Empowering Communities: Democratizing Knowledge Production in Science Communication through “The Community Archaeologist”

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Democratizing Heritage Creation: How-To and When" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Science communicators are in an unprecedented time of digital innovation and global connectivity that has given rise to accessible and engaging projects, including podcasts, TikToks, apps, and interactive websites. These platforms have demonstrated how the power to create and disseminate narratives can shift from a select few to the collective voices of the many. Nevertheless, science communicators, particularly in archaeology, continue to explore successful methodologies to empower communities, especially those historically marginalized. In this paper, we explore our approach to democratizing knowledge production through our work with "The Community Archaeologist," a digital science communication magazine dedicated to sharing narratives of history and heritage that reflect Oklahoma's diverse cultural landscape. Throughout its development, our editorial team has prioritized building enduring and diverse collaborations, ensuring representative authorship, fostering independent content creation, and promoting multimodal engagement. We have also worked to reduce barriers that might hinder community participation, such as financial constraints, time limitations, and a lack of writing experience. While our approach is an ongoing endeavor, it is making strides toward a more equitable and inclusive archaeology.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Democratizing Heritage Creation: How-To and When   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40327.0