contents of Two selfcontained, “self-interested” individual so Courses Exclusively Devoted to convenient to capitalism. You will remember Neurosociology by David Franks these social science “precursors” to the social brain hypothesis as Clifford Geertz, Norbert There are currently only two or three Elias, Edward Sampson, Thomas Scheff and sociologists teaching a separate course others. reflecting a neurosociological approach. We While this confirmation of our social would imagine many more teachers natures may be gratifying to some, it will alarm “mainstream” parts of neuroscience in courses others by its inescapable implication that even with a social psychological theme. Anne given our tremendous plasticity, we do have a Eisenberg at SUNY-Geneseo is teaching an biological nature that some social forms may undergraduate neurosociology course that is violate. I grant that the devil is in the details described on the newsletter website and can neurosociologically (House 2001) and we are be googled under neurosociology. She was a not quite there yet, but it still warrants student of Thomas S. Smith’s at the University consideration. (See William Reddy (2001) and of Rochester, who helped me co-author the Lynn Smith-Lovin’s (2006) work on social “Mind, Brain and Society” volume. According to isolation in America). Students responded Dr Eisenberg’s syllabus, her course focuses on particularly well to the implications of mirror social aspects of mental disorders and is also neurons for G.H. Mead’s notion of role-taking. demanding of teacher as well as student (she The importance of imputing intentions for the describes the course and its goals below). I activity of mirror neurons fits in nicely with often thought of her this winter as I struggled Ralph Turner’s refinements of role theory. along because I am retired and only teaching Gazzaniga’s studies of split-brain patients this one course and Anne is working through confirms the basic assumptions of post hoc these ideas while teaching a full load among “accounts” by Scott and Lyman. other duties. The second major goal was to demonstrate how neuroscience can serve as a My Course (David Franks) nexus course connecting empirical brain science to issues that are traditionally Two major objectives structured my own considered philosophical ones, e.g.’ course. The first was to show how epistemology. Here, the sensory brain is a neuroscience deepens the evidence for the huge transducer adding to other things like the social nature of human beings and their selectivity of perception that drive a nail into physiological as well as social reliance on the heart of rote correspondence theory and others for their individual existence. I found opens the door to a balanced constructionism Leslie Brothers’ Friday’s Footsteps (1997), as and the important interpretive function of well as her Mistaken Identity (2002) very language. Issues of free will and determinacy helpful here. Brothers makes much of concepts and mind/ body problems are common place in like intersubjectivity and public discourse, both neuroscience. For example, Libet’s findings of which make the working brain and society that our bodies gear up to perform our possible. These concepts and others equally intentions before these intentions reach sophisticated necessitated teaching the consciousness gives an interesting springboard advanced social psychology component of the for important sociological issues about course. Also helpful was Paul Cozolini’s 2006 determinacy and agency. The importance of volume on “the Neuroscience of Social agency and mind as a corrective to ever Relationships”. The various works by John popular deterministically oriented behavior Cacioppo on the social brain hypothesis were modification practices is also dramatized by also relevant. These neuroscience Schartz and Begley, in “The Mind and The Brain: Neoplasticity and Mental Force” (2002).

