The Pragmatic and Epistemological Challenges Of Collaborative Research

Summary

This paper outlines some of the lessons learned from more than a decade of working with the Hassanamisco Nipmuc of Massachusetts. During the course of this evolving collaboration there have been many epistemological and ontological challenges. Chief among these has been finding common ground between the questions pursued archaeologically and those that hold relevancy for indigenous peoples. Rather than seeing these as contrasting purposes the Hassanamesit Woods Project has found productive ways of joining these into a common purpose. What has emerged is an archaeology that in many respects is traditional in focus that combines sound empirical research with a pragmatic philosophy that sees value in practical outcomes. The result has been a highly productive, socially satisfying collaboration that has been embraced by Nipmuc elders and youth alike. It has also resulted in a series of joint publications as well as book length manuscript that is in progress.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• A Global Dialogue on Collaborative Archaeology

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15802