Kit Opie
@kitopie.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Anthropology, @bristolantharch.bsky.social University of Bristol - drivers of change in human evolution - origin of the state - origins of inequality.
Pinned
State formation across cultures and the role of grain, intensive agriculture, taxation and writing - Nature Human Behaviour
Opie and Atkinson conduct a global phylogenetic analysis of 868 cultures and find evidence indicating that cereal grain cultivation, not agricultural surplus, drove state formation. Their findings als...
www.nature.com
The invention of agriculture (around 9,000 years ago) spurred the rise of early states? NO. Our research www.nature.com/articles/s41... (with @drqueue.bsky.social) in @nathumbehav.nature.com supports an alternative theory that States almost invariably formed in societies that grew cereal grains.
The current discussion around tax would benefit from a look back in time don't you think? @meadwaj.bsky.social @paulmason.bsky.social @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
Tax the rich to help the poor? That’s certain NOT how states originally emerged. People were forced to grow grain because it was eminently taxable. Those taxes were then used to construct extreme hierarchies with the rich at the top. Writing was used to record taxes and build their institutions.
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The current discussion around tax would benefit from a look back in time don't you think? @meadwaj.bsky.social @paulmason.bsky.social @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
Tax the rich to help the poor? That’s certain NOT how states originally emerged. People were forced to grow grain because it was eminently taxable. Those taxes were then used to construct extreme hierarchies with the rich at the top. Writing was used to record taxes and build their institutions.
November 25, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Tax the rich to help the poor? That’s certain NOT how states originally emerged. People were forced to grow grain because it was eminently taxable. Those taxes were then used to construct extreme hierarchies with the rich at the top. Writing was used to record taxes and build their institutions.
Our research shows strong evidence to support James Scott's view of the origin of the state @lukekemp.bsky.social, as you discuss in your great book Goliath's Curse.
The invention of agriculture (around 9,000 years ago) spurred the rise of early states? NO. Our research www.nature.com/articles/s41... (with @drqueue.bsky.social) in @nathumbehav.nature.com supports an alternative theory that States almost invariably formed in societies that grew cereal grains.
State formation across cultures and the role of grain, intensive agriculture, taxation and writing - Nature Human Behaviour
Opie and Atkinson conduct a global phylogenetic analysis of 868 cultures and find evidence indicating that cereal grain cultivation, not agricultural surplus, drove state formation. Their findings als...
www.nature.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Our research shows strong evidence to support James Scott's view of the origin of the state @lukekemp.bsky.social, as you discuss in your great book Goliath's Curse.
Grain, tax and the birth of states. Great piece by @chrisnsimms.bsky.social www.newscientist.com/article/2505... in @newscientist.com on our research rdcu.be/eRGzT (with @drqueue.bsky.social) in @nathumbehav.nature.com. Understanding the origins of tax @newsagents.bsky.social for the budget.
Easily taxed grains were crucial to the birth of the first states
The cultivation of wheat, barley and maize, which are easily stored and taxed, seems to have led to the emergence of large societies, rather than agriculture generally
www.newscientist.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Grain, tax and the birth of states. Great piece by @chrisnsimms.bsky.social www.newscientist.com/article/2505... in @newscientist.com on our research rdcu.be/eRGzT (with @drqueue.bsky.social) in @nathumbehav.nature.com. Understanding the origins of tax @newsagents.bsky.social for the budget.
Reposted by Kit Opie
Congratulations to our own, @kitopie.bsky.social, and his colleague on this new @nathumbehav.nature.com paper on the role of cereal grains in the creation of early states! 🙌👏
Clink on the post below to access and enjoy 👇
Clink on the post below to access and enjoy 👇
The invention of agriculture (around 9,000 years ago) spurred the rise of early states? NO. Our research www.nature.com/articles/s41... (with @drqueue.bsky.social) in @nathumbehav.nature.com supports an alternative theory that States almost invariably formed in societies that grew cereal grains.
State formation across cultures and the role of grain, intensive agriculture, taxation and writing - Nature Human Behaviour
Opie and Atkinson conduct a global phylogenetic analysis of 868 cultures and find evidence indicating that cereal grain cultivation, not agricultural surplus, drove state formation. Their findings als...
www.nature.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Congratulations to our own, @kitopie.bsky.social, and his colleague on this new @nathumbehav.nature.com paper on the role of cereal grains in the creation of early states! 🙌👏
Clink on the post below to access and enjoy 👇
Clink on the post below to access and enjoy 👇
The invention of agriculture (around 9,000 years ago) spurred the rise of early states? NO. Our research www.nature.com/articles/s41... (with @drqueue.bsky.social) in @nathumbehav.nature.com supports an alternative theory that States almost invariably formed in societies that grew cereal grains.
