Field Schools and Gender in Archaeology

Summary

This is an abstract from the "I Love Sherds and Parasites: A Festschrift in Honor of Pat Urban and Ed Schortman" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper reflects on the singular importance of field school experiences, such as the semester abroad program of Kenyon College, for supporting students as they come to understand the social context of professional life in Latin American Archaeology and their ability to positively contribute to an eclectic discipline such as archaeology. The formative experiences of living and studying in a foreign country provide opportunities to develop different kinds of cultural competencies that help young investigators develop the confidence and skills to not only handle challenges that arise during field work but also can help navigate academic professional contexts where issues of plurality, diversity, and/or gender diferences may not be openly addressed. I want to highlight the importance of teaching and supporting young investigators in field schools as a means to increase our ability to reflect on ethical dilemas and disciplinary biases, such as androcentrism, and actively work towards a more diverse and inclusive academic discipline.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• I Love Sherds and Parasites: A Festschrift in Honor of Pat Urban and Ed Schortman   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 23913