Resistance in the past and in archaeological research
Author
Editor
- Mikael Sørensen
- Kristoffer Buck Pedersen
Summary, in English
My own privilege as an observer of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic rests on the power of an outsider by wearing lenses from other archaeological research fields. As far as I understand doing archaeology, a reflexive consciousness about the production of knowledge and the communication strategies is fundamental for increasing our knowledge and using our knowledge of the past. The awareness of subjectivity in the production of knowledge helps to understand what problems and possibilities there might be in Palaeolithic and Mesolithic research. Critical archaeology forms a necessary core in archaeological research.
The concept of resistance has been used as a metaphor, and as a tool to understand research on the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic.[MS1] The resistance and domination in research are power-related, and certainly theoretical perspectives are loaded with values that sets the agenda for present-day understanding about our knowledge of the past. The concept is associated with human agency and communication. The concept of resistance has been used to refer to human life in the past, as today. The distinct types of resistance within anthropology and political science support a complex nature of resistance involving the actors, their targets, and the observers, in the past, and as in the archaeological research field. The researcher is a part of norms and values in the present, and plays the role as actor, target, and observer. As that kind of role-player the complex matter of multiple opportunities in interprations of the past.
The concept of resistance has been used as a metaphor, and as a tool to understand research on the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic.[MS1] The resistance and domination in research are power-related, and certainly theoretical perspectives are loaded with values that sets the agenda for present-day understanding about our knowledge of the past. The concept is associated with human agency and communication. The concept of resistance has been used to refer to human life in the past, as today. The distinct types of resistance within anthropology and political science support a complex nature of resistance involving the actors, their targets, and the observers, in the past, and as in the archaeological research field. The researcher is a part of norms and values in the present, and plays the role as actor, target, and observer. As that kind of role-player the complex matter of multiple opportunities in interprations of the past.
Publishing year
2017
Language
English
Pages
23-36
Publication/Series
Arkeologiska Studier
Volume
12
Full text
- Available as PDF - 375 kB
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Document type
Book chapter
Publisher
Copenhagen University
Topic
- Archaeology
Keywords
- dissemination
- communication
- critical archaeology
- paleolithic mesolithic
- reseaarch habitus
- Resistance
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISBN: 978-87-89500-27-0