What
is the CECD? |
| The CECD is an AHRC funded research group dedicated to examining the
evolutionary underpinnings of human cultural behaviour, past and present. more> |
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Schedule |
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Synopsis
Unit 1: Introduction to Phylogenetics
The first session will be a general introduction to phylogenetics
to familiarise participants with modern cultural evolutionary theory
and the wide range of techniques available to answer research questions.
Unit 2: Cladistics theory
Cladistics was originally developed to reconstruct the descent of species, but
has recently been used to study the evolution of languages and artefact traditions.
In each case, the key challenge is to distinguish similarities that are due to
shared ancestry (homologies) from those arising through processes other than
descent (homoplasy), such as independent evolution or horizontal transmission
across lineages. This introduction will explain the specific ways in which cladistics
addresses this challenge, discuss some of the objections that have been raised
against it, and briefly consider some alternative approaches such as phylogenetic
networks.
Unit 3: Cladistics practical
The practical session will familiarise participants with two of the
most popular and versatile software progams for carrying out cladistic
analysis: PAUP 4.0*, and MacClade. Using example cultural artefacts,
we will cover every stage of data preparation and analysis, from coding
characters and constructing a matrix, to selecting an outgroup or ancestral
taxon, ordering character states and generating a 'family tree' for
the artefacts. We will also learn how to interpret the tree and test
how well it accounts for patterns of change in the data.
Unit
4: Comparative method theory
Comparative methods let us use phylogenies to answer questions about
evolutionary processes. We can investigate the timing and nature of historical
events, the rate of cultural change, infer ancestral states, and test hypotheses
about coevolution and adaptation. The introduction will describe what comparative
methods are, when they are needed, and the types of cultural evolution questions
that can be addressed.
Unit 5: Comparative method practical
Participants will learn to use the wide range of comparative methods
implemented in the BayesTraits software (Pagel and Meade). We will:
- cover independent contrasts, likelihood and Bayesian Markov Chain
Monte Carlo approaches
- learn which methods are appropriate for different
types of data (discrete or continuous)
- learn how to reconstruct
ancestral states, test for correlated evolution, and test
the direction of evolutionary change
Unit 6: Clinic
The programme will end with a 'clinic', where the tutors will be
on hand to offer advice on participants' own research projects.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own datasets to explore
the appropriateness of comparative methods for addressing their
research questions.
Timetable
SS1 (Sept 15th-19th 2008): Cultural phylogenetics and the analysis
of variation
| Day |
Time |
Topic |
Proposed Tutors |
| Mon 15th Sept |
3pm – 6pm |
Intro to cultural evolutionary studies and to the
Summer School |
(organizers) |
| Tues 16th Sept |
10.30am – 13.30pm |
Unit 1: Introduction to Phylogenetics
|
Jamie Tehrani / Fiona Jordan |
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14.30pm - 16.30pm |
Unit 2: Cladistics theory |
Jamie Tehrani |
| Wed 17th Sept |
10.30am – 16.30pm |
Unit 3: Cladistics practical |
Jamie Tehrani |
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19.00pm onwards |
Evening meal |
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| Thurs 18th Sept |
10.30am – 13.30pm |
Unit 4: Comparative methods theory |
Ruth Mace / Fiona Jordan |
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14.30pm - 16.30pm |
Unit 5: Comparative methods practical |
Ruth Mace / Fiona Jordan |
| Fri 19th Sept |
10.30am – 12.30pm |
Unit 5: Comparative methods practical |
Ruth Mace/Fiona Jordan |
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14.30pm - 16.30pm |
Unit 6: Clinic |
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17.30pm – 7pm |
Closing event with drinks |
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