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Exploring the Evolutionary Roots of Biological and Cultural Diversity

Brief description of the stages in your 3-year plan.

Despite popular adages like “If you don’t learn from the past you’re doomed to repeat it,” many people fail to see why an understanding of the past (and of the prehistoric past in particular) is important to modern society. This is not an indictment of people’s knowledge or education but of archaeology’s ability to communicate the importance of the past to the broader general public. Among other things, knowledge of the prehistoric past has the ability to re-frame our perspectives about the world in which we live, as it provides a greater understanding of where that world came from. Such change in perspective is not trivial—it is the first step toward establishing the kinds of change in human attitudes and behaviors that is needed to tackle many societal issues. One realm of society to which this knowledge can greatly contribute is that of racial, cultural, and other forms of societal diversity, the roots of which extend deep into the prehistoric past. Exploring these roots can help us better understand where this diversity comes from and why it is of benefit to all human societies.

The community action plan developed here sets out to educate the general public about the evolutionary roots of the racial and cultural diversity that exists in the world today, and on the importance of understanding the prehistoric past more generally. This will be done by developing educational workshops for high school students that are part of the Sacramento City Unified School District, workshops that I hope to then develop into lectures designed at reaching a wider public audience (and that could be presented in contexts such as university venues, the Museum of Science and Curiosity, and more). Over the next three years I plan to develop and begin running these workshops in a select number of area high schools, and make contacts with other community partners whose venues could provide spaces for reaching broader segments of the general public.

Reflection on PLC (approximately 200 – 300 words):

As a new professor at Sac State, I enrolled in this PLC as a way to learn more about the institution’s objectives as an anchor university and to begin thinking about ways that I could serve the Sacramento community (to which I was brand new last year). Nine months later, I am very pleased with my decision to do so. Though there were times I felt I could have gained more from this PLC had I been more familiar with both the university and the city, it has nonetheless been a very productive and enjoyable experience. Because of this PLC I have greatly advanced my ideas on community engagement, both as a general practice and in the specific ways that I might pursue such engagement in Sacramento. It has also led me to create a workable (even if evolving) three-year community action plan (see below) that addresses important social issues and is reflective of many key values held by both the PLC and the university as a whole, such as anti-racism, civic learning, and more.

Photo(s) or graphic representation(s) of elements of your 3-year plan:

Understanding where our diversity comes from helps us understand why it should be celebrated.

Understanding where our diversity comes from helps us understand why it should be celebrated (photo from The Economist).

Documentation: upload and create a link to your deliverable:

Berrey PLC Action Plan.pdf

Faculty Photo and Short Bio:

individual photo Adam Berrey is an archaeological anthropologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology. He received his PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014. Prior to joining Sac State in 2021, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Anthropology at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. His research focuses on understanding the evolutionary origins of sociopolitical inequality and the demographic processes associated with its development. He specializes in the archaeology of the Isthmo-Colombian Area and conducts field research in central and eastern Panama.