Marcel Mauss's writings on techniques and technology are at the forefront of an important anthropological and sociological research tradition, and they also highlight the theoretical and ideological challenges surrounding this field of study. A selection of Mauss's texts - including his major statements on methodology, on body techniques, on practical reason, on nation and civilisation, on progress, and so forth - are here translated and presented together for the first time, with a discussion of their context, impact and implications. This book will interest scholars and students dealing with the French sociological tradition, and also more generally those concerned with technology and material culture studies in archaeological,anthropological or contemporary settings.

In line with the resurgence of interest in the history of archaeology manifested over the past decade, this volume aims to highlight state of the art research across several topics and areas, and to stimulate new approaches and studies in the field. With their shared historiographical commitment, the authors, both leading scholars and emerging researchers, draw from a wide range of case studies to address some of the main themes such as sources and methods; questions of archaeological practices and the practical aspects of knowledge production; visualizing archaeology and the multiple roles of iconography and imagery; and questions of identity at local, national, and international levels.

Marcel Mauss's writings on techniques and technology are at the forefront of an important anthropological and sociological research tradition, and they also highlight the theoretical and ideological challenges surrounding this field of study. A selection of Mauss's texts - including his major statements on methodology, on body techniques, on practical reason, on nation and civilisation, on progress, and so forth - are here translated and presented together for the first time, with a discussion of their context, impact and implications. This book will interest scholars and students dealing with the French sociological tradition, and also more generally those concerned with technology and material culture studies in archaeological, anthropological or contemporary settings

As it appears in diverse guises - and notably as a founding narrative - the past is at the core of every functioning human society. The idea that the past can be known through scientific research has long been a fundamental challenge for western societies and for European researchers, from all disciplines concerned. Through more than four decades of outward-looking archaeological practice, the scholar, teacher and intellectual Jean-Paul Demoule has elaborated a truly global approach to European cultures and their transformations, spanning from the social inequality in Neolithic times to Indo European research to contemporary links between heritage and politics. His colleagues - British, Bulgarians, Czechs, Danes, Dutch, French, Germans, North-Americans, Spaniards, Swiss and Russians - seek to extend and enrich his vision. With contributions (written in French and in English) spanning from prehistory to the modern world, they bring in this volume new insights and data to such issues as the processes of identity construction at different scales, migratory movements in Europe, the status of gender, the role of prestige objects and megalithic monuments in the emergence of social hierarchy and in the semiology of power... without forgetting the myths and realities surrounding the Indo-European phenomenon. - Le passe sous diverses formes - et notamment celle d'un recit fondateur - est au coeur du fonctionnement de toute societe humaine. L'idee que le passe puisse etre connaissable par une recherche scientifique est un enjeu essentiel, particulierement aborde par les societes occidentales et notamment par des chercheurs europeens, toutes disciplines confondues. Par sa pratique de l'archeologie et son erudition, le chercheur et le professeur Jean-Paul Demoule a su elaborer un tableau global des cultures europeennes et de leurs transformations, incluant autant les origines neolithiques des inegalites sociales que l'emergence du mythe indo-europeen ou encore les rapports entre patrimoine et politique. Dans cet ouvrage, ses collegues allemands, britanniques, bulgares, danois, espagnols, francais, neerlandais, nord-americains, russes, suisses et tcheques prolongent et enrichissent - en anglais ou en francais - sa vision. Ils y apportent leurs reflexions et leurs donnees concernant les perspectives de l'archeologie du XXIe siecle, les processus de la construction identitaire a differentes echelles, les mouvements migratoires de l'Europe, le statut du genre, le role des objets de prestige et des monuments megalithiques dans l'emergence de la hierarchisation sociale et de la semiologie du pouvoir... sans oublier la mythologie et les realites du phenomene indo-europeen.

As it appears in diverse guises - and notably as a founding narrative - the past is at the core of every functioning human society. The idea that the past can be known through scientific research has long been a fundamental challenge for western societies and for European researchers, from all disciplines concerned. Through more than four decades of outward-looking archaeological practice, the scholar, teacher and intellectual Jean-Paul Demoule has elaborated a truly global approach to European cultures and their transformations, spanning from the social inequality in Neolithic times to Indo European research to contemporary links between heritage and politics. His colleagues - British, Bulgarians, Czechs, Danes, Dutch, French, Germans, North-Americans, Spaniards, Swiss and Russians - seek to extend and enrich his vision. With contributions (written in French and in English) spanning from prehistory to the modern world, they bring in this volume new insights and data to such issues as the processes of identity construction at different scales, migratory movements in Europe, the status of gender, the role of prestige objects and megalithic monuments in the emergence of social hierarchy and in the semiology of power... without forgetting the myths and realities surrounding the Indo-European phenomenon. - Le passe sous diverses formes - et notamment celle d'un recit fondateur - est au coeur du fonctionnement de toute societe humaine. L'idee que le passe puisse etre connaissable par une recherche scientifique est un enjeu essentiel, particulierement aborde par les societes occidentales et notamment par des chercheurs europeens, toutes disciplines confondues. Par sa pratique de l'archeologie et son erudition, le chercheur et le professeur Jean-Paul Demoule a su elaborer un tableau global des cultures europeennes et de leurs transformations, incluant autant les origines neolithiques des inegalites sociales que l'emergence du mythe indo-europeen ou encore les rapports entre patrimoine et politique. Dans cet ouvrage, ses collegues allemands, britanniques, bulgares, danois, espagnols, francais, neerlandais, nord-americains, russes, suisses et tcheques prolongent et enrichissent - en anglais ou en francais - sa vision. Ils y apportent leurs reflexions et leurs donnees concernant les perspectives de l'archeologie du XXIe siecle, les processus de la construction identitaire a differentes echelles, les mouvements migratoires de l'Europe, le statut du genre, le role des objets de prestige et des monuments megalithiques dans l'emergence de la hierarchisation sociale et de la semiologie du pouvoir... sans oublier la mythologie et les realites du phenomene indo-europeen.

What are European archaeologists doing abroad? What have they been doing there for the past three to four centuries? Are they doing things differently nowadays? To address these questions, this book explores the scope, impact and ethics of European archaeological policies and practices in the Mediterranean area, the Near East, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America. Acknowledging that international and transcultural projects have a range of different stakeholders, the first part of this book aims to identify some of the values and motivations behind different European archaeologies abroad. This is done by providing thorough historical overviews on a range of European countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland. But how are these values translated, through socio-political, theoretical and administrative frameworks, unto local circumstances in host countries? And how are these archaeological activities received locally? The second part of this book attempts to answer these questions through a range of historical and contemporary case studies, in Africa, in Asia, in South America, in the Near East and in Europe. The third part of the book offers several critical reflections on European values, motivations and collaboration projects, as perceived by archaeological heritage professionals based in, and/or working in Senegal, Sudan, Somaliland, Colombia, and the Near East. This collection of historical overviews, contemporary case studies and critical reflections focuses on the challenging relationships between archaeological practices and policies, including the requirements and wishes of archaeologists, of local communities and of other stakeholders in Europe and in the host countries. In addition to researchers and students, this book should be of interest to practicing archaeologists, heritage professionals and policy makers the world over, as they seek to reach better informed decisions regarding archaeological projects and international collaboration. This publication was produced in the framework of the ACE project - "Archaeology in Contemporary Europe. Professional Practices and Public Outreach", with the support of the Culture 2007-2013 programme of the European Commission.