Randall H Mcguire - Böcker

Based on a study of more than 200 burials at the US site of La Ciudad (725 AD to 1100 AD), this is an exploration of the meaning of burials as statements on the nature of power relations and social structure. Focusing on the inequalities between the distribution of grave goods and other aspects of material culture, the author argues against trying

This book examines the burials in the context of the Ciudad community to gain some understanding of the nature of Hohokam social organization. It provides a contrast of the ideology of the Colonial and Sedentary periods and the ideology of the Classic Period.

This book develops a theory and framework to describe how archaeology can contribute to a more humane world. Recognizing that archaeology is an inherently political activity, Randall H. McGuire builds on the history of archaeological theory and Marxist dialectical theory to point out how archaeologists can use their craft to evaluate interpretations of the real world, construct meaningful histories for communities, and challenge the persistent legacies of colonialism and class struggle. McGuire bases his discussion on his own extensive fieldwork in the United States and Mexico, citing fascinating case studies to develop the idea of archaeology as a class-based endeavor.

A timely collection on the role of public archaeology in an era of reactionary populismReactionary populism, seen in radical anti-intellectual movements around the globe, is changing how politics are practiced and how people view themselves and others. Amid increasing polarization and extremism, the social role of archaeology is more relevant but also more difficult. This volume explores how populist politics present new challenges to public archaeologists in North America, South America, and Europe.Archaeology, Heritage, and Reactionary Populism shows that the field of community archaeology must do more to address how these movements can distort history. Contributors demonstrate why researchers and heritage managers should be aware of the interests their work advances, discuss the ethics of working with communities that promote extreme populist values, and examine the ways governments affect heritage regulations. Acknowledging that community archaeology is often very localized, they argue that it can and should connect with and inform broader historical narratives.Written by practitioners from different subfields of public archaeology, this collection problematizes commonly held assumptions about community, the public, and political action. At the same time, it moves beyond critique to propose practical forms of engagement. This reflective and critical approach will help archaeologists mobilize their work to engage with the growing influence of reactionary populism.A volume in the series Cultural Heritage Studies, edited by Katherine Hayes

A timely collection on the role of public archaeology in an era of reactionary populismReactionary populism, seen in radical anti-intellectual movements around the globe, is changing how politics are practiced and how people view themselves and others. Amid increasing polarization and extremism, the social role of archaeology is more relevant but also more difficult. This volume explores how populist politics present new challenges to public archaeologists in North America, South America, and Europe.Archaeology, Heritage, and Reactionary Populism shows that the field of community archaeology must do more to address how these movements can distort history. Contributors demonstrate why researchers and heritage managers should be aware of the interests their work advances, discuss the ethics of working with communities that promote extreme populist values, and examine the ways governments affect heritage regulations. Acknowledging that community archaeology is often very localized, they argue that it can and should connect with and inform broader historical narratives.Written by practitioners from different subfields of public archaeology, this collection problematizes commonly held assumptions about community, the public, and political action. At the same time, it moves beyond critique to propose practical forms of engagement. This reflective and critical approach will help archaeologists mobilize their work to engage with the growing influence of reactionary populism.A volume in the series Cultural Heritage Studies, edited by Katherine Hayes

Archaeologists have often used the term ideology to vaguely refer to a “realm of ideas.” Scholars from Marx to Zizek have developed a sharper concept, arguing that ideology works by representing—or misrepresenting—power relations through concealment, enhancement, or transformation of real social relations between groups. Ideologies in Archaeology examines the role of ideology in this latter sense as it pertains to both the practice and the content of archaeological studies. While ideas like reflexive archaeology and multivocality have generated some recent interest, this book is the first work to address in any detail the mutual relationship between ideologies of the past and present ideological conditions producing archaeological knowledge. Contributors to this volume focus on elements of life in past societies that “went without saying” and that concealed different forms of power as obvious and unquestionable. From the use of burial rites as political theater in Iron Age Germany to the intersection of economics and elite power in Mississippian mound building, the contributors uncover complex manipulations of power that have often gone unrecognized. They show that Occam’s razor—the tendency to favor simpler explanations—is sometimes just an excuse to avoid dealing with the historical world in its full complexity. Jean-Paul Demoule’s concluding chapter echoes this sentiment and moreover brings a continental European perspective to the preceding case studies. In addition to situating this volume in a wider history of archaeological currents, Demoule identifies the institutional and cultural factors that may account for the current direction in North American archaeology. He also offers a defense of archaeology in an era of scientific relativism, which leads him to reflect on the responsibilities of archaeologists. Includes contributions by: Susan M. Alt, Bettina Arnold, Uzi Baram, Reinhard Bernbeck, Matthew David Cochran, Jean-Paul Demoule, Kurt A. Jordan, Susan Kus, Vicente Lull, Christopher N. Matthews, Randall H. McGuire, Rafael MicÓ, Cristina Rihuete Herrada, Paul Mullins, Sue Novinger, Susan Pollock, Victor Raharijaona, Roberto Risch, Kathleen Sterling, Ruth M. Van Dyke, and LouAnn Wurst

