The work we undertake as archaeologists and curators of archaeological collections has the potential to be of great social value. Archaeology can have a positive effect on individual and collective wellbeing, contributing to the construction of identity, social connectivity, a sense of belonging and collective empowerment. However, these wellbeing effects vary between demographic groups. Up until the mid-20th century, Archaeology played an important role in the justification of colonial conquest by state and religious actors, the enactment of violent control, and the appropriation of the past of other countries. Through discourse of civilization and origins, Archaeology was used in the construction of European identity and of superiority. Colonial ideas continue to persist within academia (content and pedagogy), within the wider profession, and in museum practices. They are used to justify archaeological projects abroad, and they influence research frameworks and project designs in the UK. Cobb’s Digging Diversity research (2012; 2015) highlights the lack diversity within academia and the profession. As such, diverse perspectives and interpretations of archaeological evidence are excluded, and there is a distinct lack of representation within the stories we tell publicly.This session will discuss and explore: how the histories of colonialism and empire are reflected in archaeology, academia, archaeological practice, and museum collections and archives; diverse perspectives and re/interpretations of archaeological evidence; new approaches and examples of good practice.
References:
Cobb, H. L. 2012. ‘Digging diversity? A preliminary examination of disciplinary diversity in UK archaeology’, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory.
Cobb, H. L. 2015. ‘A diverse profession? Challenging inequalities and diversifying involvement in British archaeology’, in P. Everill and P. Irving (eds.) Rescue Archaeology: Foundations for the Future, 226-245. Hereford: RESCUE.
Organisers: Benjamina Dadzie; Independent Researcher • Laura Hampden; Museum Detox • Laura Hampden; Historic England, Museum Detox, CIfA Equality and Diversity Group
9:30 | Laura Hampden, Museum Detox; Laura Hampden, Historic England, Museum Detox, CIfA Equality and Diversity Group | Introduction
9:35 | Louise Fowler, MOLA | Where does archaeology take place?
9:55 | Cathie Draycott, Durham University | Investigating Intersections of Race and Public Perceptions of Archaeology: a pilot survey run in Bermuda, 2019
10:15 | Gert Huskens, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Ghent University | A ‘Belgian compromise’ of Science and Empire along the Nile
10:35 | Zena Kamash, Royal Holloway University; Cathie Draycott, Durham University; Niall Finneran, University of Winchester; Christina Welch, University of Winchester | Panel
11:05 | Dan Hicks, University of Oxford | Seeing the Pace of Violence in Theoretical Archaeology
11:25 | - | BREAK
11:55 | Elizabeth Marlowe, Colgate University | How to Say Nothing: A Case Study of the Museum Labels on Some Looted Bronzes
12:10 | Danika Parikh, University of Cambridge | From accession to access: decolonising archaeological collections through critical tours and audience engagement
12:25 | Subhadra Das, UCL & Museum Detox Member; Korantema Anyimadu, Arts Emergency Museum Detox Member; Jenny Williams, Take the Space; Ebony Francis, Diary of a Black Tree | Panel Discussion
13:00 | - | END
Speakers GH
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Ghent University
ZK
Royal Holloway University
EM
Assoc. Prof., Colgate University
SD
UCL & Museum Detox Member
KA
Arts Emergency Museum Detox Member
Tuesday December 17, 2019 9:30am - 1:00pm GMT
Room 826
20 Bedford Way, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 0AL