The Dissenter cover image

The Dissenter

#877 Luke Glowacki: Is Human Warfare Ancient or Recent?

Dec 22, 2023
Dr. Luke Glowacki, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Boston University, discusses the origins of human warfare. He explores definitions of war, the use of animal models and archaeological evidence to study its origins, and the myths about ancestral populations and nomadic societies. The podcast explores the deep-rooter and shallow-rooter divide on war in hunter-gatherer societies, the costs and benefits of intergroup cooperation and aggression, maintaining peace through cultural institutions, and the role of key individuals in conflict and coalitions.
01:44:05

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Anthropologists define war as intergroup coalitionary killing and attempts to harm or kill members of other groups, encompassing behaviors such as raiding and revenge violence.
  • The debate on whether bonobos or chimpanzees provide a more accurate model for early human behavior in terms of intergroup aggression and coalitionary violence is ongoing.

Deep dives

The Definition of War in Anthropology

Anthropologists have different definitions of war, but common features include intergroup coalitionary killing and attempts to harm or kill members of other groups. This definition does not necessarily require complex organization, leaders, or material resources. It can encompass a range of behaviors such as raiding, feuding, and revenge violence. By adopting a comparative and evolutionary perspective, anthropologists aim to identify commonalities across different species and populations.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode