For roughly 95% of our species’ history, humans had lived in relatively small groups and relied primarily on hunting and gathering for sustenance. Despite the development of agriculture and industry, these societies and cultures have persisted into the modern era in many parts of the world. Yet, considerable misunderstandings and prejudices remain regarding the nature of such communities.
In this episode of Talking History, Djene and Patrick speak with anthropologist Dr. Liz Sobel about some of the common misconceptions about Hunter-Gatherer communities and ask how and why such communities have persisted into the modern era.
In Talking History Extra, continued at 33:45 the audio, Dr. Sobel discusses her work with Native American Hunter-Gather societies, her experiences working with indigenous communities, and some of the issues facing such communities.
• Kelly, Robert L. (2013). The Lifeways of Hunter-Gatherers: The Foraging Spectrum. Cambridge University Press; 2nd Revised edition.
Book Recommendations
• Lee, Richard B., and Richard Daly. (1999). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Hunters and Gatherers. Cambridge University Press.
• Brody, Hugh. (2001). The Other Side of Eden : Hunters, Farmers, and the Shaping of the World. First American edition. North Point Press.
• Anderson A, Chilczuk S, Nelson K, Ruther R, Wall-Scheffler C (2023) The Myth of Man the Hunter: Women’s contribution to the hunt across ethnographic contexts. PLoS ONE 18(6): e0287101. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287101
• Anderson, K. (2005) Tending the wild: Native American knowledge and the management of California's natural resources. University of California Press.
Dr. Liz Sobel is an anthropologist based at Missouri State University. Her research interests include archaeology and ethnohistory of North America, with a focus on the Pacific Northwest and Ozarks regions and is a specialist in the anthropology of hunter-gatherers.
Talking History is a collaboration between the Missouri State University Department of History and KSMU.
