Anarchism and Historical Archaeology

Part of: Society for Historical Archaeology 2017

A central element of anarchist thought is the critique of hierarchy in human society. Other topics of interest include the development of horizontal power structures, decentralization, free association, and various approaches to consensus building. Of course, one does not have to identify as an anarchist to draw upon the diversity of perspectives coexisting within the umbrella of anarchism. This session seeks to understand the ways anarchist theory can inform historical archaeology, and, if possible, the ways historical archaeology may contribute to anarchism. Although anarchist ideas have existed for millennia (e.g., Daosim), it's emergence as a political philosophy in the late 17th and early 18th centuries suggests that historical archaeologists have an important role to play in articulating the intersections between anarchy and archaeology. This session seeks to foster a dialogue regarding these intersections. We will also begin charting future directions regarding the incorporation of anarchism as a living theory within historical archaeology.