At the most, archaeology is deployed among mainstream historians as a
sidebar to the "real history." Ned Heite and Carl Barna have offered some
really enlightening and honest observations on the relationships between
history, anthropology, and historical archaeology. Perhaps the greatest
disservice a rising historical archaeologist can do to herself/himself is to
enroll in a "historical archaeology" program housed in an anthropology
department. If you want to learn the meat and potatoes of history and get
the best tools to study the US past via its material culture, run towards
American Studies programs that emphasize history, folklore and folklife, and
architectural/landscape studies. Take the anthropological field methods and
theory courses and the archaeology field school, but don't get mired down in
anthropological minutia.
Ned's comments on journalism were right on target. Not only will journalism
teach observation and reporting skills, it will provide students with some
practical tools for writing well and writing under tight deadlines -- all
very valuable in the CRM industry. Journalism also teaches folks to write
for diverse audiences, something academic anthropology and the CRM industry
disdain.
Another bit of advice: Don't be afraid to piss people off and go your own
way. It's not the degrees or multitude of letters behind a person's name
that matter in the long run; it's the work that's produced (and reproduced
by others using similar methods, writing styles, etc.) that really matters.
It's also not the disciple issuing the degrees, either. Jim Deetz was a
strong advocate of folklore and folklife studies as a foundation for
studying the American past. I skipped the suggestions of anthropology
professors in college to enter an anthropology program and went for the
folklore and folklife graduate training, picking up the anthropology and
historical archaeology courses along the way.
I also took a couple of years off from grad school to write for some throw
away weekly newspapers. That experience translated into regular assignments
from major dailies (Philadelphia Inquirer, Charlotte Observer, Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, etc.). Until the landmark Tasini v. New York Times case, my
work and that of other freelancers was maintained in public databases
accessible to all researchers (most of my articles were under such subject
headings/keywords as "history", "American Culture", etc.). More people got
to read my articles on popular culture, ethnomusicology, material culture,
etc., than would ever pick up an academic journal. Hell, there are even some
academics out there on this list who have assigned copies of my newspaper
articles in African American archaeology classes.
The bottom line is: politely take as much advice as is offered about how to
craft your education to do what you love. Then chuck most of it and do what
you want. It's your life.
David Rotenstein, BA, MA, Ph.D., RPA (and aspiring curmudgeon)
_________________________________________
David S. Rotenstein, Ph.D.
Consulting Historian
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Fax: (301) 592-0618
Mobile: (240) 461-7835
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://www.dsrotenstein.com
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