Learning objectives
Let the students be able to understand and reconstruct the evolution of human-environment relationship during time.
Supply the students to individualize the biological-cultural interactions of the human adaptation to the environment.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
Human ecology: definition and contents. Elements of prehistorical ecology, palaeobiology and human evolution. Environment and its main changes during Quaternary. The physical environment: climate and bioma (the bioma of forest, savanna, desert and sub-arctic zones). Actual human populations: human variability and racial classifications. Analysis of the concept of "race". Human populations: somatic, physiological and cultural characteristics and land distribution. Adaptations of the human populations to the different natural and artificial environments: physiological adaptation, genetic adaptation, cultural adaptation. Man and the climatic environment: biological and cultural strategies of adaptation to the different climates and habitat. Man, territories and alimentary resources: energetic requirement, bioma, productive processes and economy of scale. Demografic aspects.
Full programme
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Bibliography
-lecture notes provided by the professor
-one of the following books:
Behringer Wolfgang, 2013. Storia culturale del clima. Bollati Boringhieri Editori.
Ingold Tim, 2001. Ecologia della cultura. Meltemi Edu.
Diamond Jared, 1997. Uomini, Acciaio e malattie. Einaudi.
Teaching methods
Durante le lezioni verranno discusse le problematiche generali connesse con le metodologie di ricerca applicate alla ricerca antropologica e preistorica e ai differenti approcci adottati nel corso del tempo. Il corso sarà affiancato da un laboratorio di paleontologia umana, nel corso del quale gli studenti potranno osservare calchi di fossili di ominidi e altri primati e differenti tipologie di strumenti preistoric
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination
Other information
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