The Why of War and the How of Peace, Part II: Lessons from Prehistory ~ Douglas P. Fry

<p>How old is war? Does it stretch deep into human origins, or did warfare become common only as growing populations settled down? </p><p>In Part II of this conversation with Douglas P. Fry, we return to the long-running debate about the origins of war. </p><p>Fry revisits his argument that aggression is ancient, but war is not. I put that claim to the test, raising some of the strongest objections from archaeology and the study of modern hunter-gatherers. We discuss Jebel Sahaba, nomadic and settled foragers, food storage, marine resources, population growth, and the archaeological sequences through which warfare seems to emerge in different parts of the world.</p><p>Is war an ancient adaptation—or a more recent cultural development? And is the answer relevant to our modern quest for a more peaceful world?</p><p>Enjoy!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>FACT-CHECKING</strong></p><p>No factual errors have been detected in this conversation, but there is a potentially unfair criticism of Wrangham and Glowacki&#39;s (2012) methodology. Contrary to the impression offered by the episode, the authors had explicitly excluded Malaysian hunter-gatherer groups on the grounds of substantial contact with surrounding farming and state societies. </p><p>For the original exchange, see <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22388773/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Wrangham &amp; Glowacki&#39;s (2012) </a>and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267631384_Myths_about_hunter-gatherers_redux_nomadic_forager_war_and_peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Fry &amp; Söderberg (2014).</a></p><p>If you notice an error, please get in touch via Substack or the form below.</p><p><br><strong>LINKS</strong></p><p>Fry&#39;s 2026 book: <a href="https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/advanced-introduction-to-conflict-resolution-9781035323906.html?srsltid=AfmBOop4R1nmBFiTFWqhstP-Y61-Lur2z-hMudw6z4X5e86_AN5CrcOq" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠<em>Advanced Introduction to Conflict Resolution</em>⁠</a></p><p>Support: ⁠⁠<a href="Patreon.com/OnHumans" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Patreon.com/OnHumans⁠⁠</a></p><p>Articles &amp; newsletter: ⁠⁠<a href="OnHumans.Substack.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">OnHumans.Substack.com⁠⁠</a></p><p>Get in touch: ⁠⁠<a href="https://forms.gle/h5wcmefuwvD6asos8%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://forms.gle/h5wcmefuwvD6asos8⁠⁠</a></p><p>Music credit: Aleks