Public Engagement Is Not Enough – Historical Archaeology’s Future Is in Collaboration
Author(s): Tiffany C. Cain; Elias Chi Poot; Secundino Cahum Balam
Year: 2016
Summary
As a framework, collaborative archaeology forefronts reciprocity and shared knowledge as primary components of archaeological work. Historical archaeology has long been concerned with public engagement but continually tends toward the model of an expert archaeologist beneficently bestowing knowledge about "their history" on curious or concerned publics rather than toward reciprocal partnerships. If we are to consider the future of the field, we should be rethinking the role archaeological knowledge in the 21st century plays in structuring contemporary identities. We present our collaborative heritage project, focused on 19th century Northern Quintana Roo, MX and the impact of the Caste War of Yucatan, as a case study for doing community-based research. In Mesoamerica where historical archaeology is still in its infancy, the field is uniquely positioned to emphasize partnership for the outset. Despite notable criticisms, we maintain that collaboration must be a precedent for the future of relevant and ethical historical archaeologies.
Cite this Record
Public Engagement Is Not Enough – Historical Archaeology’s Future Is in Collaboration. Tiffany C. Cain, Elias Chi Poot, Secundino Cahum Balam. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434776)
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Keywords
General
Caste War of Yucatan
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collaborative methodologies
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Cultural Heritage
Geographic Keywords
North America
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United States of America
Temporal Keywords
Late 19th Century
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 770