The Possibilities of Sociopolitical Forms: An Archaeological Existentialism for Collectives

Summary

This is an abstract from the "In Defense of Everything! Constructive Engagements with Graeber and Wengrow’s Provocative Contribution" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In *The Dawn of Everything*, Graeber and Wengrow present a thought-provoking archaeological history of humankind that challenges common understandings of our pasts. Instead of a linear progression from egalitarian pasts to state-based hierarchies, they show the spectrum of variability of sociopolitical structures that have emerged throughout history. In so doing, they raise awareness of human sociopolitical possibilities, bringing readers to reflect on and question the apparent fixity of current state forms of rule, which are commonplace today. Here, I focus on this facet of their work, their highlighting of sociopolitical possibilities that were actualized in the past. They foster a sense of anarchic play in social and ritual practices, showcasing other ways of living in the world and with others. While Marx and Kropotkin more often provided sketches of humanist ideals for how political arrangements could be, Graeber and Wengrow provide numerous case studies of realized possibilities from the archaeological record. I will discuss how they have provided us with a form of existentialism that is not concerned primarily with the subjective individual, but one that is anchored and operates at the level of the collective.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• In Defense of Everything! Constructive Engagements with Graeber and Wengrow’s Provocative Contribution   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39438.0