"I Could Feel Your Heart": The Transformative and Collaborative Power of Heartfelt Thinking in Archaeology

Summary

As anthropologists we know that the heart is considered a source of strength in many cultures. Yet in Western society and the culture of science, an epistemology of the heart or heartfelt thinking is generally feminized and as a consequence, devalued. Guided by Feminist and Indigenous theory, I have established an archaeological practice that foregrounds heartfelt thinking as part of community-based heritage work. Importantly, I strive to train the next generation of archaeology professionals to recognize the role of the heart in promoting an effective multivocal research perspective. There are many challenges to such an approach, not least of which is the perception that inclusive and reflective practice is a sign of weakness. I will discuss the personal challenges I have experienced in operationalizing an "archaeology of the heart" and explore why it is imperative to overcome these problems to reinvent our discipline.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Archaeologies of Heart: Exploring the Role of Emotion and Spirit in Archaeological Research and Practice

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 13237