Disability Wisdom for the Covid-19 Pandemic

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Disability Wisdom for the Covid-19 Pandemic," at the 2021 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made many archaeologists increasingly aware of the effects of health and ability on life in the past and present. Archaeologists have shown a growing appreciation for the ways that gender, class, ethnicity, and other aspects of identity intersect to create a tapestry of rich and varied lived experiences. Despite this increased attention to identity and oppression, the ways we practice archaeology in the present and the stories we tell about the past often assume a nondisabled perspective. This session examines how people dealt with health issues and epidemics in the past. Because we acknowledge that our current perspectives inform how we discuss subjects, we include critiques, explorations, and studies of how ableism distorts archaeological interpretation and limits the diversity of our profession. By using disability studies to engage with ideas about health and wellbeing, we can build a more inclusive archaeology in the present and future.