ANTH 554K - Indigenous Archaeology

Credits: Variable

This graduate seminar introduces the student to the growing international movement for an Indigenous archaeology. Indigenous archaeology is archaeology informed by Indigenous values and agendas. It is archaeology conducted by and for Indigenous people. Graduate standing is required for the course but no prior course work in archaeology is necessary. I will assume that each student has a basic grounding in Anthropology. The course will prepare graduate students in archaeology to incorporate Indigenous archaeology into their practice. It will give students in the other three subdisciplines of anthropology an introduction to archaeological research and it will address a variety of concerns that cross cut the subdisciplines. There are four key facets to the praxis of Indigenous archaeology. First, Indigenous archaeology serves the interests of Indigenous communities. Second, the method of working with these communities is collaboration. Third, collaboration requires that many voices be heard. And finally that archaeology should be of use to indigenous peoples. This course will focus on the development of Indigenous archaeology in the United States and link those developments to the international scene. It will begin with a review of the legal, economic, cultural and political realities of Native Americans in the United States today. Based on this review, the course will consider the how these realities have shaped relations between archaeologists and indigenous communities. Repatriation will be a major topic of the course as will the controversy surrounding the Ancient One (Kennewick Man). Requirements for the course will include reading response papers; a research paper and a 20-minute presentation to the class based on the research paper. Occasional.