Learning DIY from the University of Orange

Summary

Orange, New Jersey is like many other aging American cities in that it has de-industrialized, declined, and suffered the impacts of urban renewal over the last 50 years. Part of this story is happening now as Orange is primed for re-development as a bedroom community serving a commuter population connected to New York by train and highway. The threat of gentrification has spawned interesting reactions. Some are nostalgic, looking at what Orange used to be so that was it becomes is not completely severed from its past. Another, which has inspired my participation, is the University of Orange, "a free people’s university dedicated to lifelong learning, civic engagement, and urban restoration." UofO epitomizes the spirit of community-based, DIY intellectual activism also found in many punk rock  scenes. This paper explains this ethos and discusses how archaeology and related research and engagements with and trough the UofO are coming to light.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015   •
• Punk Public Archaeology

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 250