Difference Theory and the Relevance of the Archaeological Past to the Present

Summary

The relevance of the archaeological past to the present is not usually considered an ethical, or moral issue, except in the context of western heritage and conservation values. There appears to be both internal conditions to archaeology, as well as external conditions, that prevent the relevance and use of archaeological knowledge. The notion of relevance is frequently embedded in presentist discourses in the humanities and social sciences with an emphasis on sociality, and social recursive methodology. Materiality is viewed as an epiphenomenon of the social and ‘the individual’ is placed as a prescriber of materiality. This is also an anthropocentric view elevating ‘the category of the human’ to a platform from which all else is subjugated. Difference theory attempts to get away from presentism and social-centricism within archaeological theory and interpretation, and public perception. The theory proposes that social rates of change will be at odds with material rates of change, causing productive dissonance.​ We have an impetus to study the past from the long-term material perspective if we know it can provide useful insight into the present, particularly if what can be observed holds relevance to the sustainability of human communities in modernity.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Difference in Archaeological Theory and Practise

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