Objectif Humans live in groups of huge numbers of genetically unrelated individuals due to culturally-inherited social rules (“institutions”) that structure groups and provide solutions to coordination and collective action problems. However, only in certain places have societies developed more “inclusive” institutions (e.g. democratic governance, the rule of law) that enable the majority of the population (not just elites) to participate in economic and political activities. Fundamental questions about the evolution of institutions still remain. This project will go beyond existing research by employing an overarching cultural evolutionary framework to address a number of outstanding issues such as: How do institutions evolve over time?, How do cultural and ecological factors affect how institutions emerge and spread?, Why have certain institutions emerged or been adopted in only a limited number of places? I will apply innovative statistical, computational and theoretical models from biology to formally and rigorously test a range of hypotheses concerning the evolution of institutions. The project has 3 main objectives (O). In O1 I will use phylogenetic methods to infer the entangled evolutionary history of the institutions that groups possess. In O2 I will employ epidemiological and comparative statistical models, to investigate what factors affect the probability of institutions spreading between societies. In O3 I will use computer simulations to examine how ecological and social factors have led to the emergence of institutions for collective action in some parts of the world but not others. The objectives of this project therefore involve both modelling and empirically assessing theories using cross-national and historical data on institutions and other relevant variables. This more integrated approach will create a step-change in our understanding of institutional change and how evolutionary and ecological processes have shaped the world we live in today. Champ scientifique social sciencessociologygovernancenatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologynatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsstatistics and probabilitysocial scienceslawnatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model Mots‑clés cultural evolution human behavioural ecology human evolutionary ecology cultural phylogenetics phylogenetic comparative methods agent-based simulation socio-political evolution social evolution Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Thème(s) ERC-2016-STG - ERC Starting Grant Appel à propositions ERC-2016-STG Voir d’autres projets de cet appel Régime de financement ERC-STG - Starting Grant Institution d’accueil THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER Contribution nette de l'UE € 1 499 462,00 Adresse THE QUEEN'S DRIVE NORTHCOTE HOUSE EX4 4QJ Exeter Royaume-Uni Voir sur la carte Région South West (England) Devon Devon CC Type d’activité Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Participation aux programmes de R&I de l'UE Opens in new window Réseau de collaboration HORIZON Opens in new window Coût total € 1 499 462,00 Bénéficiaires (1) Trier par ordre alphabétique Trier par contribution nette de l'UE Tout développer Tout réduire THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER Royaume-Uni Contribution nette de l'UE € 1 499 462,00 Adresse THE QUEEN'S DRIVE NORTHCOTE HOUSE EX4 4QJ Exeter Voir sur la carte Région South West (England) Devon Devon CC Type d’activité Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Participation aux programmes de R&I de l'UE Opens in new window Réseau de collaboration HORIZON Opens in new window Coût total € 1 499 462,00