State formation across cultures and the role of grain, intensive agriculture, taxation and writing - Nature Human Behaviour
Opie and Atkinson conduct a global phylogenetic analysis of 868 cultures and find evidence indicating that cereal grain cultivation, not agricultural surplus, drove state formation. Their findings als...
www.nature.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:11 AM
The invention of agriculture (around 9,000 years ago) spurred the rise of early states? NO. Our research www.nature.com/articles/s41... (with @drqueue.bsky.social) in @nathumbehav.nature.com supports an alternative theory that States almost invariably formed in societies that grew cereal grains.
Reposted by Kit Opie
My colleague Quentin Atkinson wrote this piece - How Not To Run a University. It is an insanely good read about how managerialism is destroying universities.
Make time for it. Talk about it. Share it.
quentinatkinson.substack.com/s/how-not-to...
Make time for it. Talk about it. Share it.
quentinatkinson.substack.com/s/how-not-to...
How not to run a university | Quentin’s Substack | Quentin Atkinson | Substack
A case study of one university’s managerial misadventures, why it is happening and what we can do about it. Click to read Quentin’s Substack, by Quentin Atkinson, a Substack publication. Launched a mo...
quentinatkinson.substack.com
July 19, 2025 at 8:54 AM
My colleague Quentin Atkinson wrote this piece - How Not To Run a University. It is an insanely good read about how managerialism is destroying universities.
Make time for it. Talk about it. Share it.
quentinatkinson.substack.com/s/how-not-to...
Make time for it. Talk about it. Share it.
quentinatkinson.substack.com/s/how-not-to...
Reposted by Kit Opie
🗨️ "According to these findings, opportunity in England is determined by inherited circumstances more so than compared to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland."
What does the OECD's new measure of inequality say about the state of opportunity in the UK? ⤵️
www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion...
What does the OECD's new measure of inequality say about the state of opportunity in the UK? ⤵️
www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion...
New evidence on international inequality of opportunity - how does the UK rank? - The Sutton Trust
A new OECD measure offers insights into the state of opportunity in the UK.
www.suttontrust.com
September 25, 2025 at 9:55 AM
🗨️ "According to these findings, opportunity in England is determined by inherited circumstances more so than compared to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland."
What does the OECD's new measure of inequality say about the state of opportunity in the UK? ⤵️
www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion...
What does the OECD's new measure of inequality say about the state of opportunity in the UK? ⤵️
www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion...
Reposted by Kit Opie
✍️"It’s striking and somewhat depressing that so many of those providing commentary on the issues affecting British people’s lives – columnists, talking heads and podcasters – are from a private school background."
@carlcullinane.bsky.social in @theguardian.com 👇
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
@carlcullinane.bsky.social in @theguardian.com 👇
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This news just in: we hoped the middle- and upper-class capture of the media would lessen. It’s got worse | Carl Cullinane
Since our last survey, we find more columnists, podcasters and executives are from privileged backgrounds. That’s too narrow a segment of society, says Carl Cullinane, director of research and policy ...
www.theguardian.com
September 18, 2025 at 12:06 PM
✍️"It’s striking and somewhat depressing that so many of those providing commentary on the issues affecting British people’s lives – columnists, talking heads and podcasters – are from a private school background."
@carlcullinane.bsky.social in @theguardian.com 👇
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
@carlcullinane.bsky.social in @theguardian.com 👇
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Tax wealth now!
🚨 NEW: Britain’s most powerful people are still 5x more likely to have been privately educated than the general population.
Our brand-new research reveals that jobs in the media, business, charity, creative and public sectors remain dominated by those from private schools ⤵️🧵
Our brand-new research reveals that jobs in the media, business, charity, creative and public sectors remain dominated by those from private schools ⤵️🧵
September 18, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Tax wealth now!
Tax wealth now!
Hello Bluesky 👋
If you want to find members of the Sutton Trust team on Bluesky, use our starter pack!
