Mrs Janet Howard

Research summary

I am interested in so-called 'Harmful Cultural Practices' (HCPs) and why such practices exist and persist despite the apparent harm that they cause.

The specific behaviours I am interested in include Female Genital Cutting (FGC), early marriage and early pregnancy, supplementary breastfeeding behaviours, and female autonomy and domestic violence. The UN and WHO recognise many other HCPs including dowry and bridewealth practices, milk teeth extraction, preferential treatment of male children and neglect of female children, nutritional taboos and traditional birth practices.

I am interested in examining whether evolutionary theory (human behavioural ecology and cultural evolution) can be useful in understanding the persistence of these behaviours ...

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Recent publications

• Howard, JA & Gibson, MA, 2019, ‘Is there a link between paternity concern and female genital cutting in West Africa?’. Evolution and Human Behavior, vol 40., pp. 1-11
• Howard, J & Gibson, M, 2017, ‘Frequency-dependent female genital cutting behaviour confers evolutionary fitness benefits’. Nature Ecology and Evolution, vol 1.

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View complete publications list in the University of Bristol publications system