Description

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In 1987, the University of Chicago Press published Primate Societies, the standard reference in the field of primate behavior for an entire generation of students and scientists. But in the twenty-five years since its publication, new theories and research techniques for studying the Primate order have been developed, debated, and tested, forcing scientists to revise their understanding of our closest living relatives.

Intended as a sequel to Primate Societies, The Evolution of Primate Societies compiles thirty-one chapters that review the current state of knowledge regarding the behavior of nonhuman primates. Chapters are written by the leading authorities in the field and organized around four major adaptive problems primates face as they strive to grow, maintain themselves, and reproduce in the wild. The inclusion of chapters on the behavior of humans at the end of each major section represents one particularly novel aspect of the book, and it will remind readers what we can learn about ourselves through research on nonhuman primates. The final section highlights some of the innovative and cutting-edge research designed to reveal the similarities and differences between nonhuman and human primate cognition. The Evolution of Primate Societies will be every bit the landmark publication its predecessor has been.

About the Author

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John C. Mitani is the James N. Spuhler Collegiate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Michigan.

Josep Call is a senior scientist and director of the Wölfgang Kohler Primate Research Centre at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

Peter M. Kappeler is head of the Department of Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology/Anthropology at the University of Göttingen.

Ryne A. Palombit is associate professor of anthropology at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

Joan B. Silk is professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Institute for Society and Genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Praise For…

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“The Evolution of Primate Societies is certain to become an essential reference in primatology for years to come. It is a state of the art collection of theoretically grounded reviews in primatology—arguably the best such compilation available—and is undoubtedly already required reading for undergraduate and graduate courses alike. Intelligent editorial decisions have yielded a volume that does not conflict with but instead complements its alter ego, Primates in Perspective, and the two will most certainly walk hand-in-hand to guide the next generation of primatologists.”
— Larissa Swedell, Queens College

“Highly recommended.”
— E. Delson, CUNY Herbert H. Lehman College

“This textbook consists of well-referenced reviews with handy chapter summaries and is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses.”
— W. Scott McGraw, Ohio State University

“This volume is a most impressive collection of insightful, up-to-date reviews of the major issues in our understanding of the behavior and ecology of primates, including humans. It is a landmark publication and the essential starting point for future research.”
— John G. Fleagle, Stony Brook University