Gabriel Šaffa, PhD
Mgr. Gabriel Šaffa, Ph.D.
Gabriel Šaffa is a full-time researcher at the European Research University. He also holds an honorary fellowship at University College London, where he conducted his postdoctoral research as a member of the EvoBias project funded by the European Research Council (ERC). He obtained his doctoral degree (PhD) from the University of South Bohemia. His primary research interests lie in human behavioral ecology and cultural evolution, with a particular focus on so-called “harmful” cultural practices, including genital mutilation/cutting, witchcraft accusations, or bride kidnapping—traditionally assumed to arise from conflict between the sexes. However, many gender-biased practices do not conform to classical models of sexual conflict, in which males exploit females for their own reproductive advantage. Instead, they are more effectively explained by patterns of cooperation and conflict within families, generated by competition over resources. To investigate these practices, he primarily employs quantitative cross-cultural approach that draws on extensive ethnographic records and utilizes phylogenetic comparative methods. His work has been published in leading academic journals and has attracted broader public interest.
Qualification.
PhD
University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, 2024
Master's Degree
University of Presov, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, Department of Ecology, 2016
Experience.
2026–present, ERUNI, Researcher
2024–2025, University College London, Department of Anthropology, Postdoctoral Fellow
Publications (last 5 years, selected).
ŠAFFA, G., JAEGGI, A. V., ZRZAVÝ, J., DUDA, P. Competition for heritable wealth, not cultural group selection, drives the evolution of monogamy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2026, 123(1), e2514328122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2514328122.
HUANG, Y., ŠAFFA, G., ZHANG, S., BAI, P., ZHOU, L., HE, G., MACE, R., DU, J. Gender differences in social networks under subsistence changes. Evolution and Human Behavior, 2026, 47(1), 106814. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2025.106814.
ŠAFFA, G., DUDA, P., ZRZAVÝ, J. Paternity Uncertainty and Parent–Offspring Conflict Explain Restrictions on Female Premarital Sex across Societies. Human Nature, 2022, 33, 215–235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-022-09426-y.
ŠAFFA, G., ZRZAVÝ, J., DUDA, P. Global phylogenetic analysis reveals multiple origins and correlates of genital mutilation/cutting. Nature Human Behaviour, 2022, 6(5), 635-645. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01321-x.
ŠAFFA, G., ŠTĚRBOVÁ, Z., PROKOP, P. Parental Investment Is Biased toward Children Named for Their Fathers. Human Nature, 2021, 32(2), 387-405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-021-09396-7.
HRNČÍŘ, V., DUDA, P., ŠAFFA, G., KVĚTINA, P., ZRZAVÝ, J. Identifying post-marital residence patterns in prehistory: A phylogenetic comparative analysis of dwelling size. PloS one, 2020, 15(2), e0229363. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229363.
ŠAFFA, G., KUBICKA, A. M., HROMADA, M., KRAMER, K. L. Is the timing of menarche correlated with mortality and fertility rates?. PloS one, 2019, 14(4), e0215462. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0215462.
Hobbies.
Outdoor, Archery, Books