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Here, a structured program of minded focusing on how to better understand the procedures apparently changed the synaptic onset, progression, and treatment (more structures causing obsessive compulsive generally) of what are commonly considered to disorder. This grants causal status to mind (or be neurological or physiological disorders. its correlates) which is as dependent on social More to the point, my interest in this area is in processes as it is biological ones. Their work exploring and improving our understanding of fits in nicely with G.H. Mead’s notion of mind as neurological disorders using key social emergence — a position important to psychological ideas that could then result in theoretical social psychology which on the significantly better care and treatment plans for general level was also argued by the late patients. As part of this initial exploration of the neuroscientist Roger Sperry (1965). The area I spoke with Tom S. Smith, my mentor as findings on unconscious emotions and an undergraduate at the University of cognitions provide another case in point, Rochester, who introduced me to the idea of challenging the exclusive focus by some on neurosociology as well as key writings in the conscious deliberation. For those who are area including his and David’s volume. epistemologically inclined, the pragmatic nature However, as David mentioned above, it is of the motor cortex and its role in cognition and difficult to do this type of research development perception provides another springboard to when teaching three classes a semester along issues thought important by our foundational with requisite service to the college. I decided thinkers. Damasio’s work demonstrating the that one way to work through the many ideas importance of certain social emotions for with which I was dealing was to teach an rational choice-making is another example experimental class studying the idea of which can provide important correctives to “neurosociology”. Below I describe the goals sociological thought. The course offered many of the course as well as the key topics other very concrete avenues to framing addressed and the assignments that allowed abstract issues. I look forward to sharing the course participants (the students as well as I) syllabus or bibliography with anyone interested to achieve the stated goal. Note that a copy of in teaching sociology through neuroscience. my syllabus appears on the section website. Eventually I would like to use what we know about unconscious thought and the concepts of My Course (Anne Eisenberg) ideology and root-metaphors to show how a power structure which is inept in everything As noted on my class syllabus, the course else, can be so efficient in the mind-control of goal is “to introduce students to a broad its public. understanding of sociological social psychology as well as key aspects of neuropsychology. A Neophyte’s Endeavors by Anne Specifically, the course accomplishes three Eisenberg things: 1) Develops students’ critical skills through a My interest in neurosociology developed variety of class assignments that ask students while caring for my mother whose early onset to apply their understanding of social of Alzheimer’s occurred in her late 50’s. I psychology to existing neurological knowledge, ferociously read the Alzheimer’s literature as 2) Provides students with in-depth knowledge her disease progressed, searching for ideas on of a specific disease process from both the how to best treat her condition medically as social psychological and neurological view, and well as how to best deal with her 3) Highlights the potential for future interpersonally. One thing that became interdisciplinary work that addresses key apparent was the lack of attention in the aspects of human health that impact on the literature to the role that social interactions quality of life.” I argue on the syllabus that might play with regard to any aspect of the recognized and acknowledged population disease onset and its progress, other than in trends show an increasingly aging population discussing what happens to the caregivers. whose quality of life will be significantly This led me to develop a research agenda affected by a range of what are currently

Evolution and Sociology Vol. 5, No. 1 Spring 2008 - 6 – considered to be neurological or mental goal of the class as well as model the type of disorders. I state in class that such disorders interdisciplinary thinking required for are most likely to be treated either chemically developing the language of neurosociology, we or through therapy. I then posit that social also read Ratey’s User’s Guide to the Brain interactions play a significant role in the during the first half of the semester and then development and progress of such diseases Goleman’s Social Intelligence during the (disorders/illnesses). However, current second half of the semester. Both authors’ do a explanations do not reference social wonderful job of highlighting the intersection interactions and I further argue that this between social interactions and the brain. omission seriously impacts the utility and Additionally, all of the course assignments success of related treatment plans. Therefore, required students to explore how social in order to truly understand the development of interactions, specifically, and social psychology these types of illness as well as to definitively more generally can help us better understand, impact their progress, requires integrating our explain, and treat neurological and mental sociological knowledge with existing disorders. For example, students worked in explanations.” groups throughout the semester with each SUNY-Geneseo is a four-year group studying one specific disorder that they undergraduate college which draws some of selected. The four disorders studied were the top students in the state, all of whom select schizophrenia, Asperger’s Syndrome, a traditional major, only one of which is actually depression, and bipolar disorder. They read interdisciplinary – biochemistry. Therefore, I both the medical and social sciences literature, knew that a new and experimental class critiqued the literatures, and finished the entitled “Neurosociology” would attract two semester by proposing a specific future types of students – those who were familiar research project from a neurosociological with my teaching style and interest in perspective. Also, their take-home exam neurosociology as well as those who had taken asked them to more clearly define the some type chemistry, , or psychology neurosociological perspective by selecting a class that focused on human health issues. disorder different than the one with which they With an enrollment of twelve students of whom worked in a group. They were asked to only two were sociology majors and two describe the disorder by reviewing the psychology majors – the others being biology, literature from the two different perspectives chemistry, or English – I knew that the class (neuropsychological/neuroscience and social needed to first introduce students to some key psychological) and to then explain how a ideas in both neuroscience as well as neurosociologist would diagnose and treat the sociological social psychology. For this disorder. This included discussing a typical purpose, I used DeLameter’s and Myers’ medical history and then proposing the type of Social Psychology, 6th Edition and Elias’ and medical history necessary for a Sauciere’s Neuropsychology. Throughout the neurosociologist. I believe that the course semester, each week students would read one successfully achieved the stated goal as chapter from the DeLameter and Myers text evidenced by the discussions we had in class and one chapter from the Elias and Saucier where we worked through the ways that social text, such that the two chapters were matched psychological ideas could be used to explain for highlighting a particular neurological neurological processes and related disorders process with a particular set of discussions in as well as the fact that all of the students have social psychology. For example, students read contacted me since the end of the semester about attention processes from a highlighting new literature or articles they read neuropsychological/ neuroscience perspective and their further thoughts on the topic. More that focuses on the actual anatomy of the brain importantly, by being able to spend a large part as well as the mechanisms that allow attention of my “work” time working through these to be activated. They also read how social different ideas and discussing them with psychologists focus on the outcome of that students, I am now in the process of preparing mechanical process. To further illustrate the a proposal for a community-based pilot study

