In 1979, TAG was founded to explore interdisciplinary theoretical topics and its relevance to archaeological interpretations. Thirty years later, perhaps it is time to stop and critically evaluate where we are and where we want to go. Thus, to inaugurate a return to TAG’s roots, this plenary session provokes the big question: where are we…
theory
CFP – Method And The Machine: theorising an archaeological approach to technical processes
in Critical Technologies the making of the modern world theme We welcome abstracts for the above-named WAC-6 session. The session is jointly organised by James Dixon (UWE Faculty of Creative Arts) and Brent Fortenberry (Boston University) and subsequent discussion will be chaired by Victor Buchli (UCL) The modern world is replete with technical processes. Whether…
History of Archaeology in the Colony
A session for WAC-6 under the theme Archaeological Theory? Legacies, Burdens, Futures, which was announced on Archaeolog in June. The meta-theoretical approach of processual archaeology gave rise to a history of archaeology, concentrating on the discipline as a cultural and political practice. It narrated a historical trajectory of a scientific discourse closely linked to the…
WHERE THE FUTURE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL THEORY LIES (WAC session announcement)
We are organizing a session for WAC-6 under the theme Archaeological Theory? Legacies, Burdens, Futures, which was announced on Archaeolog in June. This session was inspired by a question posted to an archaeological discussion list a few months ago: where are the new ideas in archaeological theory deriving from? The two organisers of this session,…
History of Archaeology in the Colony
I am organizing a WAC session on the “History of archaeology in the colony” in the Theme “Archaeological Theory? Legacies, burdens, futures”. Chiefly, the session seeks submissions on history of archaeology in Egypt; Mesopotamia (Iraq); Africa; South Asia, Mexico and South America – located in late nineteenth century and early twentieth century trajectory of archaeology…
Archaeological Theory? Legacies, burdens, futures
What are the states (past, present, future) of theory in archaeology today? What are the agendas? Is the political commitment still alive? What has changed? Have we fallen into a state of post-hypercritical apathy, malaise, fragmentation? Where is archaeological theory going? We wish to explore these questions, which connect with recent discussion (see Holtorf and…