Dear Colleagues,
This is a general call for papers for our upcoming session, "Animating
Archaeology: Of Subjects, Objects, and Alternative Ontologies," to be
presented at the World Archaeological Congress-6, Dublin, Ireland, 29th
June to 4th July 2008. The session is part of the "Materializing
Identities Theme," co-organized by Chris Fowler and Joanna Brück.
Once upon a time in Anthropology, indigenous concepts of animating
essences and the cross-cutting nature of the life-force expressed in such
terms as hau and mana, were front and center in the ethnographic
literature (e.g., Mauss, Malinowski). Branded as “mystical,” “primitive,”
and “unscientific” for a generation or more, however, such potentially key
conceptual “sites of alterity” have only recently begun to be revisited
and recuperated within the fields of Anthropology, Material Culture
Studies, and the Cognitive Sciences, among others. As various scholars
have suggested, attending to the significance of these concepts may
provide new analytical purchase on alternative ontologies and ways of
constructing, dissolving, or transforming traditional subject/object
dichotomies that continue to powerfully shape our worldviews.
How might recognition of animism as a prevalent theme within contemporary
indigenous worldviews affect archaeological analysis and interpretation?
What might archaeology contribute to the general theoretical discussion on
animism and alternative ontologies? How might “thinking through things”
advance our understanding of other worldviews? The purpose of this session
is to critically explore the archaeological potential of “thinking through
things,” animating essences as transgressive, the idea of an essential
equivalency between people and things, and the material dimensions
of “life-force.” Additional themes might include the question of “agency”
and whether it can be usefully applied to things or even humans; and the
encounter between animistic worldviews and recent theoretical models of
the world as inherently in “flux.” We invite both general theoretical
papers and specific case studies. Cases might range from analyses of
animated things to questioning the nature of materiality from an animistic
perspective. Work that draws explicitly from contemporary material culture
studies or ethnomethodologies is also welcome.
The deadline for submission of paper proposals is February 22nd. This
should be sent to us and submitted through the WAC-6 site by the deadline.
Paper proposal details: Abstracts should be less than 150 words. Languages
other than English may be used, but please see details on the WAC-6
website. Paper format: 15 minute papers followed by general discussion.
Powerpoint is strongly recommended by the conference organizers. If you
are interested in participating, please let us know.
Benjamin Alberti (Framingham State College) [log in to unmask]
Tamara Bray (Wayne State University) [log in to unmask]
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