Theme:
4. Persisting with Change: Theory and Archaeological Scrutiny
Title:
Stone Age Theory in an Undefined Paradigm: Gen-Y to Z, Third Science Revolutions to New Materialisms
Content:
The aim of the workshop is for Stone Age archaeologists to come together and discuss the positions of current theoretical perspectives within Stone Age archaeology. We are especially interested in the voices of early career Stone Age archaeologists. Does it make sense to talk of a theoretical “mainstream” within Stone Age archaeology today, or has the field become so theoretically diffused that no such mainstream exists? Have we lost capacity to judge out mainstreams in today’s discussion climate (or, were we ever capable?). What are the main theoretical “schools” we encounter in the current “PPP”, “tech-individualist” or “representationalist” era, how do they relate to one another?
We experience increasing tendencies towards theoretical specialization and less engagement, dialogue across theoretical divides of the kind characterizing for the 1990s and early 2000s. We believe the implosion of previous theoretical jargon has restricted ways of interacting across discursive borders, where conflict is avoided through silenced dialogue. We also note increased tendencies towards focuses on practice and proxy rather than interpretative framework, maybe as a result of the so-called “third science revolution”. This situation will not result in less interpretative archaeologies but instead, in obscured knowledge production and blurry narration of the past. We welcome a discussion about how contrasting theoretical approaches may enter into dialogue about commons and uncommons: to the benefit of both. The workshop will provide space for inclusive, friendly, and informal discussions, and we welcome participants with diverse backgrounds and interests. At the end of the workshop, our aim is that all participants will contribute to identifying central, theoretical issues in Stone Age narration. Using this framework, participants will also get an opportunity to connect with others equally interested in Stone Age archaeology and theory as well as the wide range of possible and strange combinations between the two.
Keywords:
Hunter-gatherer-fisher, Palaeolithic Mesolithic Neolithic, Theory, Ontology, Epistemology, STAT network
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
PaM (Palaeolithic and Mesolithic)
Main organiser:
Paulina Blaesild (Sweden) 1
Co-organisers:
Håvard Kilhavn (Norway) 2
Erik Solfeldt (Sweden) 3
Affiliations:
1. University of Gothenburg
2. University of Stavanger
3. Stockholm University
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