One of the basic assumptions of Western culture is that monogamy is superior to polygamy and polyamory as a relationship form. A recent article by psychologists at the University of Michigan found no evidence for these assumptions. The article “A Critical Examination of Popular Assumptions about the Benefits and Outcomes of Monogamous Relationships” concludes from …read more
On december 13th 2012 the german radio station SWR 2 in its series Impulse had a five minute feature by renowned german journalist Werner Bloch about the book Sex at Dawn by Chris Ryan and Cacilda Jethá. The feature summarizes the main points of the book in an entertaining and easy to understand way and provides …read more
When a book like Sex at Dawn 1 by Christopher Ryan (PhD) and his wife Cacilda Jethá (MD), becomes a New York Times bestseller, gets praised as “most important book about human sexuality since Kinsey” and is showered with awards around the world, that is already some indication that it might be worth reading. If …read more
We all know by now that the title “All in” of the book by Paula Broadwell about General David Petraeus was not referring to the old poker phrase. But what many do not know: Petraeus – in some way – just continued a military traditon from World War II Bomber pilots of the US Air …read more
The award-winning study “A survey of non-classical polyandry” by Katie Starkweather and her co-author Raymond Hames shows that polyandry can be found in more societies as previously thought. It occurs worldwide and is mainly found in egalitarian societies. According to her results Starkweather maintains that “polyandry likely existed during early human history and should be …read more
Christopher Ryan explains the key arguments of “Sex at Dawn” at the TED Talent Search in Vancouver in June 2012. You will hardly get a better summary, and watch out for the wonderful table with a comparison of the genitalia of different species of monkeys (humans are monkeys, too), if you want to understanda little …read more
Polygamy is usually portrayed as an old-fashioned form of life that brings economic disadvantage, discriminates women and is incompatible with a democratic society. In a recent scientific study, the economics professors David de la Croix and Fabio Mariani of the Université Catholique de Louvain present the thesis, that polygamy, in the form of polygyny, is …read more
