Chance, Choice, and Catastrophe: An Archaeology of the Unpredictable
Stephen O’Brien, David Smith, Helen Murphy (University of Liverpool)
Archaeologists, regardless of their ideological stripe, have a tendency to look for recognisable patterns in the archaeological record. In many ways this is unsurprising, given archaeology’s origins as part of the Modernist project (Thomas, 2004), and the manner in which the western world is emerging from a period characterised by the two competing determinist schools of thought provided by Marxism and Free-Market economics (Ferguson, 1997). The question must be raised, however, as to how well archaeology deals with the random unpredictable event.
This is particularly relevant in light of recent scientific developments such as non-linear systems theory, which implies that the unpredictable is in fact a highly relevant factor in any complex system, which human culture certainly is. Such developments create a tension between the paradigms of the unpredictable event and gradual development, and those of individual agency and group dynamics. This session will therefore seek to present papers analysing the role of the unpredictable in archaeology, and how archaeology may incorporate such thinking into its work.
References
Ferguson, N. 1997. “Virtual History: Towards a ‘chaotic’ theory of the past”, in N. Ferguson (ed.) Virtual History: Alternatives and Counterfactuals. 1-90. London: Papermac.
Thomas, J. 2004. Archaeology and Modernity. London: Routledge.
1 comment:
Now, here's the thing. Last time, I read your blog entry on TAG and thought hey, that's seriously cool. But at the same time I couldn't say I was surprised; I never would have thought of it myself (well, obviously), but it seemed like the kind of thing I could see you coming up with.
This, on the other hand, made me go 'woah'. I'd like to think in a Keanu Reeves way, but let's be honest, you're probably thinking of Neil out of The Young Ones right now.
Nonetheless. Woah.
Post a Comment