People
Our team combines expertise from anthropology, psychology, history, evolutionary science and related disciplines to explore the origins of cooperation, conflict and collective behaviour. Together, we conduct research that advances academic understanding while informing policy and addressing some of the world's most pressing social challenges.
Leadership
Harvey Whitehouse
Harvey Whitehouse is an anthropologist whose research focuses on the evolution of social complexity. One of the founders of the cognitive science of religion, Harvey is well known for his theory of "modes of religiosity," which explains how the frequency and emotional intensity of collective rituals influence the scale and structure of religious organisations. He is Chair of Social Anthropology at the University of Oxford and a Professorial Fellow of Magdalen College.
Lab Group Leaders
Dr Julia Ebner
Dr Julia Ebner is a researcher specialising in radicalisation, extremism and terrorism studies. She is a postdoctoral researcher at the Calleva Centre of Evolution and Human Sciences at the Magdalen College, Oxford, where she studies why authoritarian leaders use violence to achieve their objectives.
Dr Martha Newsom
Dr Martha Newson uses an evolutionary angle to understand human culture and behaviour. She focuses on the themes of belonging, ritual and transformative experiences, themes central to both her academic research and her consultancy practice, with clients including the Premier League, Hyundai, and Guinness.
Dr Lukas Reinhardt
Dr Lukas Reinhardt is a behavioural economist specialising in global identity and social cohesion on a global scale. He is also a research affiliate at the Identity and Conflict Lab at Yale University and has conducted his doctoral studies at the Department of Economics at the University of Cologne.
Collaborating researchers
Dr Quentin Atkinson, The Global Cohesion Lab
Dr Joshua Bamford, The Social Body Lab
Professor Chris Beedie, The Social Body Lab
Dr Sophie Berdugo, The Social Body Lab
Dr Arran Davis, The Social Body Lab
Dr Liudmila Gamaiunova, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Dr Michael Gantley, The World History Lab
Dr Sergey Gavrilets, The World History Lab
Dr Aaron Greenhouse-Tucknott, The Social Body Lab
Professor Martin Hewitt, The World History Lab
Dr Rohan Kapitány, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Dr Brian Klaas, The Violent Extremism Lab
Kolbrun Kristinsdottir, The Violent Extremism Lab
Dr Jennifer Larson, The World History Lab
Professor Nirmala Menon, The World History Lab
Dr Michal Misiak, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Dr Dan Mullins, The World History Lab
Dr Barbara Muzzulini, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Dr Linus Peitz, The Changing Lives Lab
Professor Elaine Reese, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Dr Suzanne Reich, The Changing Lives Lab
Dr Dor Shilton, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Dr Bronwyn Tarr, The Social Body Lab
Dr Bahar Tuncgenc, The Social Body Lab
Professor Peter Turchin, The World History Lab
Dr Valerie van Mulukom, The Violent Extremism Lab
Dr Claire White, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Students
Ali Giritlioğlu, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Robert Jagiello, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Gabri Paone, The Social Body Lab
Daniel Revach, The Ritual, Cohesion and Charisma Lab
Leonard Goodall, The Violent Extremism Lab