Evolution and Sociology Vol. 5, No. 1 Spring 2008 - 7 – of Alzheimer’s from a neurosociological ------2001. Mistaken Identity: The Mind- perspective. Finally, my experience highlights Brain Problem Reconsidered. New York: how those of us in teaching institutions can State University of New York Press. best continue our research interests by Cozolino, Louis. 2006. The Neuroscience of explicitly and directly linking them to the Human Relationships: Attachment and the classes we teach. Human Brain. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. Conclusions by Franks and Eisenberg Damasio, Antonio. 1994. Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain. On the surface it may appear as though the New York::Avon Books. two classes described above represent very DeLamater, John D. and Daniel J. Myers. different approaches to studying 2007. Social Psychology, Sixth Edition. CA: neurosociology. We think a more accurate Thomson-Wadsworth. representation of the classes is that they Elias, Lorin J. and Deborah M. Saucier. 2006. represent different aspects of the same Neuropsychology: Clinical and perspective. Franks defined neurosociology as Experimental Foundations. MA: focusing on social interactions as the unit of Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. analysis for understanding the brain and brain Franks, David D. 2003. "Mutual Interests, processes, including an emphasis on the self Different Lenses: Current Neuroscience and linguistics. Eisenberg's class represents and Symbolic Interaction." Symbolic an elementary level of discussion that Interaction 26(4):613-630. introduces students to key ideas in social Goleman, Daniel. 2006. Social Intelligence: psychology and neuroscience as a way of The New Science of Human Relationships. developing a language for neurosociology. NY: Bantam Books. David's class represents an intermediate level House, James S. 2001. “Social Isolation Kills of discussion that utilizes more advanced and but How and Why?” Psychosomatic sophisticated ideas that illustrate key Medicine 63: 273-274. neurosociological ideas. Additionally, Anne's Lakoff, George and Mark Johnson. 1999. goal is to link these neurosociological ideas to Philosophy and the Flesh. New York: Basic applied settings through analysis of specific Books. disorders in terms of their diagnosis, analysis, Ratey, John J., MD. 2002. A User’s Guide to and treatment. David's’ goal is to develop a the Brain. NY: Vintage Books. more epistemologically formal approach to Reddy, William M. 2001. The Navigation of neurosociology. These two approaches literally Feeling: A Framework for the History of represent the different dimensions, or faces, of Emotions. New York: Cambridge sociology – the applied/empirical and the Smith-Lovin, Lynn, Miller McPherson and theoretical, the inductive and deductive, and Mathew Brasheare. 2006. “Social Isolation the academic and the public sociologies. We in the United States”. American Sociological hope this essay encourages further discussion Review. June. 353-375. of neurosociology in terms of research, Sperry, Roger. 1965. “Mind, Brain and teaching, and scholarship. Humanistic Values.” Pp. 588-590 in New Values on the Nature of Man edited by J.R. References Platt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Schwartz, Jeffery M. and Sharon Begley. 2002. Begley, Sharon. 2007. Train Your Mind, The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and Change Your Brain: How a New Science the Power of Mental Force. New York: Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Regan Books. Transform Ourselves. New York: Ballantine Books. Brothers, Leslie.1999. Friday’s Footprint: How Society Shapes the Human Mind. New ********** York: Oxford Press.

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The Revolution in Evolution: absence of references to evolution. What we find instead is that for some time social Evolution for Everyone scientists have been absorbed in a linguistic (and intellectual?) swamp. Jerome Barkow in A Review Essay Missing the Revolution: Darwinism for Social Scientists notes that while many social by scientists have become mired in postmodernism, while “other disciplines have Darrell La Lone & Thomas D. Hall been having their own revolution: Darwin’s [email protected] & [email protected] revolution” (Barkow 2006:3). This is not news to members of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology Evolution & Sociology section, but it is news to DePauw University many other social scientists, most surprisingly cultural anthropologists who should know In this review essay we seek to call the better. Of course all scientists, including social attention of members of the Evolution & scientists, and especially anthropologists, Sociology section to several recent books that acknowledge biological evolution and depict and apply recent, sometimes radical, recognize the triumph of Darwin’s framework changes in evolutionary thinking among for explaining evolution. But it seems that for biologists, and provide some ‘teases’ about most social scientists the topic has been how they might be used in the social sciences. dropped as irrelevant to the understanding of Some of these include: Lamarck was not social behavior. entirely wrong; Mendel was not entirely correct; The charter myth for this position nods to we can make sound arguments for group the recognition that indeed all life on earth is selection in a number of conditions; “junk DNA” the product of natural selection. Then the story is, of course, not junk, but plays important roles of human evolution is commonly traced from in a number of genetic and epigenetic our common ancestor with the other apes up processes; and evolution is not just for until the revolutionary emergence of fully biologists. modern humans (the Upper Paleolithic David Sloane Wilson (2007a: 3) notes: Revolution). And what defines “fully modern Evolutionary theory has already unified the human” is the appearance of culture. biological sciences, enabling Theodosius Sometime between 90,000 and 50,000 years Dobzhansky to make his famous remark in ago the “human revolution” erupted, and from 1973 that “nothing in biology makes sense that time forward the dominance of culture is except in the light of evolution.” For most of the said to make biology “irrelevant.” 20th century, however, evolutionary theory has This disastrous form of “secular been confined to the biological Sciences and a creationism” in its attempts to separate few specialized human-related subjects, such humans from the world of “lesser” non-cultural as biological anthropology and human living beings has in fact separated many social genetics. scientists from the world of science. As an But this situation is rapidly changing. example of the impact of culture in how we Professor Wilson is a leader in promoting such frame our understanding of the world, an change as he demonstrates with organization American preoccupation with genetic of EvoS, the Institute for Advanced Study in determinism has led all too many social Evolutionary Sciences at Binghamton scientists to believe that when we talk about University. This program draws together faculty biology what we’re really talking about is and students from a broad array of disciplines genes. Genes are understood as blueprints and demonstrates the power of evolutionary that ineluctably determine the structure of thinking in inspiring original thoughts in any organisms as well as their behavior. disciplines. Having equated biology with genetic But for now, following an extensive review determinism, social scientists have indeed of sociology texts, Wilson notes the near missed the revolution that has transformed

