The Rise and Fall of Complex Societies | Open Course

Civilization represents the apex of human socio-political achievement and its destruction the epitome of societal failure. We will evaluate definitions of civilization and collapse and conduct a survey of civilizations from history. Cultures examined will span the Bronze Age to Modernity and from geographical regions covering Eurasia to the Americas. We shall evaluate theories and models of the behavioural and natural factors that nurtured success and precipitated failure to identify commonalities and idiosyncratic circumstances across space and time.

This open course allows the audience to become conversant in theory associated with the dynamics of complex societies and be able to apply these in a critical manner to contemporary times.

Jay Silverstein is an anthropological archaeologist (PhD Penn State) with extensive international experience. In support of his international and interdisciplinary work, he also holds affiliate positions with the University of Hawaii and Cranfield College and is an Explorer with the National Geographic Society. Prior to coming to the SAS, Jay worked with the US military searching for missing soldiers from past wars. In the search for the missing, Jay developed a nationally recognized Enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS) to track the investigation and recovery of 80,000 missing persons. Jay currently co-directs an archaeological project and field school in at the Graeco-Roman city of Thmouis (Tell Timai) in the Egyptian Nile Delta. The well-preserved city offers a unique opportunity to analyze the cultural transformations associated with Greek and Roman imperialism and the evolution of religions from the indigenous Egyptian pantheon through Christianity.