Walls are being built at a dizzying pace to separate us, cocoon us, and exclude us. The contributors to this volume illuminate the roles and uses of walls around the world--in contexts ranging from historic neighborhoods to contemporary national borders. They argue that more and more walls are being built even though they are a paradox in a neoliberal world in which people, goods, and ideas are supposed to move freely. The walls examined in this volume do not share a common form or type, but they do share a common political purpose: they determine and defend racist definitions of social belonging by controlling access and movement. The contributors include archaeologists, anthropologists, geographers, and sociologists. They bring different perspectives and insights to the scale, form, and impact of this phenomenon of "walling in" and "walling out.

The Archaeology of the Colorado Coalfield War Project has conducted archaeological investigations at the site of the Ludlow Massacre in Ludlow, Colorado, since 1996. With the help of the United Mine Workers of America and funds from the Colorado State Historical Society and the Colorado Endowment for the Humanities, the scholars involved have integrated archaeological finds with archival evidence to show how the everyday experiences of miners and their families shaped the strike and its outcome.The Archaeology of Class War weaves together material culture, documents, oral histories, landscapes, and photographs to reveal aspects of the strike and life in early twentieth-century Colorado coalfields unlike any standard documentary history. Excavations at the site of the massacre and the nearby town of Berwind exposed tent platforms, latrines, trash dumps, and the cellars in which families huddled during the attack. Myriad artifacts—from canning jars to a doll’s head—reveal the details of daily existence and bring the community to life.The Archaeology of Class War will be of interest to archaeologists, historians, and general readers interested in mining and labor history.

A rich intellectual tradition that offers archaeologists a way around many seemingly irresolvable theoretical oppositions, Marxism deserves a place in the philosophical and substantive debates in archaeology. This book applies Marxist theory to archaeology, explores long-term historical change and cultural evolution, and advocates a dialectical and historical approach to the study of the past. Originally published by Academic Press in 1992, this edition features a new prologue by the author.From the Prologue to the Percheron Press Edition . . .'The unique contribution that Marxism can make to archaeology comes from the integration of [its three parts] to gain knowledge of, critique, and take action in the world. . . . [T]his integration is an ongoing, dynamic, and never-ending process. My starting point for this process is to be found in A Marxist Archaeology and I hope that other archaeologists will find my efforts helpful as they begin their journey.'

Archaeology for whom? The dozen well-known contributors to this innovative volume suggest nothing less than a transformation of the discipline into a service-oriented, community-based endeavor. They wish to replace the primacy of meeting academic demands with meeting the needs and values of those outside the field who may benefit most from our work. They insist that we employ both rigorous scientific methods and an equally rigorous critique of those practices to ensure that our work addresses real-world social, environmental, and political problems. A transformed archaeology requires both personal engagement and a new toolkit. Thus, in addition to the theoretical grounding and case materials from around the world, each contributor offers a personal statement of their goals and an outline of collaborative methods that can be adopted by other archaeologists.

Archaeology for whom? The dozen well-known contributors to this innovative volume suggest nothing less than a transformation of the discipline into a service-oriented, community-based endeavor. They wish to replace the primacy of meeting academic demands with meeting the needs and values of those outside the field who may benefit most from our work. They insist that we employ both rigorous scientific methods and an equally rigorous critique of those practices to ensure that our work addresses real-world social, environmental, and political problems. A transformed archaeology requires both personal engagement and a new toolkit. Thus, in addition to the theoretical grounding and case materials from around the world, each contributor offers a personal statement of their goals and an outline of collaborative methods that can be adopted by other archaeologists.