Culture is everywhere: it includes art, the dissemination of theories and of social norms, customs, the food we cook and eat, and so on. Culture also seems to be what distinguishes different communities, families, or entire countries and continents. Is it possible to explain such heterogeneous and complex phenomena? Can we identify the cognitive, environmental or social factors that underlie the spread of practices, norms and ideas? What is it that allows certain traditions to survive and develop, sometimes for hundreds or thousands of years?

Olivier Morin is a tenured CNRS researcher at the Jean Nicod Institute, Paris. Previously, he lead a project at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena. He has published a book, How Traditions Live and Die, along with many articles on the topics of writings systems, social cognition, its evolution, its development, communication, and much more.

Credits:

Interview: Thomas Beuchot and Jay Richardson

Artwork: Ella Bergru

Editing: Rohan Chowdhury

Music: Thelma Samuel and Robin Baradel

Communication: Guillaume Coudriet