Evolution and Sociology Vol. 5, No. 1 Spring 2008 - 9 – many disciplines. A central part of this Joan Huber’s new book, On the Origins of revolution has in fact been new understanding Gender Inequality (2007) offers arguments of how traits are transmitted. Genes are not in intended: 1) to correct some feminists’ absolute fact blueprints that relentlessly build structures rejection of evolution as part of an explanation and behaviors. Current understandings and for gender inequality; 2) to argue that gender research in genetics differ, sometimes inequality is rooted in breast feeding; and 3) to radically, from what students may have studied argue that this is not an “anatomy is destiny” even within the past 10 years. argument, but rather an exploration of how An accessible yet challenging account of technology can reshape consequences of some of the radical changes in our “anatomy.” understandings of genetics and heredity may Huber reviews many findings in biology, be found in Eva Jablonka and Marion J. genetics, evolution, and human physiology. She Lamb’s Evolution in Four Dimensions (2005). finds that the conditions under which humans Despite widespread fascination with (and lived for most of their existence (except the last frequent misunderstanding of) the “selfish century or so) resulted in high infant mortality gene” paradigm, heredity is not just about rates and that the physiology of breast feeding genes. In the broad sense, heredity is about and infant development prevented women from transmission of information, and Jablonka and participating in those activities that most often Lamb explore four inheritance systems: can lead to power. genetic, epigenetic, behavioral, and symbolic. Typically infants must be breast fed for two For non-biologists, perhaps the least or more years. Breastfeeding can be familiar and perhaps formidable of these may supplemented with other foods only late in the be the epigenetic inheritance system. But, to first year, sometimes much later. Typically, put it simply, if DNA and genes are blueprints, infants feed about every 10 to 15 minutes for 5 then how can it be that every cell has the same minutes or so. When combined with high infant DNA but ends up in so many different mortality rates, this means that most women outcomes? How does a cell know whether to spend most of the adult lives pregnant or become part of an ear rather than part of a lactating. This prevents them from engaging in toenail? To understand this, we look to activities that require extended time away from epigenetics, and Jablonka and Lamb offer a their infants. That, in turn, all but prohibits gentle yet rigorous introduction. participation in those activities that lead to power As they explain these four inheritance and wealth accumulation. The exceptions that systems, we find many ways in which natural occur among many foragers that allow women selection shapes transmission of information who cannot bear children to participate in other than a simplistic gene-based model of predominantly male activities underscores that transmission and change. This is original work this is a pragmatic social adaptation, not a with sometimes startling arguments that may “wired-in” biological imperative. stretch knowledge and imagination of biologists It is only in the last two centuries that no less than social scientists. We are finally technological and social (wet nurses) challenged to make connections between their alternatives have become sufficiently available four dimensions of evolution, and, though to remove these restrictions on women’s much will be subject to sometimes contentious activities. This then promotes feminism and debate, the implications are always provocative makes greater gender equality possible, if as yet in the best sense of the term. It challenges us far from achieved. to explore many issues in ways that lead us to The key arguments take biology and new visions and understandings. genetics seriously, without being reductionist. To turn our attention toward two social They also point to why and how gender science examples of new applications of inequality is and can continue to change. Given evolutionary thought, we may look toward one how recent these changes are in terms of recent contribution from sociology and one from human social-cultural evolution, it is no surprise anthropology. that the change is far from complete. Rather,

