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ASA Bristol, 6-9 April 2009
Engaging anthropology and archaeology: theory, practice and publics

Convenors

Katy Fox (Aberdeen University) [log in to unmask]
Caroline Gatt (Aberdeen University) [log in to unmask]

Short Abstract

We welcome papers that evaluate the different engagements Anthropology and Archaeology have had with different publics so far, focusing especially on the theoretical impediments that may exist to these and the creative strategies one could resort to for achieving public engagements in practice.

Long Abstract
Anthropology and Archaeology engage non-academic audiences differently. While Archaeology has gained public visibility through educational engagements in TV programmes, children's books and the heritage industry, Anthropology's engagements with publics have been marked by ambivalence. Apropos, a recent ESRC benchmark report noted the 'invisibility' of Anthropology in public policy as anthropologists do not readily identify themselves through their discipline. Noting this absence prominent anthropologists (e.g. Nancy Scheper-Hughes and Thomas Hylland Eriksen) have called for a more publicly engaged anthropology.
Anthropology had more public presence in the past (e.g. Malinowski and Mead) and still has in some regional contexts today (Norway, North America). Yet recent public identifications of Anthropology in the UK (BBC2's Tribe) have been glossed as not being 'properly anthropological' or remain confined to the ethnographic museum. Conversely, the public profile of Archaeology may encourage monolithic understandings of 'the past', and may fail to communicate epistemologically fundamental debates (e.g. local inhabitants' interpretations of archaeological remains).
We thus ask how anthropologists and archaeologists could engage with non-academic publics without compromising theoretical subtlety and political sensitivity. Is the fear of loss of 'depth' by pedagogical reductionism and strategic communication an exit strategy from serious public engagements? Do certain theoretical frameworks constitute an impediment for Anthropology and Archaeology's public engagement on certain issues? What possible avenues can archaeologists and anthropologists take to engage different publics? The panel calls for papers that address these and related questions and that provide practical examples of how engagements could and have been achieved in specific contexts.

Submission of abstracts

Papers must be submitted online at http://www.nomadit.co.uk/asa/asa09/panels.php5?PanelID=543.
You must supply a paper title, a short 300-character abstract, and a 250-word abstract (NB: the electronic submission softoware is strict about this and the character count includes spaces). You may also indicate the names (and emails) of any co-authors - however to do this you must also provide their dates of birth (for identification purposes).  So please prepare your data before completing the form.
Abstracts must be submitted by 6 February 2009, and decisions will be made by 18 February 2009.
Paper proposers need not be members of the Association of Social Anthropologists.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either of the panel convenors.
For general information on the conference, see http://www.theasa.org/conferences/asa09/index.htm


The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683.

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