Workshop: The reconstruction of human history through an interdisciplinary approach

The methods used for the reconstruction of human history have dramatically changed in the last decades. New and affordable technologies for data collection and collaborative, open-access databases improve the availability of genetic, linguistic and geographic information. This has led to an increasing demand for analytical methodology to process and interpret these diverse datasets. Various research fields, such as linguistics, human biology, geography, archaeology, have not traditionally interacted much in the past, leading to a fractured science, with limited knowledge within each discipline.

This three-day workshop aims to promote the close collaboration between different research fields by showcasing the results such collaboration can generate, by creating a workframe that enhances the integration of students and researchers, and by bringing together young researchers from these various disciplines and facilitate networking and exchange of knowledge. As part of this aim, we want to promote the multidisciplinary aspects of human history in a way also accessible to undergraduate students, and give scope for established and young researchers in the interdisciplinary field of human history to present and discuss their research.

The University of Zürich is engaged in interdisciplinary research on human history in multiple projects, e.g.
Out of Asia Sinergia Project
NCCR Evolving Language
Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution 

In this context there are a broad range of opportunities to present research and hear about research in other disciplines in meetings and workshops. However, the interdisciplinary work has also shown that the different backgrounds can make it hard to understand the foundations and to comprehend the relevance and possibly limitations of the research others are presenting. In this workshop we want to draw from the existing expertise here in Zürich and additional inputs from invited experts to establish this common foundation and to spark further interest in the different areas and projects. As such, the workshop is aimed at young researchers and undergraduates of UZH, but young researchers from other institutes are invited to register with the organizers, subject to available spaces.

The workshop will take place from Monday 30^th of August to Wednesday 1^st of September 2021 at the Irchel campus of the University of Zurich. As a networking opportunity, the option to meet face-to-face is an important aspect of the workshop. As such, we are following the current developments closely. We will provide COVID antigen tests for each participant to ensure a safe workshop for everyone.

Every talk will include a discussion that highlights the importance of the interdisciplinary approach to their research questions. Talks will be followed by a moderated discussion session, where we try to promote feedback and questions from the different fields.

The workshop is open for registration and we especially welcome early career researchers. To register please e-mail us at nico.neureiter@uzh.ch. Please include a short description of your research or degree and briefly explain why you would like to participate in the workshop.