Hey all,

Apologies for Cross posting--Edward Gonzalez-Tennant and I are putting
together a session for SHA2013 and we have room for a few more
contributors.  The session is an opportunity for Computer and IT
minded Historical Archaeologists to ruminate on the role that IT has
played in our discipline.  Please spread the word, and email
[log in to unmask] if you want to contribute.

Session Title:

Modern Technology, Past Culture: Emerging Effects of Information
Technologies on Archaeological Practice

Session Organizers:
Edward Gonzalez-Tennant, Monmouth University –
[log in to unmask]
Quentin Lewis, UMass Amherst – [log in to unmask]

Session Abstract:

	Recent advances within information technologies present Historical
Archaeologists with an array of novel and unique practices to add to
our toolkit. Geographic Information Systems, archaeological
visualization, and various web technologies offer the possibility of
far-reaching, or even radical changes to the discipline.  Rather than
accept the inevitability of such practices and techniques as progress,
we want to explore the possibilities and pitfalls of the applications
of these technologies to historical archaeology.  This session’s
primary goal is to bring together a group of researchers examining the
acquisition, processing, storage, and dissemination of digital
archaeological information from a theoretically-focused standpoint.
We are less concerned with specific technical procedures and more
interested in papers addressing the material, historical, political,
and cultural implications such technologies hold for the practice of
historical archaeology. As such, we will consider papers for inclusion
in our session from any region or time frame, but we ask that they
address the following themes:

The role of information technologies in transforming the ways
archaeologists think about and visualize places, regions, and past
cultural processes
The ethical and political implications of incorporating information
technologies into archaeological practice, both positive and negative.
Issues of essentialism and representation  which arise at the
confluence of archaeology and emerging/emergent technologies.
The possibilities or limits of using new information technologies to
realize new public archaeologies.
The potential of information technologies to construct “new”
archaeological data.


 Along with exploring new research that connects historical
archaeology and information technologies, we hope to engender
conversation(s) around the social implications of incorporating these
technologies within the archaeological toolkit, as conceived both
theoretically and methodologically.

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