THEORISING A REALM OF PRACTICE: research agendas in archaeological heritage management
Dr John Carman
Archaeological heritage management (otherwise archaeological resource management or cultural resource management) is a sub-field of archaeology generally considered as a realm purely of practice. It is frequently held to be a-theoretical, parasitic upon and with little to offer ‘mainstream’ research archaeology. The focus is considered to be ‘professional’ in the narrowest sense, with an emphasis on legal and administrative procedures: its practitioners are ‘trained’ rather than ‘educated’ into their role.
Over the past few years, however, the field has emerged as one in which new and interesting research is being conducted across the globe. The establishment of the International Heritage Management Research Newsletter in 1995 put researchers in this field in touch with one another, allowing them to explore the wide range of highly original and important initiatives they collectively represent. The research these scholars are carrying out has new things to say about archaeology as a set of practices, asks new questions and contributes directly to the development of archaeological and material culture theory. Archaeological heritage management can for the first time be said to be coming of age.
This session will demonstrate the value of this kind of research and the contribution it can make and is making to archaeology as a world-wide discipline. The session aims to incluide participants from all of the inhabited continents and all levels of academic archaeology. The aim of the session is to reveal the research potential of the field and to encourage greater involvement in this new, vibrant and very exciting arena.
papers:
Author 1 Author 2 Title
Carman The value of categories in an ongoing program of AHM research
Carman AHM/CRM research in Context
Lee Long Cultural Heritage Management in Colonial Polities: NOT the heritage of the Other
Mathers Schelberg Bridging the ‘Great Divide’: Data Quality and Deformation Issues in Archaeological Theory and Practice
Mizoguchi Protection of the site and autonomy of the site narrative
Smith ‘Doing archaeology’: Cultural Heritage Management and its role in identifying the link between archaeological practice and theory s063smt1