Mark W. Moffett Books
Mark W. Moffett is an American biologist, explorer, and author known for his research on animal behavior and social organization.
Known for: The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall
Books by Mark W. Moffett
The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall
In this original work of social biology, Mark W. Moffett explores how human societies form, sustain themselves, and collapse. Drawing on evolutionary biology, anthropology, and psychology, Moffett compares human social organization to that of other species, explaining how identity, trust, and social cohesion enable large-scale cooperation among strangers. The book examines the mechanisms that allow societies to expand and the vulnerabilities that lead to their fragmentation.
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The Nature of Social Identity
Every society, no matter how rudimentary or complex, is built on identity. In my fieldwork and reading across species—from ants to primates—it became clear that social cohesion always depends on distinguishing who belongs and who does not. For humans, this sense of belonging transcends biological ki...
From The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall
The Role of Recognition Systems
If identity tells us who we are, recognition systems tell us how to maintain it. Among ants, specific pheromones define colony membership. Among humans, recognition operates on multiple levels: facial familiarity, language, clothing, symbols, even accents. I argue that such systems are the scaffoldi...
From The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall
About Mark W. Moffett
Mark W. Moffett is an American biologist, explorer, and author known for his research on animal behavior and social organization. He has written extensively on ants and human societies and has contributed to National Geographic and other scientific publications.
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Mark W. Moffett is an American biologist, explorer, and author known for his research on animal behavior and social organization.
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