In this innovative, wide-ranging synthesis of anthropology and biogeography, Alexander Harcourt tells how and why our species came to be distributed around the world. He explains our current understanding of human origins, tells how climate determined our spread, and describes the barriers that delayed and directed migrating people. He explores the rich and complex ways in which our anatomy, physiology, cultural diversity, and population density vary from region to region in the areas we inhabit. The book closes with chapters on how human cultures have affected each other's geographic distributions, how non-human species have influenced human distribution, and how humans have reduced the ranges of many other species while increasing the ranges of others. Throughout, Harcourt compares what we understand of human biogeography to non-human primate biogeography.

About the Author
Alexander H. Harcourt is Professor Emeritus in the Anthropology Department at the University of California, Davis. He is the coauthor of Gorilla Society and coeditor of Coalitions and Alliances in Humans and Other Animals.

Reviews
"A remarkable achievement." Science (AAAS) "Bridges the gap between biogeography and anthropology... Human Biogeography represents a valuable contribution to a complex science." -- William E. Banks Qtly Review Of Biology "A splendid achievement... Constitutes an accessible, data-rich assessment of biogeography." -- G. A. Clark American Journal of Anthropology "A remarkable achievement. The book firmly establishes its subject as an important discipline ... it will undoubtedly attract more attention to the field." -- John P. Hart Science (AAAS)



Book Information
ISBN 9780520272118
Author Alexander Harcourt
Format Hardback
Page Count 328
Imprint University of California Press
Publisher University of California Press
Weight(grams) 635g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 23mm