Archaeology and the left
Yannis Hamilikis and Mark Pluciennik
Department of Archaeology
University of Wales
Lampter
The relationships between archaeology and the political left have always been varied, from directly Marxist-inspired analyses of ‘history as class struggle’ and the development of productive forces, to more abstract uses of the concepts of modes of production, ideology and neo-Marxist structural-Marxism, for example. Another strand derives from critical theory and has tended to concentrate on awareness of the conditions of the production of knowledge and contributed to the critique of colonialism and imperialism, though often being less critical of nationalism. Arguably ‘left wing’ theories, including those of Marxism have become so diffuse or themselves appropriated into other frameworks that little sense remains of a coherent critique or program left within archaeology or archaeological politics, at least as far as much of northern Europe and North America are concerned. We suspect that the position may be different in areas where different traditions and conditions, such as South America, Africa southern and Eastern Europe, for example, and are especially interested in linking with contributors from these areas.
We are interested in exploring what place Marxist or other approaches from the left may have within archaeology, whether the supposed ‘new world order’ obviates the need for such theories or alternatively makes their role of critique more urgent than ever. Should there be attempts to produce new programmatic international statements, or should the fragmentation of theory and the plurality of approaches be welcomed? What should the relationship be within archaeologies of say Marxism and feminism? Is the very ideas of the Left within archaeology meaningless.
papers:
Author 1 Author 2 Title
Boyd The Palestine Sites & Monuments Record Project reclaiming Palestine history
Carman ARCHAEOLOGY IN INSURRECTION AGAINST ITSELF: anarchism and archaeological heritage management
Hamilakis The Archaeologist as Intellectual in Postmodernity
Kintz Radical Archaeology as Dissent
Kitchen Human Rights and WAC in perspective