The Power of Performance: Activism, Public Archaeology, and Heritage Landscapes at the Portland Wharf

Author(s): M. Jay Stottman

Year: 2016

Summary

The development of an activist archaeology has led to an examination of how archaeologists can collaborate with and benefit communities. The notion that the products of archaeological research are relatively weak tools for achieving activist goals has led some archaeologists to emphasize the performance of archaeology as a more effective way to engage communities. In this paper I will examine the performance of archaeology as a way to create heritage landscapes and achieve activist goals. I will discuss the efforts to use archaeology at the Portland Wharf site to help create, modify, and maintain community identity through heritage landscapes. 

Cite this Record

The Power of Performance: Activism, Public Archaeology, and Heritage Landscapes at the Portland Wharf. M. Jay Stottman. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434915)

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): 410