New Evolutionary Social Science: Human Nature, Social Behavior, and Social Change - Hardcover

“A sociology conference held at the University of Innsbruck, Austria in June 2006 revolved around Stephen K. Sanderson’s The Evolution of Human Sociality (2001). The 17 papers that survived to publication introduce the anthology, then look at Darwinian conflict theory and its critics and diverse applications of evolutionary theory in sociology. The topics include metaphysical materialism, cooperation without coercion, the missing link between structuralism and sociobiology, the uneven match between Emile Durkheim and Edward Westermarch, and the two transitions in the evolution of human sociality. Sanderson himself offers reflections and final thought. .” --Eithne O’Leyne, October 2011 Reference and Research Book News

Social scientists have long declared their autonomy from the natural sciences, and in doing so have tended to neglect important biological constraints on human nature. Many sociological theories have suggested a nearly complete malleability of patterns of social life. The New Evolutionary Social Science challenges this view by building on Stephen K. Sanderson's 'Darwinian conflict theory' which sets out to synthesise sociological theories with key findings from biology into an overarching scientific paradigm. Configuring and expanding this groundbreaking theory, the contributors to this volume are well-known European and American experts in evolutionary science. The New Evolutionary Social Science develops a new basis for understanding social change and the world's future through a better integration of the natural and social sciences.