Theme:
3. Heritage Narratives and Representations
Session format:
Discussion session (with formal abstracts)
Title:
Beyond Bean Counting: Current, Emerging and Anticipated Approaches to Benefitting People and Places through Archaeology [EAA Public Benefits Advisory Committee]
Content:
The benefits of archaeology to people and places are most easily (and therefore most often) measured in ‘bean counting’ financial terms, but this in no way represents their full range, actual and potential. Effective understanding, delivery, recognition, dissemination and nurture of the myriad benefits of archaeology is essential to sustaining a virtuous spiral in which these benefits can be ever more widely experienced, valued and increased.
The new EAA Public Benefits Advisory Committee aims to help archaeologists (1) respectfully, helpfully and constructively share archaeological knowledge and opportunities with wider publics; (2) advance knowledge and understanding of the ways and means by which archaeology benefits people and places; (3) share data, information and insights demonstrating the benefits of archaeology, so their multifaceted values can be recognised; (4) be alert and open to new opportunities to achieve, capture and understand the public benefit of archaeology in the future.
In order to help us achieve the above aims, we would like this session to review current work and ideas for the future, inviting contributions from EAA members across Europe providing insight and opinion on the following topics:
1. In what ways does archaeology currently benefit wider society in Europe and beyond and how are these benefits measured?
2. What are the commonalities and differences across Europe in (a) conceptualising and (b) delivering public benefit through archaeology?
3. In what ways has the capacity of archaeology to benefit people and places been affected by changing social, political and economic conditions in the 2020s?
4. What future problems, challenges and opportunities can be anticipated for those seeking to enable archaeology to be of greater benefit to society.
5. How can information about archaeology as a public benefit best be disseminated to archaeologists and policy-makers within in and beyond the heritage sector?
Keywords:
Societal benefits, Public archaeology, Community archaeology, Education, Participation, Futures
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
yes
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
EAA Public Benefits Advisory Committee
Main organiser:
Carenza Lewis (United Kingdom) 1
Co-organisers:
Almut Schülke (Norway) 2
Christoph Rummel (Germany) 3
Affiliations:
1. University of Lincoln
2. University of Oslo
3. Römisch-Germanische Kommission des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts
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