scholarly journals Fitness and Power: The Contribution of Genetics to the History of Differential Reproduction

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 147470492110665
Author(s):  
Walter Scheidel
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
Textual Evidence ◽  
Proximate Factors ◽  
History Of ◽  
Status Differences ◽  
Variance In Reproductive Success ◽  
Genetic Fitness

Textual evidence from pre-modern societies supports the prediction that status differences among men translate to variance in reproductive success. In recent years, analysis of genetic data has opened up new ways of studying this relationship. By investigating cases that range over several millennia, these analyses repeatedly document the replacement of local men by newcomers and reveal instances of exceptional reproductive success of specific male lineages. These findings suggest that violent population transfers and conquests could generate considerable reproductive advantages for male dominants. At the same time, this does not always seem to have been the case. Moreover, it is difficult to link such outcomes to particular historical characters or events, or to identify status-biased reproductive inequalities within dominant groups. The proximate factors that mediated implied imbalances in reproductive success often remain unclear. A better understanding of the complex interplay between social power and genetic fitness will only arise from sustained transdisciplinary engagement.

Ancient Hinduism as a Missionary Religion

Numen ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arvind Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Tenth Century ◽  
Fifth Century ◽  
Historical Material ◽  
Textual Evidence ◽  
The Third ◽  
Fourth Part ◽  
History Of

AbstractThe paper is conceptually divided into four parts. In the first part the widely held view that ancient Hinduism was not a missionary religion is presented. (The term ancient is employed to characterize the period in the history of Hinduism extending from fifth century B.C.E. to the tenth century. The term 'missionary religion' is used to designate a religion which places its followers under an obligation to missionize.) In the second part the conception of conversion in the context of ancient Hinduism is clarified and it is explained how this conception differs from the notion of conversion as found in Christianity. In the third part the view that ancient Hinduism was not a missionary religion is challenged by presenting textual evidence that ancient Hinduism was in fact a missionary religion, inasmuch as it placed a well-defined segment of its members under an obligation to undertake missionary activity. Such historical material as serves to confirm the textual evidence is then presented in the fourth part.

scholarly journals Adaptation and competition in deteriorating environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1946) ◽  
pp. 20202967
Author(s):  
Romana Limberger ◽  
Gregor F. Fussmann
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Experimental Evolution ◽  
Competitive Ability ◽  
High Salt ◽  
Competitive Interactions ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
Population Growth Rates ◽  
Changing Environments ◽  
History Of

Evolution might rescue populations from extinction in changing environments. Using experimental evolution with microalgae, we investigated if competition influences adaptation to an abiotic stressor, and vice versa, if adaptation to abiotic change influences competition. In a first set of experiments, we propagated monocultures of five species with and without increasing salt stress for approximately 180 generations. When assayed in monoculture, two of the five species showed signatures of adaptation, that is, lines with a history of salt stress had higher population growth rates at high salt than lines without prior exposure to salt. When assayed in mixtures of species, however, only one of these two species had increased population size at high salt, indicating that competition can alter how adaptation to abiotic change influences population dynamics. In a second experiment, we cultivated two species in monocultures and in pairs, with and without increasing salt. While we found no effect of competition on adaptation to salt, our experiment revealed that evolutionary responses to salt can influence competition. Specifically, one of the two species had reduced competitive ability in the no-salt environment after long-term exposure to salt stress. Collectively, our results highlight the complex interplay of adaptation to abiotic change and competitive interactions.

scholarly journals Preference for hierarchy is associated with reduced empathy and increased counter-empathy towards others, especially out-group targets

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sa-kiera Tiarra Jolynn Hudson ◽  
Mina Cikara ◽  
Jim Sidanius
Keyword(s):  
Social Dominance ◽  
Group Membership ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Group Boundaries ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Prejudicial Attitudes ◽  
Status Differences

The capacity to empathize with others facilitates prosocial behavior. People’s willingness and capacity to empathize, however, is often contingent upon the target’s group membership – people are less empathic towards those they categorize as out-group members. In competitive or threatening intergroup contexts, people may even feel pleasure (counter-empathy) in response to out-group members’ misfortunes. Social dominance orientation (SDO), or the extent to which people prefer and promote group-based inequalities, is an ideological variable that is associated with a competitive view of the world, increased prejudicial attitudes, and decreased empathy. Thus, higher levels of SDO should be associated with reduced empathy and increased counter-empathy in general, but especially towards those whose subjugation maintains group inequalities. Across three studies we show that among White individuals, higher SDO levels are associated with less empathy, and more counter-empathy in response to others’ good and bad fortunes. More importantly, these reductions in empathy and increases in schadenfreude as a function of SDO were significantly stronger for Asian and Black targets than for in-group White targets when group boundaries were made salient prior to the empathy ratings. Finally, in a fourth study we show that this phenomenon is not dependent upon a history of status differences: higher SDO scores were associated with decreased empathy and increased counter-empathy for competitive out-group (relative to in-group) targets in a novel group setting. We discuss implications of these effects for hierarchy maintenance.