Evolution and Sociology Vol. 5, No. 1 Spring 2008 - 10 – what is surprising is that so much has changed social scientists do in fact have a great deal to so quickly. learn from bio-cultural research, and missing Many of the issues developed in this revolution is a serious mistake. evolutionary anthropology may be encapsulated in the “Three Cs”: cognition, co-operation, and Evolution for Everyone culture (Wilson 2007b:154). Much of the recent literature in anthropology (including primatology) An excellent starting point for catching up to explores the importance of co-operation. This the revolution is David Sloan Wilson’s has become increasingly salient in view of Evolution for Everyone (2007b). Wilson begins widespread acceptance (and misunderstanding) with a simple, but not simplistic, review of of the “selfish gene” metaphor. evolutionary principles. He then describes a In Why Humans Cooperate: A Cultural and series of applications of these principles to Evolutionary Explanation, Natalie Henrich and various problems. He notes the many Joseph Henrich rebut the old saw that contributions to evolutionary research and ethnographers have no need to consider journals are by non-biologists, and some evolutionary frameworks in their fieldwork. Their undergraduates, using these principles. ethnography is richly informed by evolutionary With wonderful clarity and humor, Wilson theory as well as economic experiments as it shows many fascinating applications of addresses the question of why people are evolutionary thought and in the process models willing to help others at a cost to themselves. how scientists think, formulate ideas and The opening chapter draws extensively on hypotheses, and then test them. Anthropologists both laboratory and field studies across several may take special delight in the way Wilson disciplines, to present an overview of dual shows how we might inspire our students to inheritance theory, especially exploring evolved figure out what conditions might make psychological mechanisms for culture. infanticide adaptive (in the process illustrating They argue that “…our capacities for cultural that adaptations are not necessarily benign!). learning, which are genetically evolved, give rise How might we maximize egg production on our to a second system of cultural inheritance that chicken farm? Wilson shows why selecting the has shaped our genome” (2007:32). This of most proficient hens to form production teams is course connects with Jablonka and Lamb’s more likely to be a disaster than selecting less discussion of different systems of inheritance. individually proficient but more cooperative hens Following the introduction to dual inheritance for the team. Throughout the book Wilson theory, they proceed to examine five theories for repeatedly underscores selective advantages of evolution of cooperation in humans, again cooperation, even to the extent of making a showing genetic and culture-gene interactions. case for the often misunderstood and maligned In succeeding chapters they offer laboratory concept of . evidence from behavioral economics and other Evolution for Everyone is not an introductory approaches before finally proceeding to text in evolutionary biology, but a tour de force systematic application of their framework to demonstration of how we may all think more ethnographic study of ethnicity and cooperation creatively and effectively as scientists, even to among Chaldeans in metropolitan Detroit. They the extent that we may come to believe that we, show how the theoretical concepts contribute to and our students, perhaps can attain genius. In understanding of “social behavior and how the vast and growing literature on evolution, universal psychologies for cooperation lead to Evolution for Everyone is unparalleled in its culturally specific norms, beliefs, and practices.” clarity, exuberance, and inspiration to discover Why Humans Cooperate demonstrates the how powerful the evolutionary framework is in value of research in a number of disciplines for endless realms of thought in addition to enriching ethnographic understanding. How is evolutionary biology. culture learned? How is culture transmitted and For a further sense of how this might be shared? Whether our focus is on culture “or” followed up, we would highly recommend a visit biology, our common questions are about the to Wilson’s EvoS Website: transmission of information. In this enterprise, http://evolution.binghamton.edu/evos/index.html

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Whether one agrees or not with these Edward O. Laumann,University of Chicago; authors, and whether or not all their arguments Linda J. Waite, University of Chicago; stand up to further empirical research, they are Aniruddha Das, University of Chicago: stimulating reading for any who take evolution “Sexual Problems Among Older Adults: seriously. Prevalences and Risk Factors from a Nationally Representative Probability Sample References of Men and Women 57 to 85 Years of Age.”

Barkow, Jerome H. 2006. Missing the Alan Booth,Pennsylvania State University; Revolution: Darwinism for Social Scientists. Cassandra J. Dorius, Penn State University; New York: Oxford. Jacob Hibe, Penn State University; Doug Henrich, Joseph and Natalie Henrich. 2007. Granger, Penn State University: “Do Why Humans Cooperate: a Cultural and Testosterone and Estradiol Influence Parent- Evolutionary Explanation. New York: child Relationship Quality?” Oxford. Huber, Joan. 2007. On the Origins of Gender Jason D. Boardman, University of Colorado), Inequality. Boulder: Paradigm Publishers. Tanya M.M. Button, University of Colorado), Robin P. Corley, University of Colorado), Jablonka, Eva and Marion J. Lamb. 2005. Michael C. Stallings, University of Colorado: Evolution in Four Dimensions: Genetic, “Peer delinquency and the heritability of Epigenetic, Behavioral, and Symbolic dependence vulnerability.” Variation in the History of Life. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Jiannbin Lee Shiao, University of Oregon: Wilson, David Sloan 2007a. “On the status of The Genomic Challenge to the Social evolutionary research in the human Construction of Race behavioral sciences and evolutionary training in higher education.” Ms., Sep. 22, 2007. Discussant: Rosemary L. Hopcroft,University of http://evolution.binghamton.edu/evos/pdf%2 North Carolina-Charlotte 0files/BBS%20analysis.pdf last retrieved April 8, 2008. Section on Evolution and Sociology Paper Wilson, David Sloan. 2007b. Evolution for Session. New and Current Approaches to Everyone: How Darwin’s Theory Can Evolutionary Thinking in Sociology Change the Way We Think About Our Lives. Scheduled Time: Mon, Aug 4 - 8:30am - New York: Delacorte Press. 10:10am, Building: Sheraton Boston.

