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An insightful and breathtaking exploration of humanity’s evolutionary baggage that explains some of our species’ greatest successes and failures. -- Yuval Noah Harari, author of <i>Sapiens</i> Inheritance describes how Harvey Whitehouse’s efforts to understand a culture in Papua New Guinea led ultimately to a new account of how empires rise, stand, and fall. This lucid and original book is important not only as a guide to underlying dynamics in contemporary society but also as an exemplary interweaving of approaches from the natural and social sciences. -- Richard Wrangham, author of <i>Catching Fire</i> This fascinating book combines groundbreaking research with compelling storytelling to reveal how humanity's deepest tendencies toward conforming, believing, and belonging have profoundly shaped our many histories and current realities. Crucially, Harvey Whitehouse goes further to explore how the very tendencies that have got us here can now become invaluable tools for reshaping our collective futures. The result is profoundly thought-provoking—dive in. -- Kate Raworth, author of <i>Doughnut Economics</i> Harvey Whitehouse has woven his extensive studies of our inherited human nature into a remarkably readable book that aims to help us respond more effectively to contemporary problems. He offers a powerful argument that the behavior change we need is more likely to occur if we make use of our evolved human nature, rather than seek to transcend it. -- Peter Singer, author of <i>Animal Liberation Now</i> A bold and sweeping analysis that ranges widely through time, across geographies, and through different kinds of human societies. A book of rare ambition and scope. -- Peter Frankopan, author of <i>The Silk Roads</i> A compelling, thoughtful, nuanced, and ultimately hopeful new perspective on our history, present crises, and future potential. The human biases that Harvey Whitehouse examines all have a dark side, but as he shows, these same capacities for belonging, belief, and bonding can also be channeled in positive directions. This book is a masterpiece—important, thought-provoking, and great fun to read. -- Kate Fox, author of <i>Watching the English</i> Harvey Whitehouse has written a scientifically robust book with profound implications. As a scholar of how group identities form and what binds people strongly or weakly to cooperate across many cultures, he identifies the biasing domains of behavior that define us: conformity, religiosity, and tribalism. He explores how we have evolved from living in small groups to not-always-cohesive mega-societies. He then asks how we could use this knowledge to address global challenges—can we get beyond our local selfish interests to cooperate on a global level? A constructive, provocative, and hopeful perspective on our futures that merits deep reflection. -- Sir Peter Gluckman, author of <i>Ingenious</i> Inheritance is a brilliant synthesis of insights from psychology, anthropology, and big historical data analytics that throws penetrating light on the evolutionary trajectories of human societies, and on how we collectively can shape a better future for humanity. -- Peter Turchin, author of <i>End Times</i> This is a tour de force, a compelling work of scholarship and advocacy that astonished me by providing an entertaining analysis of human social change and growth over the last ten millennia, and then a blueprint for a future transformation of human civilization. I recommend this gripping read to anyone interested in the questions of why human civilization is careening forward so recklessly, without coming to grips with the dangers of climate change, nuclear war, or pervasive misinformation, and what cultural innovations might empower a collective change of direction. -- Winnifred Louis, Professor of Psychology, The University of Queensland A profoundly important book of breathtaking scope. Harvey Whitehouse shows how evolution sculpted our psychological makeup, how we overcame its limitations over the course of world history, and how we can wield this knowledge to face the challenges of the future. Full of deep insights into human nature, this is a work of compelling conviction by a master in the field. -- Lewis Dartnell, author of <i>Being Human</i> A very powerful, provocative, and inspiring analysis of the human condition which seeks to explain where our societies are going wrong today—and how to put them right. Whitehouse bravely takes an ambitious interdisciplinary view that captures the sweep of history, tackling topics ranging from social media and modern political polarization to ancient religious cults, nomadic societies, and more. His arguments about the three core features shaping humans—conformity, religiosity, and tribalism—are thought-provoking and offer an excellent lens to frame events today. Compelling and highly readable, this book shows why anthropology matters. -- Gillian Tett, Provost of King's College, Cambridge

