Others The Evolution of Human Sociality

As the sequel to Groups (2013) and Institutions (2017), Others is the third work produced by a collaborative research project involving primatologists and anthropologists on the evolutionary historical foundations of human sociality. This book presents cutting edge research into the meaning of “the other” and the dynamic process of “othering.” Each of the eighteen chapters examines various aspects of “others” via the researchers’ specialties, with subject matter ranging from the disappearance of the alpha male in a chimpanzees group to the way the other is produced amongst Canadian Inuit through their relationship with wild animals. What is generated is a unique collection of essays that is both grounded in empirical evidence and strengthened by its intricate engagement with the depth and breadth of theoretical work on the topic of “the other,” as it furthers our understanding of the nature of human sociality.

Kaori Kawai is a Professor at the Research Institute of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa in the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.