Forwarded message from Claire Smith <[log in to unmask]>:
Dear all,
This is a call for papers in the session "Beyond Academic Imperialism:
Towards Protocols for Doing Archaeology on Other People's Lands" at the
World Archaeology Congress' Osaka Inter-Congress, which will be held in
Osaka, Japan, Jan 12th to 15th, 2006.
The session abstract is below. People interested in presenting in this
session should contact one of the convenors: Claire Smith,
[log in to unmask]; Rasmi Shoocongdei, [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask]; or Alejandra Korstanje, [log in to unmask] The
session abstract is below.,
Best,
Claire
Beyond Academic Imperialism:
Towards Protocols for Doing Archaeology
on Other People's Lands
Claire Smith (Australia)
Rasmi Shoocongdej (Thailand)
Alejandra Korstanje (Argentina)
At the beginning of the 21st century, relationships between archaeologists
and many of the people with whom they work continue to be unequal and
asymmetrical. Archaeology has a history as a colonialist endeavour, and
has been inextricably intertwined with the notion of researching exotic
lands and their populations, in the process establishing what Said calls
the 'positional superiority' of the colonisers. This applies both to
archaeology undertaken on Indigenous lands and to that undertaken in
economically disadvantaged countries by archaeologists from more
prosperous countries. Potential for conflict is at the core of any
archaeology undertaken in other people's lands, since this involves
different ethnic, cultural, and research traditions as well as working
with a heritage in which others have rights and responsibilities. Both
archaeologists and local peoples in the lands that are hosting the
research have their own values and priorities and this creates a working
situation of complex interactions and potentially competing agendas.
Archaeology is a costly undertaking, and many economically disadvantaged
countries cannot afford full-scale research teams or the complete analysis
of archaeological data. International collaborative research can be a good
solution for all parties. However, collaborative research programs have
been sites of conflicts and inequalities between locally-based and
western/overseas/foreign archaeologists. Core issues include the
involvement of local archaeologists, acknowledgement of previous and
ongoing work, establishment of research priorities, recognition of local
protocols, ethical standards, adherence to local regulations, access to
funding, the sharing of information, cultural and intellectual property
issues, access to archaeological materials, publication arrangements, and
sharing the benefits of research. This also involves the values and types
of prestige involved (e.g. local vs. foreigner; people with grants vs.
people without much money). Questions of power differences and
differentials are integral to this. While some of these issues have been
worked through in Indigenous archaeology, others are specific to
particular communities, regions or countries.
This symposium poses the question: is the archaeology currently being
undertaken in other people's lands neo-colonial, a form of academic
colonialism? Or is a global postcolonial archaeology emerging? We invite
papers that discuss these issues as they pertain to relationships between
Indigenous peoples and archaeologists, as well as locally-based
archaeologists and foreign archaeologists in the post-nationalist/imperial
era. Unmasking, and challenging, the power relations inherent in cultural
hegemony is an essential step in the decolonisation of archaeology
globally-and will establish a basis for stronger, more ethical
collaborative research in other people's lands.
Keywords:
Academic imperialism
Neocolonialism
Postcolonialism
Globalization
Ethical standards
International collaboration
--
Claire Smith
President, World Archaeological Congress
Department of Archaeology, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide,
SA. 5001. Australia
Ph: 61 (0)8 8201 2336
Fax: 61 (0)8 8201 3845
<http://www.worldarchaeologicalcongress.org>
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