An insightful and breathtaking exploration of humanity’s evolutionary baggage that explains some of our species’ greatest successes and failures. -- Yuval Noah Harari, author of <i>Sapiens</i> Inheritance describes how Harvey Whitehouse’s efforts to understand a culture in Papua New Guinea led ultimately to a new account of how empires rise, stand, and fall. This lucid and original book is important not only as a guide to underlying dynamics in contemporary society but also as an exemplary interweaving of approaches from the natural and social sciences. -- Richard Wrangham, author of <i>The Goodness Paradox</i> This fascinating book combines groundbreaking research with compelling storytelling to reveal how humanity's deepest tendencies toward conforming, believing, and belonging have profoundly shaped our many histories and current realities. Crucially, Harvey Whitehouse goes further to explore how the very tendencies that have got us here can now become invaluable tools for reshaping our collective futures. The result is profoundly thought-provoking—dive in. -- Kate Raworth, author of <i>Doughnut Economics</i> Harvey Whitehouse has woven his extensive studies of our inherited human nature into a remarkably readable book that aims to help us respond more effectively to contemporary problems. He offers a powerful argument that the behavior change we need is more likely to occur if we make use of our evolved human nature, rather than seek to transcend it. -- Peter Singer, author of <i>Animal Liberation Now</i> A bold and sweeping analysis that ranges widely through time, across geographies, and through different kinds of human societies. A book of rare ambition and scope. -- Peter Frankopan, author of <i>The Silk Roads</i> A compelling, thoughtful, nuanced, and ultimately hopeful new perspective on our history, present crises, and future potential. The human biases that Harvey Whitehouse examines all have a dark side, but as he shows, these same capacities for belonging, belief, and bonding can also be channeled in positive directions. This book is a masterpiece—important, thought-provoking, and great fun to read. -- Kate Fox, author of <i>Watching the English</i> Harvey Whitehouse has written a scientifically robust book with profound implications. As a scholar of how group identities form and what binds people strongly or weakly to cooperate across many cultures, he identifies the biasing domains of behavior that define us: conformity, religiosity, and tribalism. He explores how we have evolved from living in small groups to not-always-cohesive mega-societies. He then asks how we could use this knowledge to address global challenges—can we get beyond our local selfish interests to cooperate on a global level? A constructive, provocative, and hopeful perspective on our futures that merits deep reflection. -- Sir Peter Gluckman, author of <i>Ingenious</i> Inheritance is a brilliant synthesis of insights from psychology, anthropology, and big historical data analytics that throws penetrating light on the evolutionary trajectories of human societies, and on how we collectively can shape a better future for humanity. -- Peter Turchin, author of <i>End Times</i> This is a tour de force, a compelling work of scholarship and advocacy that astonished me by providing an entertaining analysis of human social change and growth over the last ten millennia, and then a blueprint for a future transformation of human civilization. I recommend this gripping read to anyone interested in the questions of why human civilization is careening forward so recklessly, without coming to grips with the dangers of climate change, nuclear war, or pervasive misinformation, and what cultural innovations might empower a collective change of direction. -- Winnifred Louis, Professor of Psychology, The University of Queensland A profoundly important book of breathtaking scope. Harvey Whitehouse shows how evolution sculpted our psychological makeup, how we overcame its limitations over the course of world history, and how we can wield this knowledge to face the challenges of the future. Full of deep insights into human nature, this is a work of compelling conviction by a master in the field. -- Lewis Dartnell, author of <i>Being Human</i>

Fascinating…Whitehouse explores these topics from various angles, addressing the role of ritual, the role of intense emotional experiences in forging violent groups, and the possibility of fundamentally reimagining the materialistic basis of society…[he] ranges widely across disciplines and timescales to formulate his exhilarating narrative of human history. -- Ian Hughes * Irish Times * A thought provoking look at social forces, and the ways ordinary people can change the world. -- Sophie McBain * The Guardian * Explores how evolutionary inheritance, shaped by millennia of natural and cultural selection, continues to influence human behaviour and societal development. From the origins of agriculture to the complexities of modern geopolitics, Whitehouse’s research offers insights into the forces driving human history and the challenges. -- Sudipta Datta * The Hindu * An insightful and breathtaking exploration of humanity’s evolutionary baggage that explains some of our species’ greatest successes and failures. -- Yuval Noah Harari, author of <i>Sapiens</i> Inheritance describes how Harvey Whitehouse’s efforts to understand a culture in Papua New Guinea led ultimately to a new account of how empires rise, stand, and fall. This lucid and original book is important not only as a guide to underlying dynamics in contemporary society but also as an exemplary interweaving of approaches from the natural and social sciences. -- Richard Wrangham, author of <i>Catching Fire</i> This fascinating book combines groundbreaking research with compelling storytelling to reveal how humanity's deepest tendencies toward conforming, believing, and belonging have profoundly shaped our many histories and current realities. Crucially, Harvey Whitehouse goes further to explore how the very tendencies that have got us here can now become invaluable tools for reshaping our collective futures. The result is profoundly thought-provoking—dive in. -- Kate Raworth, author of <i>Doughnut Economics</i> Harvey Whitehouse has woven his extensive studies of our inherited human nature into a remarkably readable book that aims to help us respond more effectively to contemporary problems. He offers a powerful argument that the behavior change we need is more likely to occur if we make use of our evolved human nature, rather than seek to transcend it. -- Peter Singer, author of <i>Animal Liberation Now</i> A bold and sweeping analysis that ranges widely through time, across geographies, and through different kinds of human societies. A book of rare ambition and scope. -- Peter Frankopan, author of <i>The Silk Roads</i> A compelling, thoughtful, nuanced, and ultimately hopeful new perspective on our history, present crises, and future potential. The human biases that Harvey Whitehouse examines all have a dark side, but as he shows, these same capacities for belonging, belief, and bonding can also be channeled in positive directions. This book is a masterpiece—important, thought-provoking, and great fun to read. -- Kate Fox, author of <i>Watching the English</i> Harvey Whitehouse has written a scientifically robust book with profound implications. As a scholar of how group identities form and what binds people strongly or weakly to cooperate across many cultures, he identifies the biasing domains of behavior that define us: conformity, religiosity, and tribalism. He explores how we have evolved from living in small groups to not-always-cohesive mega-societies. He then asks how we could use this knowledge to address global challenges—can we get beyond our local selfish interests to cooperate on a global level? A constructive, provocative, and hopeful perspective on our futures that merits deep reflection. -- Sir Peter Gluckman, author of <i>Ingenious</i> Inheritance is a brilliant synthesis of insights from psychology, anthropology, and big historical data analytics that throws penetrating light on the evolutionary trajectories of human societies, and on how we collectively can shape a better future for humanity. -- Peter Turchin, author of <i>End Times</i> This is a tour de force, a compelling work of scholarship and advocacy that astonished me by providing an entertaining analysis of human social change and growth over the last ten millennia, and then a blueprint for a future transformation of human civilization. I recommend this gripping read to anyone interested in the questions of why human civilization is careening forward so recklessly, without coming to grips with the dangers of climate change, nuclear war, or pervasive misinformation, and what cultural innovations might empower a collective change of direction. -- Winnifred Louis, Professor of Psychology, The University of Queensland A profoundly important book of breathtaking scope. Harvey Whitehouse shows how evolution sculpted our psychological makeup, how we overcame its limitations over the course of world history, and how we can wield this knowledge to face the challenges of the future. Full of deep insights into human nature, this is a work of compelling conviction by a master in the field. -- Lewis Dartnell, author of <i>Being Human</i> A very powerful, provocative, and inspiring analysis of the human condition which seeks to explain where our societies are going wrong today—and how to put them right. Whitehouse bravely takes an ambitious interdisciplinary view that captures the sweep of history, tackling topics ranging from social media and modern political polarization to ancient religious cults, nomadic societies, and more. His arguments about the three core features shaping humans—conformity, religiosity, and tribalism—are thought-provoking and offer an excellent lens to frame events today. Compelling and highly readable, this book shows why anthropology matters. -- Gillian Tett, Provost of King's College, Cambridge

