Hello list! I'm new to this list- and after searching the archives for hours
I have found many topics which engage my own research- particularly the
theoretical side. Yet I wonder at the lack of the involvement of archaeology
as a huge source of information on the subject of the child, childhood(s),
and the family in general? I am currently starting the third year of a PhD
in this area (entitled 'Invisible People? The archaeology of women and
children in Ireland 500-1200)so far I have concentrated mainly on the
archaeology of women and gender for the period- and developed the
theoretical base for my work (which has been enormously difficult but
rewarding as there is no one single group of gender theory for archaeology-
I know this is a good thing- but it is difficult tracking down information
and gelling it together..) anyway I have been developing the 'child' aspect
of my work- and this is FAR MORE difficult- especially for the Irish
material as there is not ONE SINGLE work on the child or childhood for the
Early Christian to medieval period from any kind of archaeological
perspective in existance that I know of!! There are few if any works from a
historical perspective either. I am constantly surprised by the fact that
women don't seem to have existed in Ireland before 1500- and children didnt
exist at all here!!! While I think this problem exists in its extreme form
here (in Ireland)I am also puzzled as to the lack of the use of archaeology
as a discipline in childhood studies elsewhere. I am using
interdisciplinary subjects (gender studies/ history/sociology/ and mainly
archaeology) - but I cant seem to find any one else using archaeology as a
major resource! I just feel its time archaeology became fully accepted as a
social discipline- rather than understood as a scientific one. Any
comments/suggestions? I feel like a lone voice!!
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