Follow our team: go.bsky.app/D2CHsRr
If you want to find members of the Sutton Trust team on Bluesky, use our starter pack!
Follow our team: go.bsky.app/D2CHsRr
September 18, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Tax wealth now!
Reposted by Kit Opie
Starbucks CEO pay: $96 MILLION
Starbucks worker pay: $15,000
Coca-Cola CEO pay: $28 MILLION
Coca-Cola worker pay: $14,000
CEOs used to make like 20x the average worker.
In 2024, the average CEO earned 632x more.
The system is rigged.
Starbucks worker pay: $15,000
Coca-Cola CEO pay: $28 MILLION
Coca-Cola worker pay: $14,000
CEOs used to make like 20x the average worker.
In 2024, the average CEO earned 632x more.
The system is rigged.
August 28, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Starbucks CEO pay: $96 MILLION
Starbucks worker pay: $15,000
Coca-Cola CEO pay: $28 MILLION
Coca-Cola worker pay: $14,000
CEOs used to make like 20x the average worker.
In 2024, the average CEO earned 632x more.
The system is rigged.
Starbucks worker pay: $15,000
Coca-Cola CEO pay: $28 MILLION
Coca-Cola worker pay: $14,000
CEOs used to make like 20x the average worker.
In 2024, the average CEO earned 632x more.
The system is rigged.
Reposted by Kit Opie
Physical copies of this 71-chapter tome now exist. Do encourage your library to buy a copy…also doubles as excellent door stop! Co-edited with Jamie Tehrani and @rachkendal.bsky.social. @oxunipress.bsky.social @durhamanthropology.bsky.social
August 27, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Physical copies of this 71-chapter tome now exist. Do encourage your library to buy a copy…also doubles as excellent door stop! Co-edited with Jamie Tehrani and @rachkendal.bsky.social. @oxunipress.bsky.social @durhamanthropology.bsky.social
Reposted by Kit Opie
Time for you to get to know another of our staff members!
Tune in to hear from Kit Opie, a Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Anthropology 📺
Clip made by Bianca Li and Naia Lewendon-Wicks from @uobartsmatter.bsky.social.
Tune in to hear from Kit Opie, a Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Anthropology 📺
Clip made by Bianca Li and Naia Lewendon-Wicks from @uobartsmatter.bsky.social.
July 15, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Time for you to get to know another of our staff members!
Tune in to hear from Kit Opie, a Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Anthropology 📺
Clip made by Bianca Li and Naia Lewendon-Wicks from @uobartsmatter.bsky.social.
Tune in to hear from Kit Opie, a Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Anthropology 📺
Clip made by Bianca Li and Naia Lewendon-Wicks from @uobartsmatter.bsky.social.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Best to watch the film Coup 53 (coup53.com) to understand who’s really to blame for this.
Best to watch the film Coup 53 (coup53.com) to understand who’s really to blame for this.
Easy regime change in Tehran is a nice idea. But look to history: it’s a near-impossible one | Martin Kettle
No one doubts the malignity of the Iranian government, but if we forget the tragedies of interventions past, we’ll make the same mistakes, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle
www.theguardian.com
June 19, 2025 at 12:35 PM
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Best to watch the film Coup 53 (coup53.com) to understand who’s really to blame for this.
Best to watch the film Coup 53 (coup53.com) to understand who’s really to blame for this.
Reposted by Kit Opie
Congratulations to @drsarahmyers.bsky.social, our own Mhairi and colleagues on this paper! 🙌
Check it out through the link 👇
Check it out through the link 👇
This socio-centric social network study estimates the social influence and social selection on preference for cutting female relatives using data from 5163 Ethiopian Arsi Oromo adults. @drsarahmyers.bsky.social @bristolantharch.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Social clustering of preference for female genital mutilation/cutting in south-central Ethiopia - Nature Human Behaviour
Recent estimates indicate that half of Ethiopian girls aged 15–19 years have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting (FGMC). This socio-centric social network study estimates the social influenc...
www.nature.com
June 11, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Congratulations to @drsarahmyers.bsky.social, our own Mhairi and colleagues on this paper! 🙌
Check it out through the link 👇
Check it out through the link 👇
Reposted by Kit Opie
This socio-centric social network study estimates the social influence and social selection on preference for cutting female relatives using data from 5163 Ethiopian Arsi Oromo adults. @drsarahmyers.bsky.social @bristolantharch.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Social clustering of preference for female genital mutilation/cutting in south-central Ethiopia - Nature Human Behaviour
Recent estimates indicate that half of Ethiopian girls aged 15–19 years have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting (FGMC). This socio-centric social network study estimates the social influenc...
