#59 Moffett on Societies, Identity, and Belonging

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During this sprawling episode, biologist and author,</span> <a href= "http://www.doctorbugs.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr. Mark Moffet</span></a>t<span style="font-weight: 400;">, discusses societies. Mark observes that the acceptance of strangers was a breakthrough in the evolution of humanity. Moreover, humans maintain allegiance to group identities, and our uneasy coexistence with outsiders is reflected both in the fault lines within societies and in the relationships between nations. These topics are explored along with the involuntary nature of social membership, cosmopolitanism, immigration, and subtle micro-signals which indicate group belonging. Mark’s upcoming research efforts will examine how animal societies stay together and what causes them to break apart, and compare the situation for humans; his field work will encompass a wide range of vertebrate animals, from lions and chimpanzees to Florida scrub jays and parrot fish.</span></p> <p><strong>Resources</strong><span style= "font-weight: 400;">:</span></p> <ul> <li aria-level="1">Books and Articles by Mark Moffett <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;"><a href= "https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465055680/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ipa09b-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0465055680&linkId=d80711c9cba08080a79b10a28e7c95da"> The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall</a> by Mark Moffett</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href= "https://harvardmagazine.com/2019/05/naturalist-doctor-insects"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “Doctor Bugs” Naturalist Mark W. Moffett investigates insects—and now, evolving human societies</span></a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href= "https://thesunmagazine.org/issues/532/one-of-us-issue-532"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> One Of Us: Mark W. Moffett On The Social Behavior Of Humans And Other Animals</span></a></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-l