Humberto Maturana and Ximena Davila Yáñez: the Biology of Love
On January 15, 2020, the Center for Partnership Systems awarded the second International Prize for Research, Study, and Dissemination of Partnership Systems to Humberto Maturana and Ximena Davila Yáñez in recognition of their pioneering international work through Instituto Matríztica on the biology of relationships and love in alignment with partnership cultural principles.
The Center launched this international prize in 2018 to recognize the work of scholars worldwide who dedicate their critical research and teaching to disseminate and nurture partnership studies worldwide, thus contributing to the shaping of a better and more caring and humane future.
Humberto Maturana’s work, along with his colleague Ximena Davila Yáñez, spans over 23 years and has been particularly focused on the biology of love. Their invaluable research at the Instituto Matríztico, now Escuela Matríztica de Santiago, has become an influential scientific contribution to our understanding of the biological-cultural nature of humanness.
Maturana and Yáñez have published two ground-breaking books in Spanish, Habitar Humano en Seis Ensayos de Biología Cultural (2008) and El Árbol del Vivir (2015) in which they show how the emotion of love is operationally the fundament of the origin of living beings in the conservation of all molecular autopoietic systems. In accord with Riane Eisler’s Partnership model, Maturana and Yáñez demonstrate how the evolutionary history of humanity is not centered on competition and aggressive striving but on love and cooperation.
In November of 2019, Humberto and Ximena released their latest book, "Historia de Nuestro Vivir Cotidiano" (History of Our Daily Living) in which they share—in a simple and profound manner—the basis and foundations of our human loving nature. This book should be released in English by the end of the year. The first edition in Spanish was sold out in a few months, so it promises to offer classic reading for curious people.
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The Partnership Studies Group: Udine, Italy
On February 15, 2018, the Center for Partnership Systems awarded its first prize honoring scholars who distinguish themselves in the dissemination of Partnership studies in different fields of academic study and research. The inaugural prize was awarded to Antonella Riem, Professor of English literature and founder of the Partnership Studies Group at the University of Udine, Italy, in acknowledgement of her international scholarly work on Partnership studies.
The Center launched this international prize in 2018 to recognize the work of scholars worldwide who dedicate their critical research and teaching to disseminate and nurture Partnership studies worldwide, thus contributing to the shaping of a better and more caring and humane future.
Watch the video "A Talk with Antonella Riem", in Italian.
