Archaeologies of Removal

Anthropologies and histories of removal have been exploring the socio-cultural dimensions of deportation and other types of forced resettlement for some time. This topic is less resonant in archaeology, presenting us with an opportunity for dialogue on the materiality of geographical displacement. To that end, this symposium invites contributors to discuss questions that provide fruitful avenues for exploring individual or social expulsion. What is the relationship between material culture and the causes, processes, or effects of removal? What concepts or theories most effectively promote research on dramatic relocations? Do ethnographic and historical studies of themes such as migration, asylum, human rights, transnational citizenship, embodiment, globalization, confinement, or militarism provide useful analytical domains for archaeologists? Where would national reservations or colonial reducciones fit into this discourse? How might the forces and opponents of enslavement resonate with other issues raised in the discussion? What approaches best represent and explain the scope and significance of geo-disruption? Does the discourse change when primary force(s) of relocation are natural or climatic? Ultimately, archaeologies of removal could involve many themes and intersect with various topics.