Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (7)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Chisholm, J. S
Right arrow Articles by Burbank, V. K
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Chisholm, J. S
Right arrow Articles by Burbank, V. K
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

International Journal of Epidemiology 2001;30:206-211
© International Epidemiological Association 2001

Review

Evolution and inequality

James S Chisholma and Victoria K Burbankb

a Department of Anatomy and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6907, Australia. E-mail: jchisholm{at}anhb.uwa.edu.au
b Department of Anthropology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6907, Australia. E-mail: vburbank{at}arts.uwa.edu.au

Abstract

Some scientists remain wary of evolutionary theory because of its supposed genetic determinism and insensitivity to the inequalities often associated with gender, race and class. Our aim is to show that such fears are outdated and to foster a role for evolutionary theory in public health. We use complex adaptive systems theory and the concept of a tradeoff between current and future reproduction to argue that when the future is objectively risky and uncertain the optimal reproductive strategy will often be to reproduce at a young age and/or high rate. Because reproducing early and/or often can lead to ill health and shortened lives, and because inequality is a major source of environmental risk and uncertainty, we argue that any attempt to use evolutionary theory to understand human reproduction, health or wellbeing must include considerations of inequality and social capital.

Keywords Evolutionary ecology, reproductive strategies, risk and uncertainty, cost of reproduction, social capital


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Public HealthHome page
D. A Lawlor, S. Frankel, M. Shaw, S. Ebrahim, and G. D. Smith
Smoking and Ill Health: Does Lay Epidemiology Explain the Failure of Smoking Cessation Programs Among Deprived Populations?
Am J Public Health, February 1, 2003; 93(2): 266 - 270.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.