#676 Hector Qirko: Human Cooperation, Altruism, Kinship, and Institutions
RECORDED ON JUNE 27th 2022.
Dr. Hector Qirko is Professor of Anthropology at the College of Charleston. His research interests include applied anthropology, organizational and institutional cultures, evolutionary theory and cultural patterning, and popular culture and identity.
In this episode, we talk about the evolution of altruism. We start by talking about the most prominent evolutionary theories of human cooperation. We discuss how we can study intentional communities as a source of data about the evolution of cooperation. We get into altruistic punishment, kinship, fictive kinship, kin recognition, kin cues, and how they relate to the success of institutions. We discuss explanations for extreme altruism, like religious celibacy. Finally, we talk about the problem of cultural particularism in anthropology.
Time Links:
Intro
Evolutionary theories of human cooperation
Intentional communities as a source of data about the evolution of human cooperation
Altruistic punishment
Kinship, fictive kinship, and kin cues
Kin recognition and institutional success
Explaining extreme altruism – religious celibacy, self-sacrifice
The problem of cultural particularism in anthropology
Follow Dr. Qirko’s work!
Follow Dr. Qirko’s work:
Faculty page: https://bit.ly/3InS6KM
ResearchGate profile: https://bit.ly/33TRKN7