CALL FOR PAPERS-EXTENDED DEADLINE: March 1, 2007

Up from the Ashes: Creativity and conservatism in rebuilding after disasters

Wars, earthquakes, and other calamities can destroy homes and public
buildings instantaneously, but in many cases, the inhabitants survive.
Whether in Late Bronze Age Greece, Nero’s Rome, or 19th century Chicago, the
choices made concerning rebuilding can reflect not only the immediate
physical and psychological effects of the fire, but can also illuminate ways
in which survivors identify themselves in relation to their past and future,
as well as how they view themselves within political and ideological spheres
of the community.  Thus, the shape of the new city often reflects aspects of
the old, in a way that is influenced by many factors, including the rate of
survival from the disaster, the nature of authority, the desire to prevent
future disasters, and the community’s reaction to the traumatic event or
events which destroyed their environment.  Cities that remain derelict also
present an opportunity to clarify the relationship of survivors to their
former homes.  Whether a site is left in ruins or relocated to a more secure
place, we can still learn much about the community’s perception of the town
and of the disaster.  This colloquium invites student papers from all time
periods, addressing the archaeology of rebuilding urban and village
environments after natural and manmade disasters.  We welcome papers
examining the effects of memory, trauma, and ideology in establishing the
post-disaster shape of cities, as well as studies of the archaeological
evidence for the changing topography of urban environments.

This colloquium will be the fifth annual paper session organized by the
Student Affairs Interest Group (SAIG) of the Archaeological Institute of
America.  It is intended not only to provide expanded opportunities for
student presentations at the Annual Meeting but also to showcase innovative,
interdisciplinary scholarship.  Under the title “Up from the Ashes:
Creativity and conservatism in rebuilding after disasters” the organizers
will submit the selected papers as a colloquium session to the next annual
meeting of the AIA (January 3-6, 2008, Chicago).  All papers in the
colloquium will be subject to acceptance by the AIA Program for the Annual
Meeting Committee, in accordance with standard procedures.

The SAIG would like to remind all interested students that it is possible
for an individual to submit papers for both a colloquium session and an open
paper session at the AIA annual meetings.  The latter is automatically
withdrawn from consideration if the former is accepted.

Please send a CV and an abstract of no more than 250 words by March 1, 2007
to both session organizers, Lyra Monteiro ([log in to unmask]) and Natalie
Abell ([log in to unmask]).  In keeping with the regulations of the AIA, we
will accept only electronic submissions. All abstracts must conform to AIA
guidelines (see the American Journal of Archaeology style guidelines,
published in AJA 104:3-24, or the Annual Meeting Section of the AIA website;
esp. §§3.1-8, 6.5., www.archaeological.org).  If the colloquium is accepted
by the Program for the Annual Meeting Committee all whose papers are
included must be members of the AIA in good standing by the time of the
meeting.