季風人文講壇第114期：Andrew Lawler

Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?

with Andrew Lawler

April 9, 2026｜In English 

The world's most common bird is also the one we take most for granted. Yet the chicken has been crucial for civilization and not just for a cheap meal. Today's bird is a remarkable melding of East and West that has helped make our modern world possible. Come learn how the bird that was first domesticated in southern China and northern Vietnam spread across the globe, shaping our religions, trade, sports, and, yes, diet.

About the Speaker 

Andrew Lawler is a journalist and author who has written about history, science, religion, and politics from dozens of countries. Andrew’s byline has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and many other publications. He is a contributing writer for Science and a contributing editor for Archaeology, as well as a National Geographic Explorer and a Pulitzer Center grantee. Andrew has won a number of journalism awards, and his work has appeared several times in The Best of Science and Nature Writing. He is also the author of other books, including A Perfect Frenzy: A Royal Governor, His Black Allies, and the Crisis That Spurred the American Revolution.