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The ¿tragedy of the commons¿ is a classic social dilemma ¿ a situation in which individual interests conflict with collective ones ¿ and key to understanding past, present and future environmental degradation. This course surveys a variety of scientific perspectives on the essence of the tragedy: common property resources will ultimately be destroyed by overexploitation. Major themes include the effects of human population density and social organization on the health and management of commons, self-interest versus collective action, and potential solutions to commons problems. Modern and prehistoric case studies are examined from ecological and evolutionary perspectives.