Human Evolutionary Biology Initiative Symposium: Intergroup Cooperation

The symposium will bring together researchers from biology, anthropology, psychology, and evolutionary science to explore how individuals and groups cooperate across social boundaries in both, humans and other animals.

At a time when polarization and intergroup conflict dominate the headlines, the symposium asks a deceptively simple question: What does cooperation across group lines actually require, and what can we learn from species that manage it?

The program spans an unusual range of species and social systems, including ants, zebras, bonobos, cetaceans, and human hunter-gatherer societies. It will feature talks and discussion sessions on intergroup cooperation, relationships that span group boundaries, economic interdependence, alliances and coalitions during conflict, and peacekeeping institutions.

Schedule

9:00 am - 9:20 am: Opening talk by Martin Surbeck (Harvard)

Flash talks and open panel discussions:

9:20 am - 10:40 am: Relationships across Social Boundaries
Severine Hex (Harvard), Cyril Grueter (Oxford), Anne Pisor (Penn State), Joshua Green (Harvard)

10:55 am - 12:05 pm: Cooperation between Groups
Stephanie King (Bristol), Leveda Cheng (Harvard, St. Andrews), Sarah Mathew (Arizona State), Mina Cikara (Harvard)

1:30 pm - 2:40 pm: Mechanisms underlying Cooperation across Social Boundaries
Elva Robinson (York), Liran Samuni (Harvard, Max Planck Institute), Luke Glowacki (Boston), Joe Henrich (Harvard)