Nature and society. The evolutionary perspective in sociology

The book addresses classic topics in sociology, such as culture, socialization or status and role, but adds a new perspective in the understanding of society and the individual, inspired by the ideas of neo-Darwinian evolutionism. This approach is less used in sociology, where the so-called “standard model” is preferred, which explains the social aspects of human existence by invoking cultural factors that are considered to have a given and ultimate character. The evolutionary perspective goes a step further, as it allows even the explanation of these cultural elements by invoking causes that target human nature itself, which is a product of the interaction between factors related to biological heredity (nature) and those in which the influence of the social eand cultural environment is manifested (nurture), being irreducible to any of them. Consequently, the book can be useful to all those interested in the classical problems of sociology in unconventional and trans-disciplinary approaches, whether they are students, researchers or people interested in understanding human behaviour.