Symposium 2021

The course of human evolution is defined by a multifaceted interplay of biological and cultural factors, which comprise the focus of a diverse spectrum of scientific fields, including cultural archaeology, biological anthropology, biomechanics, linguistics, and paleogenetics. Without interdisciplinary frameworks, a compelete and reliable approach to various complex aspects of biocultural evolution would be impossible. Therefore, the symposium intended to build bridges between the different disciplines and to open a forum of discussion on integrative approaches. In order to do so, the symposium included one session on “Theoretical considerations in reconstructions of human behavior”, which envisioned to enable a critical discussion of various hypotheses and / or interdisciplinary methods used to approach aspects of bio-cultural evolution and lifestyle in the past (with a special emphasis on tool use and physical activity). The second session focused on “Biocultural Implications in Language Evolution and Diffusion”, where the combination of cultural, genetic, and social aspects with linguistic components provided new insights in the evolution of languages, their diversity and contact scenarios.

In order to open up a forum of discussion to gain new insights in the biocultural coevolution of the different scientific fields, we invited several recognized scientists who are specialists in their field of research. We experienced two days full of new insights, interdisciplinary exchanges, and interesting discussions.