T08/01 Clickbait or a Space to Create: Archaeology and Digital Media
Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Organisers:
Durga Kale, University of Calgary, Canada
durga.kale@gmail.com
Akash Srinivas, Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research, Ashoka University, India
akashsrinivas123@gmail.com
Malavika Chatterjee, Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research, Ashoka University, India
malavikachats@gmail.com
Research within various themes in archaeology has garnered considerable attention over the years, along with considerations around the accessibility of this research to the public. Digital media, such as podcasts and social media, have revitalised the modalities of science communication. With newer modes of communication and data retrieval, questions of academic integrity, rigorous research, and authentic data presentation continue as key topics at the intersection of public and academic discourse. Further, our experience hosting a podcast on archaeology also highlights the undulating landscape for digital data consumption. This session seeks to expand on the discussion centred around the accessibility of archaeological research through digital modes of communication. Accessibility, in this sense, could be a literal discussion on access, gate-keeping through paywalls, etc., for the digital products; the broader structural issues of both archaeology and technologies; or the presentation of “popular” data resulting in the continued sidelining of less “sensational” stories from around the world. For this discussion, the session invites perspectives on the inclusion of diverse voices and data from under-represented geopolitical areas, focusing on embracing more perspectives while reconstructing narratives through archaeological research. Through this, the session seeks to open the forum for discussing possible avenues to make archaeological research more accessible and equitable to its many stakeholders. The archaeologists’ point of view could be expanded to include the discussion on the expectations of media communication that range from story-telling to sensationalism, as a crucial factor in the success of archaeology in social media. With this session, we hope to break the ground on archaeology and digital space to build a community of scholars who work in similar research areas. With this, we hope to work towards discussing ethics, best practices, and using academic research on public platforms, in the face of AI.
T08/02 First Digital Media and Digital Technologies Preserving First Nation Heritage
Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Organisers:
David Tafler, Muhlenberg College, Allentown Pennsylvania USA, davidwaru@gmail.com
Lyndon Ormond-Parker, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, lyndon.ormond-parker@rmit.edu.au
Daniel Featherstone, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, daniel.featherstone@rmit.edu.au
This session explores the preservation of First Nations heritage through the development and distribution of new media channels for urban and remote communities. In the twenty-first century, personal and collective identity evolves from the communication that exists through online access.
The continuing impacts of colonisation present a challenge to preserve centuries-old Indigenous knowledge in a global environment. First Nations groups must have access to the digital world to participate in essential online services.
First Nations groups can sustain their culture by negotiating contemporary practices within an online world that absorbs its participants, especially younger people. ICTV, the Indigenous Community Television Network, and First Nations Media organisations provides one such outlet. With the continuing encroachment of social media, other channels might prove necessary.
How do land councils mobilise resources that provide access to marginal and remote communities? How do First Nations people, particularly young people, engage social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, where far-removed corporate entities shape the rules of engagement?
How do systems of community engagement and participation, such as ICTV, social media, and digital inclusion, provide a foundation and/or context for self-determination, and how might that self-realisation inform other forms of media engagement and cultural heritage preservation?
This session invites the exchange of ideas among participants from across the digital spectrum—from community television advocates to social media activists, to explore the ongoing evolving interface between First Nations heritage and the digital world.
T08/03 Digging Archaeogames: Are Virtual Excavations your Next Quest?
Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Organisers:
Dr Heather Christie, ArchaeoPlays, Glasgow, Scotland, archaeoplays@gmail.com
Andrew Prentice, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia, andrew.prentice@griffithuni.edu.au
Dr Guy Schofield, University of York, guy.schofield@york.ac.uk
Michelle Low-Shamir, University of Birmingham, external in Malaysia, mhl306@student.bham.ac.uk
Archaeogaming, the integration of archaeology and gaming, offers a novel approach, engaging both the public and professionals in interactive explorations of the past. This session will explore how archaeogames are utilised for storytelling and interpretation of archaeological data. As an interdisciplinary field, archaeogaming engages a diverse audience, including archaeologists, game designers, heritage professionals, educators, and digital media scholars. This intersection of gaming, storytelling, and archaeology is of interest to those involved in public outreach and engagement through digital platforms, including students and early-career researchers.
The session will feature 5–6 paper presentations, each lasting 20 minutes, with up to 10 minutes of discussion following each. We invite papers exploring the use of games to interpret historical and archaeological data, papers discussing the implications of digital reconstructions for research and public engagement and papers addressing games as archaeological sites or texts. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to present or discuss notable archaeogaming projects, and share technical workflows and insights from practice, contributing to a more practical understanding of the field. After the presentations, we will hold a 30-minute roundtable discussion on the challenges of archaeogaming, addressing ethical considerations, player agency, and the potential for games to shape public understanding of archaeology.
This session aims to explore how games can transform the practice of archaeology, providing new modes of storytelling and interpretation. As digital platforms become more sophisticated, they offer unprecedented opportunities to represent and engage with the past in immersive and interactive ways. By bringing together scholars from diverse fields—archaeology, game studies, digital humanities, and public outreach—we aim to foster a critical dialogue about how games can influence our understanding of history and cultural heritage.
· The Role of Storytelling in Archaeogaming
· Virtual Archaeology and Interpretation
· Games as Public Archaeology
· Ethical Considerations in Archaeogaming
· Player Agency and Archaeological Interpretation
· Archaeogaming and Communities