Rarely does an intellectually riveting book arrive in the public arena at such a critical time in the future of our society. In The Nature and Nurturing of Collaboration, Richard L. Hayes makes theoretical and experiential connections between biology, anthropology, psychology, philosophy, sociology, and cognitive neurology to show how humans of different backgrounds, opinions, and lifestyles can work and live together for the betterment of all. Thoughtful, readable, and well-researched, this book is a ‘tour de force’ for understanding how collaboration can contribute to developing more satisfying personal lives and healthier communities at large.

Carl Glickman, University of Georgia; co-author of The Essential Renewal of America's Schools: A Leadership Guide for Democratizing Schools from the Inside Out

Our species cooperates on a scale unprecedented in the natural world. But that is neither oddity nor fluke—we made it so! Since humans first walked the planet, we have been active agents in our evolution and in the construction of societies. Harnessing that agency for the greater good is imperative if humanity is to conquer twenty-first century challenges and build a better world. Richard L. Hayes’s The Nature and Nurturing of Collaboration treats the reader to an enthralling account of the roots of human collaboration and its vital futures.

Kevin N. Lala, University of St. Andrews, author of Darwin's Unfinished Symphony

We approach the point in human civilization in which we either collaborate or perish. In this wonderfully readable work, Hayes not only sketches out the resources for collaboration that we inherit from our evolutionary past but also explores the means for nurturing collaborative potentials and creating the conditions and practices vital to their implementation. If we are to build a viable future together, this is essential reading.

Kenneth J. Gergen, Swathmore College; author of An Invitation to Social Construction

This is an intelligent book that draws upon multiple, sophisticated, and relevant sources from a wide variety of fields. In weaving this complex scholarship into an understandable and coherent whole, Hayes provides an important and sophisticated thesis: Collaboration is a mutual process in which interlocutors act with respect to a shared purpose within the context of shared meanings. In so doing, he advocates that the capacity for collaboration is grounded in that which is ‘natural’ but cannot be separated from the interplay of biological, individual, and socio-cultural processes that ‘nurture’ its continued development. If our natural capacity for collaboration is nurtured by individuals, relationships, and cultures, we can draw on the ideas contained in this book to build more collaborative interactions, relationships, and societies.

Michael F. Mascolo, Merrimack College, author of From Conflict to Collaboration: A Step-By-Step Guide to Solving Problems in Everyday Relationships