An Exercise in Epistemic Disobedience: Implementing De-colonial Methods at the Site of Portobelo, Panamá

Summary

It has been argued by many post-colonial theorists that in order to understand identity formation processes within repressive contexts, both in an historically colonial moment and a contemporary post-colonial one, we must locate and critically analyze those formative years in colonial history that gave rise to modern cultural forms, and have simultaneously shaped our perception of those forms, internally and externally. However, we must not only critique empire, but think beyond it, to a border thinking by way of the colonial experience and memory. In other words, we must choose the de-colonial option of epistemic disobedience. Using the context of the site of Portobelo, Panamá as an example, this paper will discuss why there is a need for a practice in de-colonial methods in Latin American historical archaeology and present what an archaeological practice in epistemic disobedience may entail.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Las preguntas que cuentan: Ideas and interpretations in Latin American Historical Archaeology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-33,17