Are museum collections used for academic research over there?

Erica Sanborn

>I don't know how bad the situation in States but in Britain there is a major
>problem re artefact expertise. The museum profession is gradually turning
>all curators into managers and increasingly labels subject specialsts as
>dangerous dinosaurs to be made redundant at the next re-organisation. Finds
>are generally not sexy in academia and finds work is often low paid in CRM
>work and seen as low status work; plus you are often given impossible time
>limits to do anything meaningful. Most artefact specialists in British
>archaeology are now free-lance (there may be some rich free-lances but I
>haven't paid tax for 10 years) and aging. My wife recently went to a meeting
>about the lack of object expertise in museums but the main response was to
>expect academics and others to provide the expertise to museums for nothing-
>fat chance. In Britain any academic who does anything which doesn't benefit
>the next research rating is going to get roasted by their boss and CRM
>people have to eat and put money into that over lean pension fund. And who
>is going to specialise in finds and make your career prospects even worse
>than in arcaheology generally.
>
>paul courtney
>Leicester
>UK
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Carol Serr" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 8:39 PM
>Subject: Re: What is an archaeologist?
>
>
>> That's my problem with hiring someone based only on their degree.  It
>> seems
>> most universities arent teaching students any practical skills to use in
>> the CRM world of archy (where most of them will get their first job upon
>> graduating).  They still teach field school excavation digging with
>> trowels...i.e., S L O W paced.  This doesnt exactly prepare graduates for
>> real CRM excavation....nor all the other skills required...as Iain
>> mentions.  There should be a 'trade school' type of course work...to
>> produce better prepared CRM workers.  But even then...at least with
>> prehistoric materials...no 2 archys seem to 'see' things alike.  But more
>> historic artifact labs would be great!
>>
>> Just my opinion.
>>
>> At 02:40 PM 9/18/2004 +1000, Iain Stuart wrote:
>>
>>>However the real issue is what is taught. My experience is that the
>>>teaching is orientated to the students progressing to higher degrees
>>>rather than the majority of students who will go on to work either in
>>>Government or in CRM. There is little attempt to teach professional
>>>practice or other relevant skills (such as report writing). Requirements
>>>for field work experience are minimal and often orientated around
>>>supplying slaves for University digs rather than making sure students have
>>>experience in a broad a set of skills (eg learning to take photos, section
>>>drawing, field walking, site recording).


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