Home Institution
Wesleyan University
Publication Date
Spring 2018
Abstract
The theory of evolution is a major tenet of biological science and has many practical applications, particularly in agriculture, medicine, and conservation. Nevertheless, there is significant opposition to the theory and its incorporation into school curricula, largely on religious grounds. This disconnect between public opinion and scientific opinion has been studied at length in the US and to some extent in other industrialized nations, but little is known about the issue in other communities around the world. This paper will use the town of Moshi, Tanzania as a case study in community views and knowledge about the theory of evolution. Information will be primarily gathered from questionnaires and interviews with participants from a range of age groups and education levels. The analysis will look for overall trends and correlations between demographic info and responses to questions on evolutionary topics.
Disciplines
African Languages and Societies | African Studies | Evolution | International and Intercultural Communication | Paleontology | Religion | Science and Mathematics Education | Social and Cultural Anthropology
Recommended Citation
Waterman, Robin, "Selection Perception: Views on the Theory of Evolution Among Residents of Moshi, Tanzania" (2018). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3077.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3077
Included in
African Languages and Societies Commons, African Studies Commons, Evolution Commons, International and Intercultural Communication Commons, Paleontology Commons, Religion Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
Program Name
Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology