Carole L. Nash <[log in to unmask]> wrote
>
> In an attempt to expand our horizons, I have been searching for articles
> and books on the archaeology of the recent past and am particularly
> interested in reading about theoretical approaches. Database searches are
> not turning up much.    Do you have suggestions?

To respond to your broader request for approaches to the recent past in
general...

Last years Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG) conference here in the UK
included an excellent if a little off-the-wall session organised by John
Schofield of English Heritage titled _Defining Moments; material records:
the 20th century in retrospect_.

In particular, Martin Hall of University of Cape Town gave a brilliant paper
on Proclamation 43 of the Group Areas Act in South Africa, in which he
discussed the excavation of the remains of the 1966 bulldozing and the
memories and emotions of local people.

BTW, other papers from the session included discussion of the archaeology of
the Titanic, Marconi's first demonstation of TV, the first moon landing, the
conquest of Everest, the birth of the internet, and, inevitably, a paper
titled _1/12/76: Never mind the B******s: Here's the Archaeology - the
legacy of punk_

I don't think a publication has come of this particular session, but Martin
Hall may have published this paper somewhere. Hope this helps.

Dan Hicks
University of Bristol
email [log in to unmask]
web http://website.lineone.net/~field-school/