Communities and Knowledge Production in Archaeology

Description

The dynamic processes of knowledge production in archaeology and elsewhere in the humanities and social sciences are increasingly viewed as the collaborative effort of groups, clusters and communities of researchers rather than the isolated work of so-called 'instrumental' actors. Shifting focus from the individual scholar to the wider social contexts of her work and the dynamic creative processes she participates in, this volume critically examines the importance of informal networks and conversation in the creation of knowledge about the past. Engaging with theoretical approaches such as the sociology and geographies of knowledge and Actor-Network Theory (ANT), and using examples taken from different archaeologies in Europe and North America from the seventeenth to the mid-twentieth century, the book caters to a wide readership, ranging from students of archaeology, anthropology, classics and science studies to the general reader. -- .

Julia Roberts is an independent researcher and occasional lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire Kathleen Sheppard is Associate Professor of History at Missouri University of Science and Technology Ulf R. Hansson is Director of the Swedish Institute of Classical Studies in Rome and Senior Research Fellow in classics at the University of Texas at Austin Jonathan R. Trigg is a part-time lecturer at the University of Liverpool -- .

'This is an interesting book for anyone interested in archaeological theory and the history of archaeology.' Ulster Archaeological Society -- .