32707 - Ecology and Dynamics of Human Populations

Learning outcomes

The course deals with the history and patterns of human settlement (with particular reference to the Mediterranean Basin), the anthropological characteristics of current populations, the biocultural and adaptive relationships of populations with their environments, and the biological and demographic dynamics underlying their evolutionary history. At the end of the course the studentwill be able to analyzethe factors and mechanisms leading to human mobility and biodemographic dynamics andto read the relationship between biocultural human communities, the environment and resources.

Course contents

Outline of the origin of man and the main phases of human evolution. Human settlement in the prehistoric period. The dynamics of human populations in the pre-protohistoric and historic eras in relation to geographical, territorial and environmental conditions, climatic variations, resources and technological and cultural advances, with particular reference to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. The biological bases of human variability; somatic variability and genetics of current human populations; variation of morphological, morphometric and physiometric traits; distribution of genetic markers and the genetic structure of human populations; variability of current human populations and racial classifications; critical analysis of the concept of race in anthropology. Processes of biological and cultural adaptation: associations between the biological variability of human groups and environmental and cultural factors. The confrontation of human populations with the climatic environment, the territory, resources and diseases. The main biological, auxological, demographic, biodemographic and genetic parameters used to describe the dynamics of human populations and the evolution of their biological structure and genetics. Systematic analysis of the anthropological and biocultural traits of the large racial groupings and of the principal human types.

Readings/Bibliography

B. CHIARELLI: Dalla natura alla cultura. Principi di Antropopologia biologica e culturale. Vol III, Uomo, ambiente, società. Piccin, Padova, 2004.
R.G. KLEIN: Il Cammino dell'Uomo. Antropologia Culturale e Biologica. Zanichelli, Bologna, 1995.
G.A. HARRISON, J.M. TANNER, D.R. PILBEAM, P.T. BAKER: Biologia Umana. Evoluzione, genetica, ecologia delle popolazioni umane. Piccin, Padova, 1994.
L.L. CAVALLI-SFORZA, F. CAVALLI-SFORZA: Chi siamo. La storia della diversità umana. Arnoldo Mondadori, Milano, 1993.
L.L. CAVALLI-SFORZA: Geni, popoli e lingue. Adelphi, Milano, 1996.

Teaching methods

The course is based on lectures dealing with the program topics, supplemented by seminars on specific subjects and some practical exercises.

Assessment methods

Student evaluation consists of an oral exam on the entire course program. The student must show that he/she has acquired adequate general and systematic knowledge of the various topics and has mastered the scientific and methodological tools necessary for a reasoned analysis and criticism of the program subjects.

Teaching tools

Lectures will be given with the assistance of traditional supports, as well as slide and computer projections.

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Gruppioni