The social context of iron forging on the Kenya coast

Africa ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 386-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chapurukha M. Kusimba
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Social Power ◽  
High Status ◽  
Detailed Understanding ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ambiguous Position

Ironsmiths occupy an important yet ambiguous position in many African societies. They are both revered and feared, because they wield social power which arises from their access to occult knowledge, not only of metallurgy but of healing, divination, circumcision and peacemaking. In some societies smiths enjoy high status and are the wealthiest people. In others they are feared, covertly maligned, and blamed for societal misfortunes. In still others the smiths' position is often marginal except when they are needed to intercede on their society's behalf to solve natural or cultural predicaments. The forge or smithy plays a central role in the community as tool-making centre, a place of refuge from violence, of purification, and for healing. This article examines the social context of iron forging among the ironsmiths of the Kenya coast, focusing on the role of iron forging in the coastal economy, the forge, the smiths' life cycle, the institution of apprenticeship, the ritual and technical power of smiths, the role of women in the smiths' community, and the future of iron forging on the coast. It is argued that, while coastal smiths are marginal and despised, they hold important ritual and spiritual powers in coastal society. The article concludes that a detailed understanding of the traditional crafts historically practised on the coast can do much to illuminate the complex history of coastal society.

EXTENSIVE CERVICAL NECROTISING FASCIITIS WITH MEDIASTINITIS IN A COVID-19 POSITIVE PATIENT: A CASE REPORT

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Faye Daniels ◽  
Raiiq Ridwan
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Soft Tissue Infection ◽  
Young Male ◽  
Necrotising Fasciitis ◽  
Neck Swelling ◽  
Significant Morbidity ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mediastinal Extension

Necrotising fasciitis is a rapidly progressing soft tissue infection associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We present a case of cervical necrotising fasciitis with mediastinal extension in a diabetic young male who was COVID-19 positive. He presented with a five-day history of left-sided neck swelling which was fluctuant, red and painful. Subsequent debridement and management of the wound were complicated by the comorbid SARS-CoV2 infection due to potential need for proning. This case highlights the complex interplay between the management of two significant conditions; the surgical approach to necrotising fasciitis and the concern of deterioration due to COVID-19.

Hidden Revolutionary Processes in 1990s India?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiří Krejčík
Keyword(s):  
Structural Change ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Capitalist Class ◽  
Half Century ◽  
Nationalist Party ◽  
History Of ◽  
Decisive Victory ◽  
Contemporary Situation ◽  
Passive Revolution

The chapter considers the history of India, mainly in the last decades, in light of the contemporary situation, created by the decisive victory of the Hindu nationalist party. While India has not experienced a political revolution in the generally accepted sense, it is a noteworthy fact that the label „revolution“ has been used to describe varying developments during the last half-century. This raises conceptual questions. In particular, it needs to be clarified whether the idea of a „passive revolution“, a major structural change without the collective action and the struggle for social power that are associated with full-fledged revolution, is applicable. In India, it has been applied to Gandhi’s actvities, but also to those of his less charismatic disciples; but some scholars have doubted its relevance. The chapter argues for a cautious application of the concept, especially with regard to the rise of a new capitalist class.

scholarly journals Current perspectives on the evolution of birds

2008 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per G.P. Ericson
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Theropod Dinosaurs ◽  
History Of ◽  
Evolution Of Birds ◽  
The Many ◽  
Rapid Radiations

The paper summarizes the current understanding of the evolution and diversification of birds. New insights into this field have mainly come from two fundamentally different, but complementary sources of information: the many newly discovered Mesozoic bird fossils and the wealth of genetic analyses of living birds at various taxonomic levels. The birds have evolved from theropod dinosaurs from which they can be defined by but a few morphological characters. The early evolutionary history of the group is characterized by the extinctions of many major clades by the end of the Cretaceous, and by several periods of rapid radiations and speciation. Recent years have seen a growing consensus about the higher-level relationships among living birds, at least as can be deduced from genetic data.

scholarly journals Blasphemy and persecution: Positioning in an inter-religious discussion

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-98
Author(s):  
Peter Richardson ◽  
Stephen Pihlaja ◽  
Miori Nagashima ◽  
Masako Wada ◽  
Makoto Watanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Management ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Religious Dialogue ◽  
Evaluative Language ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Positioning Analysis

AbstractIn May 2017, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, the former Christian governor of Jakarta, Indonesia, was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to two years in prison. Although he was released in January 2019, his trial and the various reactions it elicited continue to highlight the very sensitive and complex issues surrounding the notion and enforcement of blasphemy and how different communities talk about it. This article focuses on a discussion about the trial between an Indonesian Muslim in favor of the blasphemy charge and an Indonesian Christian opposed to it. Using positioning analysis, it investigates how their conversation in English at a University in Japan exhibited an occasioned, fluid, developing range of evaluative language, both in terms of how they talked about themselves and others. The analysis demonstrates the complex interplay and consistent tension that is often present in inter-religious dialogue, and tracks how a wide array of discourse and contextual factors relate to developing positions, storylines, expressions of social power, and strategies for conflict management. We conclude by highlighting the inherent complexity of the dynamics of such interaction and how it can lead to greater convergence and/or tension, while emphasizing the potential benefits of face-to-face conversations around issues of possible conflict.

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