Culture Evolves

A joint Royal Society/British Academy conference

Monday 28 - Wednesday 30 June 2010

Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London SE1 8XX

Convenors: Professor Andrew Whiten FBA, Professor Robert Hinde FBA FRS,
Professor Chris Stringer FRS, and Professor Kevin Laland

The capacity for culture is a product of biological evolution – yet culture itself can also evolve, generating cultural phylogenies. This highly interdisciplinary British Academy/Royal Society conference will address new discoveries and controversies illuminating these phenomena, from the roots of culture in the animal kingdom to human, cultural evolutionary trees and the cognitive adaptations shaping our special cultural nature.

The conference will be followed up by a panel discussion on 'What is Culture?' (date to be confirmed).

Speakers and Chairs

Professor Sir Patrick Bateson FRS, Dr Mark Collard, Professor Gergely Csibra, Dr Francesco d'Errico, Professor Uta Frith FBA FRS, Professor Luc­Alain Giraldeau, Professor Naama Goren­Inbar, Professor Russell Gray, Professor Paul Harris FBA, Dr Joe Henrich, Professor Barry Hewlett, Professor Kevin Laland, Dr Derek Lyons, Professor Ruth Mace FBA, Professor William McGrew, Professor Paul Mellars FBA, Dr Marta Mirazon Lahr, Professor Mark Pagel, Professor Susan Perry, Dr Simon Reader, Dr Luke Rendell, Professor Lord Renfrew FBA, Dr Hélène Roche, Professor Garry Runciman FBA, Professor Stephen Shennan FBA, Professor Tore Slagsvold, Dr Dietrich Stout, Professor Chris Stringer FRS, Dr Alex Thornton, Professor Carel van Schaik and Professor Andrew Whiten FBA.

Conference

This meeting is free, but pre­registration (online) is essential. The registration form and programme can be found at royalsociety.org/events.

Please note: This meeting is part of See Further: The Festival of Science + Arts, celebrating 350 years of the Royal Society.  This unique ten-day festival filling every corner of London's Southbank Centre, features the Royal Society's annual Summer Science Exhibition and a host of cross-disciplinary collaborations, includign music, dance, comedy, discussion, film, literature and art.  See www.seefurtherfestival.org for more details.