www.nature.com
June 10, 2025 at 4:07 PM
This socio-centric social network study estimates the social influence and social selection on preference for cutting female relatives using data from 5163 Ethiopian Arsi Oromo adults. @drsarahmyers.bsky.social @bristolantharch.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Kit Opie
New paper with Eshetu Gurmu, Alex Alvergne
@danielredhead.bsky.social Janet Howard & Mhairi Gibson! rdcu.be/eqjfT
@danielredhead.bsky.social Janet Howard & Mhairi Gibson! rdcu.be/eqjfT
Social clustering of preference for female genital mutilation/cutting in south-central Ethiopia
Nature Human Behaviour - Recent estimates indicate that half of Ethiopian girls aged 15–19 years have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting (FGMC). This socio-centric social...
rdcu.be
June 10, 2025 at 11:40 AM
New paper with Eshetu Gurmu, Alex Alvergne
@danielredhead.bsky.social Janet Howard & Mhairi Gibson! rdcu.be/eqjfT
@danielredhead.bsky.social Janet Howard & Mhairi Gibson! rdcu.be/eqjfT
Reposted by Kit Opie
First was a thought-provoking talk by @kitopie.bsky.social on primate mating systems at @radicalanthro.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-q1... (2/4)
Primate mating systems and the evolution of language by Kit Opie 18 March 2025
YouTube video by Radical Anthropology
www.youtube.com
May 15, 2025 at 8:50 PM
First was a thought-provoking talk by @kitopie.bsky.social on primate mating systems at @radicalanthro.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-q1... (2/4)
Looks really useful. Thanks both.
I'll come back to you with some notes on this, if that's useful. @kitopie.bsky.social who does phylogenetics of primate mating systems will be interested too. He asks the key questions, for reducing huge cost of infanticide, how much sex with how many males do females need to deal with?
April 25, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Looks really useful. Thanks both.
Reposted by Kit Opie
All our Vimeos from last term are posted on this 🧵 👇
@RadicalAnthro.c.im.ap.brid.gy
Our Spring Term of Radical #Anthropology starts
Next Tuesday, day after Full Moon 🌕
6:30pm London time.
Everybody welcome, just turn up!
LIVE or ZOOM
www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology...
Our Spring Term of Radical #Anthropology starts
Next Tuesday, day after Full Moon 🌕
6:30pm London time.
Everybody welcome, just turn up!
LIVE or ZOOM
www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology...
Radical Anthropology seminars
www.ucl.ac.uk
April 14, 2025 at 7:58 AM
All our Vimeos from last term are posted on this 🧵 👇
Really enjoyed giving the talk - thanks for inviting me @radicalanthro.bsky.social
Sharing with @bristolantharch.bsky.social
Sharing with @bristolantharch.bsky.social
April 14, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Really enjoyed giving the talk - thanks for inviting me @radicalanthro.bsky.social
Sharing with @bristolantharch.bsky.social
Sharing with @bristolantharch.bsky.social
Reposted by Kit Opie
Reposted by Kit Opie
@kitopie.bsky.social
Our recording from March 18
Our recording from March 18
April 14, 2025 at 7:50 AM
@kitopie.bsky.social
Our recording from March 18
Our recording from March 18
Reposted by Kit Opie
📻 Dr Kit Opie (@bristolantharch.bsky.social) joins BBC CrowdScience on the World Service to discuss mating systems in primates and early humans
Listen to the full programme 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
@kitopie.bsky.social @carolinesteel.bsky.social
Listen to the full programme 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
@kitopie.bsky.social @carolinesteel.bsky.social
CrowdScience - Are humans naturally monogamous? - BBC Sounds
Why is one partner usually the norm for humans around the world?
www.bbc.co.uk
April 4, 2025 at 9:32 AM
📻 Dr Kit Opie (@bristolantharch.bsky.social) joins BBC CrowdScience on the World Service to discuss mating systems in primates and early humans
Listen to the full programme 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
@kitopie.bsky.social @carolinesteel.bsky.social
Listen to the full programme 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
@kitopie.bsky.social @carolinesteel.bsky.social