History teaches us that the future is local
David Porreca says the centralization of resources contributed to the collapse of economic powers like the Roman Empire.
David Porreca says the centralization of resources contributed to the collapse of economic powers like the Roman Empire.
By Megan Scarborough Faculty of ArtsAs a scholar of classical and medieval Studies, David Porreca examines the ‘thermodynamics of civilizations’ and how the fall of past societies may hold lessons for today’s globalized economy. His research exposes the problem of centralizing energy and resources, which contributed to the collapse of economic powers such as the Roman Empire. Porreca contends that if economy is a subset of our ecology, it stands to reason that the future is local.
Professor collaborates on study that provides valuable insights for managers seeking to foster fairer reward systems
Waterloo professor emeritus decodes why we can’t help but love sad songs based on the theory of musical consciousness
First-year students hone more than their research skills by exploring what it means to be happy
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.