British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Public Understanding Meeting

Do Humans Own Culture?

Wednesday 2 October 2002, 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Royal Society and British Academy Panel Discussion
The Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG

'Culture' is at once what sets our species so much apart from nature, and yet what defines our nature. It is humans' cumulative cultural achievements that have allowed us to dominate the planet as we do.

But humans are not the only animals that create - and pass on - cultural traditions. Professor Andrew Whiten and his colleagues have described chimpanzee cultural variations using 150 years of data accumulated from long-term research stations in Africa. The richness of culture in chimpanzees goes far beyond our expectations.

In this discussion, a panel of experts will consider humanity's supposed cultural uniqueness and whether we need to rethink human evolution.

SPEAKERS:
Patrick Bateson FRS One of the world's foremost authorities on animal behaviour, Patrick Bateson is Professor of Ethology in the University of Cambridge and Vice-President of the Royal Society.

Caroline Humphrey FBA Professor of Asian Anthropology, University of Cambridge, has carried out anthropological research in Siberia, Mongolia, India, Nepal and China. Her research interests include shamanism, theories of ritual, and socialist/post-socialist economy and society.

Kenan Malik Writer, researcher, lecturer and broadcaster, Kenan Malik is the author of Man, Beast and Zombie, in which he questions the ways in which we understand what it means to be human.

Andrew Whiten FBA, FRSE Internationally renowned researcher on the evolution and development of mind and behaviour. Andrew Whiten is Professor of Evolutionary and Developmental Psychology in the University of St Andrews and Coordinator of the Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution.

CHAIRMAN:
Robert Hinde FBA, FRS was formerly a Royal Society Research Professor in the University of Cambridge. His studies of non-human primates led on to studies of human families with a focus on inter-personal relationships, and later to understanding the bases of war, religious systems, and moral codes.

Go to a PDF programme for this event

 

If you would like to know more about chimpanzee cultures look at this website run by St Andrews University.

This Royal Society/British Academy public event has been programmed to mark the centenary of the British Academy - the national academy for the humanities and social sciences.

This event is open to all and is aimed at the non-specialist. It is free but if you would like to attend it is essential to obtain tickets beforehand. Please contact the Meetings Department at the British Academy: telephone 020 7969 5272; email c.marsh@britac.ac.uk