Session organizer: Joan Huber Presider: Alexandra Maryanski, UC Riverside ********** Abrutyn, Seth, UC Riverside "Putting the ASA Sessions 'institution' back in institutional analysis: An evolutionary approach. Biosociology/Biosocial Interaction Regular Session Crenshaw, Edward, Ohio State and Kristopher Robison, Northern Illinois "Macrosocial Scheduled Time: Fri, Aug 1 - 10:30am - evolution and economic development: 12:10pm Building: Hilton Back Bay An ecological-evolutionary an functional account of economic growth" Session Organizer and Presider: Francois Nielsen, University of North Carolina; Hammond, Michael, Toronto "Reversal of forture: How evolutionary adaptations to limit Participants: inequality become fuel for inflated inequality"

Evolution and Sociology Vol. 5, No. 1 Spring 2008 - 12 –

Maryanski, Alexandra, UC Riverside "Why were totems so crucial to Durkheim's theory on ------.“Cultural Ecology.” In D. M. Pearsall, ed. the origin of religion?" Encyclopedia of Archaeology. Academic Press, New York. 2008: 1059-1067. Taylor, Catherine, Cornell "Stress, status, and gender in decision-making groups: A biosocial ------. “Review of Robert K. Merton & Elinor approach" Barber, The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity: A Study in Sociological Section on Evolution and Sociology Paper Semantics and the Sociology of Science.” Session. New and Current Approaches to History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences Scheduled Time: Mon, Aug 4 - 12:30pm - 28(2) 2006: 291-292. 2:10pm, Building: Sheraton Boston Organizer and Presider: Richard Machalek ------. “Gene-Culture Coevolutionary Games.” Social Forces 85(1) September 2006: 151- Participants: 166.

Jeff Davis, California State University, Long ------. “The Evolutionary Socioecology of Beach: "A Measurement of Uncertainty for Gestural Communication.” Gesture 6(2) Use in Non-Experimental Studies of Human Nov.-Dec. 2006: 177-188. Life History Behavior." ------. “Origins and the Eco-Evo-Devo Warren D. TenHouten, University of California: Problem.” Biological Theory 1(2) 2006: 116- "Anticipation: A Key Cognitive-Affective 118. Resource for the Evolution of the Human Mind." ------.Review of , “The Ancestor’s Tale: A Journey to the Dawn of Stephen K. Sanderson, University of California, Life.” The Quarterly Review of Biology. 81: Riverside: "Evolutionary Approaches to Dec. 2006 394-5. Religion: Is Religion an Evolved Adaptation?" Hall, Thomas D. and James V. Fenelon. 2008. Ruud Koopmans, WZB, Berlin: "Neighborly “Indigenous Movements and Globalization: Love: A Cultural-Evolutionary Explanation of What is Different? What is the Same?” Altruism in Religious Morality." Globalizations 5:1(March):1-11.

Discussant: Timothy Crippen, Mary Hall, Thomas D.2007. “Incorporating North Washington University America into the Eurasian World-System, in World System History,” in World System History, [Eds. George Modelski ,Robert A. Section on Evolution and Sociology Council Denemark], in Encyclopedia of Life Support and Business Meetings Systems (EOLSS), Developed under the Scheduled Time: Mon, Aug 4 - 10:30am - Auspices of the UNESCO, Eolss 12:10pm, Building: Sheraton Boston Publishers, Oxford ,UK, [http://www.eolss.net] [Retrieved December 7, 2007].

Huber, Joan. 2007. On the Origins of Gender New Publications of Inequality. Boulder: Paradigm. Section Members ------. 2008. "Reproductive Biology, Blute, Marion. “The Evolution of Replication.” Technology, and Gender Inequality: An Biological Theory 2(1) 2007:10-22. Autobiographical Essay." Annual Review of Sociology.

