Session 3: Cities, Scale, and Political Hierarchy
Recommended reading: The Dawn of Everything, Chapters 8-9.
It is often assumed that as societies become more dense and complex, top-down forms of governance inevitably emerge in order to maintain order. Drawing on evidence from Mesoamerica, Ukraine, China, and the Indus Valley, Graber & Wengrow argue that the story is far more complex. In this session, we will assess their argument and what it means for our understanding of ancient cities.
About the Dawn of Everything Book Club Series
How did our distant ancestors live? And what can this tell us about our contemporary world? Drawing on wide-ranging research in archaeology and anthropology, The Dawn of Everything is an ambitious attempt to overturn the conventional narrative about human history, including the origins of farming, property, cities, and democracy, and replace it with a more accurate, interesting, and unpredictable story.
This event series will feature experts from across the UW-Madison campus providing their assessment of the book and how it might change the way we think about and teach the deep past as well as what it tells us about the present. Be sure to register today to take part in this exciting event.