Harvey Whitehouse has woven his extensive studies of our inherited human nature into a remarkably readable book that aims to help us respond more effectively to contemporary problems. He offers a powerful argument that the behavior change we need is more likely to occur if we make use of our evolved human nature, rather than seek to transcend it. -- Peter Singer, author of <i>Animal Liberation Now</i> A bold and sweeping analysis that ranges widely through time, across geographies, and through different kinds of human societies. A book of rare ambition and scope. -- Peter Frankopan, author of <i>The Silk Roads</i> A compelling, thoughtful, nuanced, and ultimately hopeful new perspective on our history, present crises, and future potential. The human biases that Harvey Whitehouse examines all have a dark side, but as he shows, these same capacities for belonging, belief, and bonding can also be channeled in positive directions. This book is a masterpiece—important, thought-provoking, and great fun to read. -- Kate Fox, author of <i>Watching the English</i> This is a tour de force, a compelling work of scholarship and advocacy that astonished me by providing an entertaining analysis of human social change and growth over the last ten millennia, and then a blueprint for a future transformation of human civilization. I recommend this gripping read to anyone interested in the questions of why human civilization is careening forward so recklessly, without coming to grips with the dangers of climate change, nuclear war, or pervasive misinformation, and what cultural innovations might empower a collective change of direction. -- Winnifred Louis, Professor of Psychology, The University of Queensland Whitehouse has written a scientifically robust book with profound implications. As a scholar of how group identities form and what binds people strongly or weakly to cooperate across many cultures, he identifies the biasing domains of behavior that define us: conformity, religiosity, and tribalism. He explores how we have evolved from living in small groups to not-always-cohesive mega-societies. He then asks how we could use this knowledge to address global challenges—can we get beyond our local selfish interests to cooperate on a global level? A constructive, provocative, and hopeful perspective on our futures that merits deep reflection. -- Sir Peter Gluckman, author of <i>Ingenious</i> Inheritance is a brilliant synthesis of insights from psychology, anthropology, and big historical data analytics that throws penetrating light on the evolutionary trajectories of human societies, and on how we collectively can shape a better future for humanity. -- Peter Turchin, author of <i>End Times</i> Inheritance describes how Harvey Whitehouse’s efforts to understand a culture in Papua New Guinea led ultimately to a new account of how empires rise, stand, and fall. This lucid and original book is important not only as a guide to underlying dynamics in contemporary society but also as an exemplary interweaving of approaches from the natural and social sciences. -- Richard Wrangham, author of <i>The Goodness Paradox</i> This fascinating book combines groundbreaking research with compelling storytelling to reveal how humanity's deepest tendencies toward conforming, believing, and belonging have profoundly shaped our many histories and current realities. Crucially, Harvey Whitehouse goes further to explore how the very tendencies that have got us here can now become invaluable tools for reshaping our collective futures. The result is profoundly thought-provoking—dive in. -- Kate Raworth, author of <i>Doughnut Economics</i>

Author Information

Harvey Whitehouse is Director of the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion at the University of Oxford. He is a founding director of Seshat: Global History Databank and the author or editor of nine books, including The Ritual Animal.

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