Evolutionary Theory in Contemporary Science of Religion

What is the cognitive science of religion, and how is evolutionary theory being applied to religious studies today? On May 24, 12.00-13.00, Professor, dr.phil. Armin W. Geertz, will give an introduction to cognitive and evolutionary approaches to religion at the Human Evolution Lunch Seminar. Professor Geertz is director of the RCC research unit, director of the Culture and Cognition section of MINDLab, and President of the International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion. This exciting lunch lecture takes place in bldg. 1110, room 214, and everybody is welcome.

Click here for abstract.

Neanderthals, Niches, and Human Evolution: Lunch Seminar

How far north did the Neanderthals go? Were they successful colonisers? And what constitutes the extreme periphery of the Neanderthal range? These questions are closely linked to the understanding of ecological and behavioural adaptation as well as understanding the Neanderthals' ability to exploit novel niches. This Human Evolution Lunch Seminar will dig deeper into the understanding of Neanderthal movement seen from a Scandinavian perspective. 

The Neanderthal Frontier: Investigating the Colonisation of Northern Niches

Trine Kellberg Nielsen, PhD student at the Department of Culture and Society, Section for Prehistoric Archaeology, Aarhus University, talks about her research at the Human Evolution Lunch Seminar on Friday, April 19, 12.00-13.00 in bldg. 1110, room 214. Do bring your lunch!

Horror Stories and Human Evolution: Lunch Seminar

Ever wondered why horror stories are so popular? Why they work? Why otherwise sane people are scared witless by stories of ghosts and goblins? Then come to the Human Evolution Lunch Seminar on Thursday, March 21, 2013, 12.00-13.00, where we meet in bldg. 1110, room 223, for a lunch lecture by Mathias Clasen, PhD in English and IES member. You're encouraged to bring your lunch. In return, the lecturer, although he'll be touching on macabre subjects, will do his best to ensure that you keep it down.

The Fascination of Fear: An Evolutionary Perspective on the Structure and Function of Horror Stories

Horror stories are universally popular and highly paradoxical. Why do people react with genuine anxiety to stories that they know to be non-veridical? And why do they seek out entertainment explicitly designed to make them feel bad? In this Human Evolution Lunch Lecture, Mathias Clasen explains how human evolutionary history and cognitive adaptations for danger-management shed light on these questions.

PhD Viva

IES member Stine Slot Grumsen defends her doctoral dissertation, Casting for Goodwill: Profession, Trade and Identity in American Dentistry, c. 1910-1950, on August 24, 2012. Read more.

International Interdisciplinary Colloquium on Narrative

On May 8, 2012, IES co-hosts a one-day colloquium on narrative, cognition and evolution in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres (Jeppe Vontillius Auditorium), 1-4pm, with lectures from leading experts in the field. No registration required. See program here.

PhD Viva

IES member Mathias Clasen defends his doctoral dissertation, Monsters and Horror Stories: A Biocultural Approach, on May 9, 2012. Read more.

Interdisciplinary Evolutionary Conference at UMSL

Friends of IES are hosting the Consilience Conference at UMSL, Missouri, April 26-28 2012, under the theme Evolution in Biology, the Human Sciences and the Humanities.

Registration is open and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to submit poster proposals.

The conference brings together world-class scholars from biology, the social sciences, and the humanities. E. O. Wilson is keynote speaker. See website and flyer.

Seminar: Evolution and Narrative

IES and the Scandinavian Department, Aarhus University, co-host a seminar on evolution and narrative on 3 November 2011, 9-11.30am. IES director Peter C. Kjærgaard gives a presentation on narratives in human evolutionary studies and Dr. Richard Walsh and IES member Mathias Clasen discuss evolution and narrative. This is followed by an open discussion forum. The seminar is open to all, and no registration is needed. Venue: Aarhus University, building 1467, room 615. See more details in the programme.

IES Summer School 2011

AU Summer University offers an IES-related course in 2011 aimed at students at the MA level and open to international students. This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in interdisciplinary evolutionary studies during the summer.

The course, “Evolution, Literature and Film,” focuses on evolutionary approaches to literature and cinema. Students are brought up to speed on the burgeoning Darwinian trends in the humanities, and encouraged to apply critical evolutionary thinking to their favorite novels and films. The course is taught by the world’s leading Darwinian scholar of literature, Professor Joseph Carroll. See course description here.

IES Director Appointed Visiting Professor at Harvard

Director of IES, Dr Peter C. Kjaergaard, has been appointed Visiting Professor at the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 2010-11.

IES Associate Appointed Visiting Scholar at UCSB

Mathias Clasen has been appointed visiting scholar at the Center for Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, from April - June 2011.

New Professor of Evolutionary Studies

Director of IES, Dr Peter C. Kjaergaard, has been appointed Professor of Evolutionary Studies at Aarhus University.

IES Associate Appointed Visiting Researcher at George Washington University

Jakob Bek-Thomsen has been appointed visiting researcher at Department of History, George Washington University, Washington, DC from 1 August 2010 - 1 March 2011

Danish Darwin Archive Launched

On September 21, 2010, the Danish Darwin Archive was launched at www.darwinarkivet.dk.

Theories of human evolution

A British Council Darwin Now grant is awarded to Professor Robert A. Foley, University of Cambridge, Professor Richard Wrangham, Harvard University, Dr Richard Leakey, The Turkana Basin Institute, Kenya & Dr Peter C. Kjærgaard, University of Cambridge/Aarhus University to set up a research network for discussing theories of human evolution (more).

Follow the money

A new joint research project with Aarhus Network for Science, Technology and Medicine Studies on peers, patronage and money (more).

Recent Publications

• Kjærgaard, P. C. "Ida and Ardi: The Fossil Cover Girls of 2009." In The Evolutionary Review 2, pp. 1-9.

• Clasen, M. 2011. "The Semantic Apocalypse: Bakker's Neuropath and the Evolutionary Imagination." In The Evolutionary Review 2, pp. 209-214.

• Kjærgaard, P. C. 2011. "'Hurrah for the Missing Link!': A History of Apes, Ancestors and a Crucial Piece of Evidence." In Royal Society of London. Notes and Records 65:1, pp. 83-98.

• Clasen, M. 2010. "Reading with Darwin." In Anglo Files: Journal of English Teaching 157, pp. 40-43.

• Clasen, M. 2010. "The Anatomy of the Zombie: A Bio-Psychological Look at the Undead Other." In Otherness: Essays and Studies 1:1, pp. 1-23.

• Hjermitslev, H. H. 2010. "Danes Commemorating Darwin: apes and evolution at the 1909 anniversary." In Annals of Science 67:4, pp. 485-525

• Clasen, M. "Vampire Apocalypse: A Biocultural Critique of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend." In Philosophy and Literature 34:2, pp. 313-328.

• Riede, F. 2010. "Why isn't archaeology (more) Darwinian? A historical perspective." In Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 8:2, pp. 183-204.

• Hjermitslev, H. H. 2010. "Dansk kreationisme." In Religion 1, pp. 16-27.

• Kjærgaard, P.C. 2010. "The Darwin Enterprise: From Scientific Icon to Global Product." In History of Science 48:1, pp. 105-122.

• Clasen, M. "The Horror! The Horror!" In The Evolutionary Review 1.1: 2010, pp. 112-119.