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Kardulias, P. Nick and Thomas D. Hall. 2007. “A World-Systems View of Human Migration Past and Present: Providing a The Biosociology of Dominance and Deference General Model for Understanding the Movement of People.” Forum on Public Rowman and Littlefield will send free exam Policy, on-line: copies of the book by Allan Mazur, The http://www.forumonpublicpolicy.com/archive Biosociology of Dominance and Deference, to sum07/kardulias.pdf everyone who requests one for possible class use. Turner, Jonathan H. and Alexandra Maryanski, Requests for exam copies (for professors On The Origin of Societies by Natural considering adopting the book) go to Renee Selection. Paradigm Press, June 2008. Legatt in Rowman & Littlefield's college marketing department. Her email address is [email protected]. People

J. Scott Lewis has left Urbana University effective May 2008. Fall semester of 2008, he Social Evolutionism and its Critics: begins at Penn State—Harrisburg. Deconstructing and Reconstructing an Evolutionary Interpretation of Human Society Neil Johnson

(http://www.physics.miami.edu/~njohnson) and Section members may qualify for a free Mike Mesterton-Gibbons exam copy of Steve Sanderson’s new book, (http://www.math.fsu.edu/~mesterto) are Social Evolutionism and its Critics: starting a Florida-based network of academics Deconstructing and Reconstructing an for research and education in complexity Evolutionary Interpretation of Human science, to share expertise across disciplinary Society by sending relevant course title, boundaries and exploit potential for synergy expected number of students, and among the social and natural sciences. They semester/quarter to be taught to would like to hear from any sociologist in [email protected] Florida with an interest in complexity science.

Please contact Mike Mesterton-Gibbons at [email protected] if you either are or know of such an individual.

Find the Complete Works of on-line at http://darwin-online.org.uk/

Evolution and Sociology Vol. 5, No. 1 Spring 2008 - 14 –

SEX DIFFERENCES Summarizing More than a Century of Scientific Research The New Evolutionary Social Science: Human Nature, Social Lee Ellis, Scott Hershberger, Evelyn Field, Behavior, and Social Change Scott Wersinger, Sergio Pellis, David Geary, Craig Palmer, Katharine Hoyenga, Amir Hetsroni, and Kazmer Karadi Heinz-Jurgen Niedenzu Tamás Meleghy Peter Meyer (Editors) This book is the first to aim at summarizing all of the scientific literature For a long period of time, social scientists published so far regarding male-female declared their autonomy from the life differences (and similarities). sciences, thereby neglecting important biological constraints on human nature. No exclusions were made in terms of Many sociological theories suggest a nearly subject areas, cultures, time periods, or complete malleability of patterns of social even species. life. Recently, however, Stephen K. Sanderson’s “Darwinian conflict theory” set Results from over 22,000 studies are out to synthesize sociological theories with summarized within approximately 3,000 key findings from biology into an overarching tables, with each table pertaining to a scientific paradigm. specific possible sex difference. The book’s Configuring and expanding this length is 1,019 (+14) pages plus a CD insert groundbreaking theory, the contributors to containing a 650 page file of references to this volume are well-known European and all of the studies cited throughout the book. American experts in evolutionary science. They develop in this book new bases for Publisher: Lawrence Erbaum Associates understanding social change and the world’s (Taylor and Francis), 2007. future through a better integration of the life For pre-publication orders: sciences and social sciences http://www.psypress.com/9780805859591

978-1-59451-396-1 (Hardcover) $81.00 $68.85 June 2008 224 pp. http://www.paradigmpublishers.com/Books/ BookDetail.aspx?productID=151521

Heinz-Jürgen Niedenzu is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Criminology: An Interdisciplinary Approach Innsbruck, Austria. Tamas Meleghy is Professor of Sociology at Section members who are teaching the University of Innsbruck, Austria. criminology and who want to emphasize a Peter Meyer is Professor of Sociology at the biosocial approach, including evolutionary University of Augsburg, Germany. arguments about crime causation, may request a review copy of Anthony Walsh & Lee Ellis (2007). Criminology: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Email: [email protected]