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Why Do We Fight?
Th Anthropology and Archaeology of War and Peace
Dr. Michael Galaty
One of the most contentious
questions in anthropology is whether or not humans are inherently aggressive
and violent. Are we by nature warlike
or peaceful? This question has been approached by specialists in the
anthropological sub-fields of physical anthropology, archaeology, and
cultural anthropology, but it has yet to be resolved. It is still unclear,
for example, whether our primate cousins, such as chimpanzees, are instinctually
aggressive and violent, and the role of aggression and violence in human
evolution is equally unclear. Might a propensity for war be written into
our genes? Or are aggression and violence learned behaviors? Furthermore,
the archaeological record is read by different scholars in different
ways. Some say “primitive” prehistoric cultures were characterized
by very high levels of violence, even war, whereas others say that they
were generally peaceful. Still others argue that the problem is one of
definition; how do we define the term war? Whether or not prehistoric
peoples fought wars depends on how the term is defined. The ethnographic
record for contemporary “primitive” peoples is equally confounding.
Most cultural anthropologists agree that all cultures experience some
degree of conflict, even violence. Many argue that there exist some genuinely
peaceful cultures and that, in general, even the most violent cultures
experience peace most of the time. Some, however, argue that there is
no such thing as a truly peaceful society and that aggression, violence,
and war are today, as in the past, driving forces in human behavior.
In this class we
will seek to study this conundrum – are humans
inherently peaceful or warlike? We will bring to bear data from the fields
of primatology, paleoanthropology, archaeology, ethnohistory, ethnography,
psychology, and various other scientific disciplines. In the end we must
ask ourselves whether the anthropological study of war might help us
create a more peaceful world. Can we render solutions to the world’s
greatest challenge: ending war and creating a just, lasting peace?
The Course Objectives will be:
- To
try, as best as possible, to understand the roles of war and peace
in human behavior and cultural and biological evolution.
- To investigate
the origins of war, whether genetic or not, a prehistoric or modern
phenomenon.
- To
suggest possible solutions to the problems of reducing war and building
and maintaining
peace.
Classes will consist of discussion, assigned homework readings, class
exercises, and outside writings.
For
a more complete class description, call 601-974-1132.
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