This book presents a concise yet comprehensive survey of methods used in the expanding studies of human evolution, paying particular attention to new work on social evolution. The first part of the book presents principal methods for the study of biological, cultural, and social evolution, plus migration, group behavior, institutions, politics, and environment. The second part provides a chronological and analytical account of the development of these methods from 1850 to the present, showing how multidisciplinary rose to link physical, biological, ecological, and social sciences. The work is especially relevant for readers in history and social sciences but will be of interest to readers in biological and ecological fields who are interested in exploring a wide range of evolutionary studies.

Patrick Manning is Andrew W. Mellon Professor of World History, Emeritus, at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was the founding director of the World History Center from 2008 to 2015. Mannnign served as president of the American Historical Association from 2016-2017, and is currently the president of the World History Network. He has authored and edited over  fifteen books, including the forthcoming title A History of Humanity (2020).

1.Introduction.- Part I: Methods for Human History.- 2. Human Evolution: Biological, Cultural, and Social.- 3. Physical Science and Biological Coevolution.- 4. Systems and Information Science.- 5. Behavior of Individuals and Groups.- 6. Study of Human Institutions.- 7. Emotions and Human Nature

Part II: Disciplines and Theories.- 8. Disciplines and their Evolution.- 9. Natural Selection in an Imperial Era, 1850-1945.- 10. DNA in a Progressive Era, 1945-1980.- 11. Ecology and Society in a Neoliberal Era, 1980-2010.- 12. Cross-Disciplinary Analysis in Global Tension, 2010-2020.