About the Topic
This theme group seeks to bridge a gap between the sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities where it concerns the study of human migrations and diasporas through evidence generated by research on ancient and modern DNA and on stable isotope data derived from archaeological contexts. These new investigative technologies have substantially enhanced, even completely transformed and revolutionized our knowledge of how modern populations relate to their ancestors. Work in this area operates on the assumption that as long as the science is done well enough, the results are not really in need of further historical and cultural interpretation and contextualization. However, this new evidence is in need of cultural and historical interpretation, particularly because these data can be abused so easily. In order to advance here, it is clear that we need to craft new, or at least better, pathways between the life sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
NIAS-Lorentz Program
This Theme Group is part of the NIAS-Lorentz Program, which promotes cutting-edge interdisciplinary research that brings together perspectives from the Humanities and/or Social Sciences on the one hand and the Natural sciences and/or Technological Sciences on the other. Read more about NIAS-Lorentz theme groups.
