Public Archaeology
Convenors: Nick Merriman and Tim Schadla-Hall
This symposium will explore the theme of ‘public archaeology’, characterised not in a limited way as cultural resource management, but as an approach to archaeology which lays a particular emphasis on the public dimensions of doing archaeology. Central to its concerns are the social, political and economic context in which archaeology is undertaken, indigenous attitudes to archaeology, and the educational and public role of the discipline. It is an approach which has been fostered by the World Archaeological Congress, and relates strongly to two of WAC4’s specific themes: archaeology in a global context and the role of archaeology in the coming millennium.
The aim of the session is to summarise the field and to look forward to the future. Each of the ten speakers will take a particular area of public archaeology, such as the public perception of archaeology, archaeology and the media, community involvement in archaeology, treasure hunting and looting, or the conflict between academic and popular views of the past. They will provide a summary of current issues and approaches, and suggest developments that may occur in the context of an expanded role for public archaeology in the next millennium. A list of speakers is currently being drawn up, and will include contributions from Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe.
papers:
Author 1 Author 2 Title
Ascherson Archaeology and the media
Byrne Aboriginal Post-Contact Cemeteries and the Archaeology of Indigenous Minorities
Funari Public Archaeology in Brazil S102fnr1
Grew Online public archaeology
Hinshelwood The presentation of archaeology to the public
Mapunda Lane Archaeology for Whose Interest, Archaeologists or the Locals? s102mpd1
Merriman Archaeology in reverse
Parker Pearson Indigenous communities and public archaeology: A case study from Southern Madagascar
Qin The Effect of the Antiquities Market on Archaeological Development
Rao Ayodhya and the influence of religion on the understanding of the past
Schadla Hall The Economics of Public Archaeology
Shadla-Hall “The comforts of unreason”? Alternative archaeologies
Thomas Archaeology and authority in the modern age