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Archaeological practice is currently shifting in response to
feminist, indigenous, activist, community-based, and anarchic
critiques of how archaeology is practiced and how science is used
to interpret the past lives of people. Inspired by the calls for a
different way of doing archaeology, this volume presents a case
here for a heart-centered archaeological practice. Heart-centered
practice emerged in care-based disciplines, such as nursing and
various forms of therapy, as a way to recognize the importance of
caring for those on whom we work, and as an avenue to explore how
our interactions with others impacts our own emotions and heart.
Archaeologists are disciplined to separate mind and heart, a
division which harkens back to the origins of western thought. The
dualism between the mental and the physical is fundamental to the
concept that humans can objectively study the world without being
immersed in it. Scientific approaches to understanding the world
assume there is an objective world to be studied and that humans
must remove themselves from that world in order to find the truth.
An archaeology of the heart rejects this dualism; rather, we see
mind, body, heart, and spirit as inextricable. An archaeology of
the heart provides a new space for thinking through an integrated,
responsible, and grounded archaeology, where there is care for the
living and the dead, acknowledges the need to build responsible
relationships with communities, and with the archaeological record,
and emphasize the role of rigor in how work and research is
conducted. The contributions bring together archaeological
practitioners from across the globe in different contexts to
explore how heart-centered practice can impact archaeological
theory, methodology, and research throughout the discipline.
Archaeological practice is currently shifting in response to
feminist, indigenous, activist, community-based, and anarchic
critiques of how archaeology is practiced and how science is used
to interpret the past lives of people. Inspired by the calls for a
different way of doing archaeology, this volume presents a case
here for a heart-centered archaeological practice. Heart-centered
practice emerged in care-based disciplines, such as nursing and
various forms of therapy, as a way to recognize the importance of
caring for those on whom we work, and as an avenue to explore how
our interactions with others impacts our own emotions and heart.
Archaeologists are disciplined to separate mind and heart, a
division which harkens back to the origins of western thought. The
dualism between the mental and the physical is fundamental to the
concept that humans can objectively study the world without being
immersed in it. Scientific approaches to understanding the world
assume there is an objective world to be studied and that humans
must remove themselves from that world in order to find the truth.
An archaeology of the heart rejects this dualism; rather, we see
mind, body, heart, and spirit as inextricable. An archaeology of
the heart provides a new space for thinking through an integrated,
responsible, and grounded archaeology, where there is care for the
living and the dead, acknowledges the need to build responsible
relationships with communities, and with the archaeological record,
and emphasize the role of rigor in how work and research is
conducted. The contributions bring together archaeological
practitioners from across the globe in different contexts to
explore how heart-centered practice can impact archaeological
theory, methodology, and research throughout the discipline.
"Where the Wind Blows Us" unites critical practice with a
community-based approach to archaeology. Author Natasha Lyons
describes an inclusive archaeology that rests on a flexible but
rigorous approach to research design and demonstrates a
responsible, ethical practice. She traces the rise and application
of community archaeologies, develops a wide-ranging set of methods
for community practice, and maps out a "localized critical theory"
that is suited to the needs of local and descendant communities as
they pursue self-defined heritage goals. Localized critical theory
aims to decenter the focus on global processes of capitalism in
favor of the local processes of community dynamics. "Where the Wind
Blows Us" emphasizes the role of individuals and the relationships
they share with communities of the past and present.
Lyons offers an extended case study of her work with the
Inuvialuit community of the Canadian Western Arctic. She documents
the development of this longstanding research relationship and
presents both the theoretical and practical products of the work to
date. Integrating knowledge drawn from archaeology, ethnography,
oral history, and community interviews, Lyons utilizes a multivocal
approach that actively listens to Inuvialuit speak about their rich
and textured history.
The overall significance of this volume lies in outlining a method
of practicing archaeology that embraces local ways of knowing with
a critically constructed and evolving methodology that is
responsive to community needs. It will serve as a handbook to mine
for elements of critical practice, a model of community-based
archaeology, and a useful set of concepts and examples for
classroom study.
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