Anarchy and Archaeology: Contesting Hierarchy, Power, and Authority in the Past and Today

Archaeological conceptions of power, authority, and inequality have been undergoing significant changes in the last few decades, both in terms of how the discipline conducts itself as well as in how archaeologists interpret their study matter. To the level that researchers strive to create more balanced relationships with collaborators, develop openness to alternative ontologies, and investigate the active nature of egalitarian social systems, many in the discipline are turning towards policies, methods, and interpretations that emphasize decentralized leadership and more balanced social relations. This session questions whether the application of Anarchist Theory, a growing field of inquiry with deep historical roots, can be beneficially applied to both the interpretation of past cultures and how archaeologists apply our research within a wider political world. In the past, archaeologists rarely engaged with Anarchist Theory, although aspects of anarchism, such as the concern over alienation from decision-making and the need to constantly combat incipient power centralization, permeate the archaeological literature. Papers within this session will explore the ways in which a more explicit engagement with Anarchist Theory can open new avenues of research, inform novel interpretations, or affect relations with collaborators and other invested parties.