Convenors: Jan Turek (Czech Republic), Marcia Bezerra (Brasil), Ndukuyakhe Ndlovu (South Africa) and Chung-Pin Hsieh (Taiwan)
In today’s globalised world, archaeology is confronted on a daily basis with changes and challenges in public opinion, with the development of society in a diverse geopolitical context, but also with a wide range of human rights issues. There is no doubt that archaeology, as a social science, cannot develop in isolation from changes in society and, quite to the contrary, that it is compelled to reflect on the major societal issues of our time. Academia has to take a firm stance on social and political issues and offer its professional and moral commitment as a point of stability in current restless times.
In the first two decades of this century, we experienced an era in which reliable and well-balanced information was often replaced with propaganda-driven misinformation and hoaxes and the desire for truth and freedom seems to be bogged down in a flurry of individual interests. The third decade brought major challenges and dangers. After decades of peace keeping attempts, the apocalyptic perspective of nuclear conflict is being irresponsibly introduced into political disputes.
Totalitarian regimes worldwide expand their influence and even some stable democracies seem to be susceptible to similar developments. We should be aware of, and remember, how archaeology has been repeatedly appropriated to support oppressive and evil regimes in the past, and we have to ensure that such use is prevented today. Archaeology plays an important role in the reconciliation of historical injustice and oppression. We play witness to an increasing number of positive cases, helping indigenous communities worldwide to regain their rights, including their authentic decolonised reading of history, repatriation of human remains, objects and land. At the same time, new genocidal excesses, such as current conflicts in Darfur, Middle East or Ukraine, are again challenging global humanity. Archaeology responds not only to the challenges of collective identity, but also to the freedom to formulate gendered personal identities that respect the freedom of individuals to express their personal choices and worldviews in life and research perspectives.
Contacts:
Jan Turek
Centre for Theoretical Study, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
turekjan@hotmail.com
Marcia Bezerra
Universidade Federal do Pará – UFPA. Bacharelado de Museologia/FAV/Instituto de Ciências da Arte – ICA, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Antropologia/ Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas – IFCH, Brasil
marciabezerrac14@gmail.com
Ndukuyakhe Ndlovu
Manager: Archaeology at South African National Parks (SANParks), Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
ndukuyakhe@googlemail.com
Chung-Pin Hsieh
Department of Anthropology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
r10125007@ntu.edu.tw
THEME 04 SESSIONS
T04/Session 01: Archaeology and Networks of Solidarity: Women, Human Rights, and Sovereignty
T04/Session 02 Spiritual Identities Written in Landscapes
T04/Session 03: Indigenous Repatriation and Ownership of Cultural Heritage
T04/Session 04: Identity Wars. Archaeology and International Law in the Regions of Armed Conflicts
T04/Session 05: Ancestral Roots and Archaeology: The Knowledge Connection [This session is now closed]
T04/Session 06: Palestinian Cultural and Archaeological Heritage in the Making
T04/Session 07: The Power in Otherness: Unpacking Theories of Identity