Left Of Capitalism: Archaeology, Homelessness, and the People's Critique

Many historical archaeologists now focus their research on resistance towards capitalism. Some even define the discipline as the study of the material history of capitalism, reminding us that many of our sites represent areas of substantial capital investment. From coal mining company towns to textile mills, research is centered around sites of production and those with the capital to create them. As a result, studies infrequently examine the peoples most adversely affected by capital—those who are excluded from it. From the transient laborers who crisscrossed the nation during the Great Depression, to modern day undocumented immigrants, the materiality of these neglected communities is available for analysis. This session will detail alternative methods of persistence used by homeless, transient, and un/under employed communities. In this way, we can stop privileging capital in our research, and start to examine those who live on its edges.