Student Safety and Experience in Archaeology: Building a Diverse Future

Summary

When people of color pursue college educations, safety is often a priority. Colleges and their respective departments, become their home, faculty become mentors, and their fellow students become their family. An enormous amount of trust is placed in our departments and we are often left feeling alone. As graduate students and Teaching Assistant’s, we are required to receive orientation and training that address procedures within federal and institutional guidelines yet we receive no orientation to help us navigate abusive behavior, and consequently are placed in situations by those mandated to teach and mentor us, exposing us to harm and leaving us feeling powerless in both the classroom and the field. In archaeology, women and other non-cisgender students are at greater risk than their counterparts.

The Society for American Archaeology’s 2017 statement on Sexual Harassment and Violence, formally recognizes that "intimidation…has been legally recognized as having a chilling effect on learning and workplace experiences…" This experience is further undermined by occurrences of discrimination, harassment, and differential treatment in the classroom, lab, and the field. It is imperative that we lobby for training, education, and resources.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22623