Re‐examining Biocultural Approaches in Human Biology

Leonard, William R.

doi:10.1002/ajhb.23475

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Over the last 50 years, developments in research on biocultural and genetic aspects of human biology have helped to transform the field. Since the 1980s, researchers in human biology have developed ever‐more sophisticated approaches to understanding the mechanisms through which socioeconomic and lifestyle changes influence health and well‐being (see Dufour, 2006; Goodman & Leatherman, 1998a; Hicks & Leonard, 2014; Hoke & Schell, 2020; Leatherman & Goodman, 2020; Leonard, 2020; Wiley, 2020; Wiley & Cullin, 2016).…”

Section: Human Adaptability Research and The International Biological...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Pearl Memorial Lecture. Humans at the extremes: Exploring human adaptation to ecological and social stressors

Leonard

2023

American J Hum Biol

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The field of human biology has long explored how human populations have adapted to extreme environmental circumstances. Yet, it has become increasingly clear that conditions of social stress, poverty, and lifestyle change play equally important roles in shaping human biological variation and health. In this paper, I provide a brief background on the foundational human adaptability research of the International Biological Programme (IBP) from the 1960s, highlighting how its successes and critiques have shaped current research directions in the field. I then discuss and reflect on my own field research that has examined the influence of both environmental and social stresses on human populations living in different ecosystems: the Peruvian Andes, the Siberian arctic, and the Bolivian rainforest. Finally, I consider how the papers in this special issue advance our understanding of human adaptability to extreme conditions and offer directions for future research. Drawing on our field's distinctive evolutionary and biocultural perspectives, human biologists are uniquely positioned to examine how the interplay between social and ecological domains influences the human condition.

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Section: Human Adaptability Research and The International Biological...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Pearl Memorial Lecture. Humans at the extremes: Exploring human adaptation to ecological and social stressors

Leonard

2023

American J Hum Biol

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“…Given the variations in conceptualizations, there have been calls to focus on what biocultural studies does in the contemporary world, rather than its definition [ 21 ]. Prior to 1998, biocultural approaches in anthropology aimed to understand the deterministic pathways by which social, economic, cultural, and ecological factors influence human biology and wellbeing [ 12 , 13 , 15 ]. Biocultural studies has evolved since then to emphasize reciprocity in human-environment relationship, with the conceptualization of the field expanded to encompass human niche construction [ 21 ].…”

Section: Biocultural Studies In Anthropologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The term 'biocultural' was first used in biocultural studies within anthropology, whose origin can be traced to the 1960s (decades ahead of biocultural diversity) [12][13][14]. Biocultural studies in anthropology deal with the influence of biological and cultural environment on human biology and wellbeing [15]. Biocultural diversity on the other hand, deals with the linkages between biological, cultural, and linguistic diversities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecocultural or Biocultural? Towards Appropriate Terminologies in Biocultural Diversity

Franco

2022

Biology

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Biocultural diversity has made notable contributions that have furthered our understanding of the human culture-nature interrelationship. However, the usage of the term ‘biocultural’ is not unique to biocultural diversity. It was first used in biocultural studies within anthropology decades ahead of biocultural diversity. The existing literature on biocultural diversity does not acknowledge the prior existence of biocultural studies, or provide a clear demarcation between usages of the two terms. In this article, I discuss the varying contexts in usage of the term ‘biocultural’ between biocultural diversity and biocultural anthropology. While biocultural diversity deals with the linkages between biological, cultural, and linguistic diversity, biocultural studies in anthropology deal with the deterministic influence of physical and social environment on human biology and wellbeing. In biocultural studies, ‘biocultural’ refers to the integration of methodically collated cultural data with biological and environmental data. ‘Bio’ in biocultural anthropology therefore denotes biology, unlike biocultural diversity where it refers to biodiversity. Both biocultural studies and biocultural diversity apply ‘biocultural’ as descriptor to generate overlapping terminologies such as ‘biocultural approach’. Such a confusing scenario is not in the interest of biocultural diversity, as it would impede theoretical advancements. I propose that advocates of biocultural diversity explore its harmonies with ecoculturalism and the possibilities of suitably adapting the term ‘ecoculture’ in lieu of ‘bioculture’. Using ‘ecocultural’ instead of ‘biocultural’ as a descriptor to coin terminologies could solve confusions arising from the expanding usage of the term ‘bioculture’.

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Anthropological Ecology and Ecological Anthropology as a Framework for the Analysis of Socio-Ecological Sustainable Development

Vargas-Hernández¹,

Higuera-Cota

Vargas-González

2023

Advances in Religious and Cultural Studies

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This study is aimed to analyze the anthropological ecology and the ecological anthropology as a framework approach for the analysis of socio-ecological sustainable development. It departs from the assumption that sustainable development requires a socio-ecological approach sustained by anthropology and ecology. The method used is the analytical reflection based on the conceptual, theoretical, and empirical literature review. The study concludes that anthropology and ecology combine elements to sustain the anthropological ecology and ecological anthropology approaches to develop the framework for the analysis of a socio-ecological sustainable development.

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Re‐examining Biocultural Approaches in Human Biology

Cited by 4 publications

References 17 publications

Pearl Memorial Lecture. Humans at the extremes: Exploring human adaptation to ecological and social stressors

Pearl Memorial Lecture. Humans at the extremes: Exploring human adaptation to ecological and social stressors

Ecocultural or Biocultural? Towards Appropriate Terminologies in Biocultural Diversity

Anthropological Ecology and Ecological Anthropology as a Framework for the Analysis of Socio-Ecological Sustainable Development

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