12. Internationaler Kongress der Gesellschaft für Anthropologie (GfA)

12th Meeting of the Society for Anthropology (GfA)

18 to 22 September 2017

Geislingen a. d. Steige (Germany)

Homo Homini Lupus?

– Between Conflict and Cooperation –

„Against each Other“ and „Together“ – these are the extremes of a highly variable continuum of behaviour. Both strategies are deeply rooted in human evolution and adaptation, both in terms of biology and culture.

Anthropology, bringing together approaches from the bio-, social- and cultural sciences to form a broad perspective on spatial and temporal variability, greatly contributes to understanding human behaviour between conflict and cooperation.

The 12^th International Meeting of the Society of Anthropology focuses on this prominent socio-political topic. Case studies and theories from archaeological, forensic and historical research will complement the biological and ethological framework.

Anthropology takes all aspects of the human condition into consideration while studying the entire, immensely broad sprectrum of human behaviour. Against the backdrop of the current global political situation, this is often reduced to two strategies: conflict and cooperation.

Acting together and against each other are the extremes of a highly variable continuum of behaviour. Both strategies are deeply rooted in human evolution and adaptation. But there is also a wide scope of action, allowing us to adequately deal with conflictsand to achieve common goals in cooperation.

Reflecting about evolutionary adaptations and the complexity of behaviour and methods should help to improve our coexistence.

The 12th international meeting of the Society of Anthropology picks up this topic. Anthropology, as the holistic study of mankind, is prominently apt to investigate these basic and variable strategies, drawing on biological, behavioural and cultural aspects.

A multitude of applied methods, approaches and topics will demonstrate the many facets of conflict and cooperation. Connections will become apparent, contributing to a complex understanding of this area of research.

Download the conference programme and abstracts for all contributions (podium and poster presentations) here.

Read reports (in German) on the individual days of the conference:

GfA members will find photographs taken during the conference in the internal section of this website.
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