Course Information

Who owns the past?  What are the aims of archaeology?  How have the motivations and methods of early archaeologists and collectors defined what we know now?  Could current projects radically transform our understanding of the ancient world?  In this course, we will work together as a learning community to deepen our understanding of ethical issues raised by the practices of archaeology, museology, and the collection and display of material culture.  We will begin by studying several archaeological projects and artifact collections from the ancient Mediterranean, including  the antiquities collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu and the Eastern Boeotia Archaeological Project.  We will also engage in a collaborative study with museum staff of the Native American Collection at the Pomona College Benton Museum of Art. Students will then identify, research, and present relevant case studies of significant interest to the students themselves.  By applying diverse theoretical models, including actor-network modeling, Thing theory, decoloniality, feminism, and Critical Race Theory, we will develop our own methodologies for the study of archaeology in social context.