United States Archaeology at Crossroads Part 1: The Obstacles, the Failures, and the Victories

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "United States Archaeology at Crossroads Part 1: The Obstacles, the Failures, and the Victories" at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In 2021, members of the SAA’s Government Affairs Committee (GAC) began hearing concerns about the current state of archaeology in the US from the SAA membership. It became apparent that archaeology was at a crossroads as a profession. Stagnant pay, colonial legacies, high tuition, lack of upward mobility, and poor training have led to people leaving the field or choosing not to enter it. Fewer students are enrolling in archaeology classes and majoring in archaeology, and some anthropology departments and archaeology programs have been and may be eliminated. Speakers will discuss the current direction and future potential of archaeological education, employment, the incorporation of descendant community voices, and recent legislative and regulatory decisions/proposals and court rulings at state and federal levels that impact the state of cultural resource management and historic preservation. We will examine ways to transform the current dynamic towards a more ethical, meaningful and sustainable profession and practice.