‘Quick, someone call the archaeologists!’ A Provocation
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2019-07-18

Recent years have seen intensifying debate concerning the wider social role, and even the definition of, archaeology. This has been accompanied by an explosion in the application of scientific techniques which regularly generate extensive public interest through the media. At the same time, archaeology appears to be in crisis: In the UK, neoliberal economic models in higher education have led to closures of departments amidst falling student numbers. In Ireland, the union Unite continues to fight for archaeology to be recognised, and paid, as a ‘skilled profession’.
In this paper I will argue that the biggest enemies of archaeology are often archaeologists ourselves. Our ever-desperate attempts to demonstrate social relevance are counterproductive. Striving to project archaeology or archaeological theories as public intellectuals plays into late capitalisms’ need for everything to have definable ‘value’. Instead, archaeology needs to focus on the power of micro, rather than macro, political engagements.

Ben Gearey (University College Cork)

TAG Deva 2018
Session: Creative Frontiers