Mali – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

Evolution of Religious Patriarchy as a Mate-Guarding Strategy?

By Guest PostJune 15, 2012Culture, Scienceadultery, african population, african society, beverly strassmann, Bible, biological anthropologist, brenda gillespie, brendan hugg, christianity, contraception, cuckoldry, dogon belief, dogon people, dogon practice, eneticist, erin burke, evolution, female sexuality, fertility status, fidelity, genetic data, ideology, indigenous, islam, Mali, menstrual huts, menstrual taboos, michael hammer, monotheistic religion, nikhil kurapati, pollution, quran, rates of cuckoldry, religious patriarchy, religious practices, sacred texts, tatiana karafet, traditional, united states, university of arizona, university of michigan, village, virginity, west africa, word of god, y dna mismatch

One of the largest and longest studies in a traditional African society sheds light on religious practices and cuckoldry. Genetic data suggest religious patriarchy is directly analogous to the mate-guarding tactics used by animals to ensure paternity.

Religious practices that strongly control female sexuality are more successful at promoting certainty about paternity, according to a study published in the June 4, 2012 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In an interdisciplinary collaboration, a group of researchers around biological anthropologist Beverly Strassmann from the University of Michigan and University of Arizona geneticist Michael Hammer analyzed genetic data on 1,706 father-son pairs in a traditional African population – the Dogon people of Mali, West Africa – in which Islam, two types of Christianity and an indigenous, monotheistic religion are practiced in the same families and villages. (more…)

Q&A: Seeking “Real World” Solutions to Global Poverty

By Guest PostMarch 23, 2011Economybehavioral economics, brick and mortar, combat poverty, dean karlan, development economists, gates foundation, ghana, global poverty, innovations for poverty action, ipa, jacob appel, jordan goldberg, malawi, Mali, microcredit, microfinance, mobile money, uganda, wealthy nations, yale economist

In discussions of how best to solve global poverty, helping the 3 billion people living on less than $2.50 per day, development economists tend to fall into one of two camps.

One camp claims that wealthy nations contribute too few dollars to combat poverty. The other camp counters that money doesn’t guarantee poverty alleviation, and points to the $2.3 trillion spent in foreign aid over the past 50 years as evidence that throwing money at the problem won’t solve it. Despite their differences, both groups agree that some types of development interventions work better than others. (more…)

Personal Solar Panel Could Make Electricity More Accessible in the Developing World

By Guest PostJanuary 27, 2011Environmentabdrahamane traoré, amin and traoré, developers, dim light, emerald, engineering, june energy, kerosene, kerosene lamp, Mali, michigan, shanhoor amin, smartphone, solar panel, techarb

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— As a child in Mali, Abdrahamane Traoré often did his homework by the sooty, dim light of a kerosene lamp.

As an adult in Michigan, he sometimes has a tough time reaching his family back home. Traoré’s mother must walk to a neighboring village to keep a cell phone charged. (more…)

The Great Mosque of Djenne

By ShamsJuly 8, 20081 commentCulture, Holidays 'n Travelsdjenne, great mosque, Mali, UNESCO, World Heritage Site

The ‘Old Towns of Djenne’ is in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list since 1988. It is one of 855 properties enlisted by the Organization till now. The Great Mosque of Djenne is the largest mud brick building on Earth and one of Mali’s most visited tourists places. (more…)

Tag Archives: Mali

Evolution of Religious Patriarchy as a Mate-Guarding Strategy?

Q&A: Seeking “Real World” Solutions to Global Poverty

Personal Solar Panel Could Make Electricity More Accessible in the Developing World

The Great Mosque of Djenne