*Radical Archaeology Theory Symposium 2016*
*RADICAL ONTOLOGIES FOR THE CONTEMPORARY PAST*
Binghamton, New York
3-6 March 2016
*CALL FOR PAPERS*
*Abstract deadline: January 15th 2016*
Recently, anthropologists have been trying to challenge Western practices
of knowledge production and understandings of existence. The theoretical
oppositions at the core of Western thinking gave way to relational and new
materialist endeavors.
The so-called “ontological turn” has opened doors to investigate the ways
social scientists perform, produce, and disseminate their research. For
instance, many archaeologists saw this process as an opportunity to go back
to things and rethink archaeology as an ontological practice in itself, in
which the reassembling of objects defines forms of being and becoming.
However, very little has been discussed about its political implications
and what seems to be a fethishization of the word “ontology”. These recent
debates encourage scholars working with the materialities of the recent
past to think about their responsibilities in the quest for alternative
forms of being.
The Radical Archaeology Theory Symposium (R.A.T.S.) 2016 is intended as a
forum to discuss the politics and ethics of the “ontological turn” and its
impacts on the archaeologies of the contemporary past. We invite
participants to discuss archaeology as a practice of becoming, and how it
can trigger larger social engagements with the politics and ethics of the
contemporary past. Issues to be addressed may include, among others:
- The relevance of ontological-oriented analyses of the contemporary past
- Politics of ontology as practical ethics
- Activist and community-based archaeologies.
Papers presenting case studies, and from intersecting fields are
particularly welcomed.
*Submit your abstract up to 250 words, along with your name, contact,
institutional affiliation and three keywords, by December 15th 2015. The
selection of papers will be announced during the first week of January
2016. *
*Keynote speakers: *
Maria Theresia Starzmann
*McGill University, Canada *
Ruth Van Dyke
*Binghamton University, New York*
Severin Fowles
*Columbia University, New York *
Þóra Pétursdóttir
*University of Tromsø, Norway*
*Organization committee: *
Maura Bainbridge
Rui Gomes Coelho
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--
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Anthropology
Binghamton University
P.O. Box 6000
Binghamton, NY 13902-6000
U.S.A.
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