THE INSTITUTE AND ITS GOALS

The general lack of knowledge of the natural history of Man is a distressing feature of modern culture. And even though fields of human study, such as Philosophy and Psychology, place Man at their centre, they often lack a positivistic approach, placing speculation and assumption above scientific facts. The sciences, by contrast, are often so specialised or reductionist in scope that they forget that Man is a complex phenomenon, both in terms of time and space.

Therefore, more than 30 years ago, the International Institute for Humankind Studies (IIHS), was founded at the University of Florence, to provide an international forum for the furtherance of all fields of knowledge inherent in the study and conservation of Man. Through seminars, conferences, research projects, and the publication of three academic, quarterly journals: ‘Human Evolution’, ‘The International Journal of Anthropology’ and ‘Global Bioethics,’ the IIHS draws upon the expertise of some of the world’s most prominent minds, and invites the public’s participation in order to diffuse ideas, encourage debate and elaborate thinking on how best to ensure the survival of our species, together with those beings who share our physical and biological environment.

International Institute for Humankind Studies Laboratorio di Antropologia e Etnologia, University of Florence,

Via del Proconsolo, 12, 50122 , Firenze.

Tel.: +39 055 2757747

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