Beyond Malinowski: reconnecting archaeology and anthropology

‘Beyond Malinowski’ reconnecting archaeology and anthropology

Credits: 1 EC
Date: February 21, 2019 13:00-17:00
Venue: Faculty of Archaeology, van Steenisgebouw, Leiden University
Cost: free
Registration deadline: 15 February

Most archaeologists have some basic knowledge of anthropology and ethnography. Every archaeologist has heard of Malinowski’s Kula Ring and Mauss’ Essay sur le don. Occasionally archaeologists even apply their anthropological knowledge to aid them in interpreting their datasets. Without meaning to diminish the importance of Malinowski’s and Mauss’ works, surely archaeology should not ignore the myriad anthropological perspectives developed in the intervening years? At the same time, if archaeology is anthropology or nothing (Willey and Phillips, 1958), then the archaeological perspective might be valuable for anthropology as well. How can both disciplines benefit from one another? Stichting Archaeological Dialogues invites both archaeologists and anthropologists to join the discussion in order to reconnect both disciplines.

Program (Abstract Booklet Beyond Malinowski)

13:00              Opening
13:15-13:50        Ellen Finn (Dublin Trinity College)- The power of three: the models of Van Gennep, Hertz and Turner in the funerary archaeology of Prepalatial Crete
13:50-14:25        Piet van de Velde (Leiden University)- On the expansion and demise of the LBK: socio-cultural facts require socio-cultural explanations
14:25-15:00        Mirjam Kars (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)- Anthropological answers to the ‘archaeological problem’ of Merovingian object-production

15:00-15:15        coffee
15:15-15:50       Eric Venbrux (Radboud University Nijmegen)- Can grave gifts be seen as restorative gifts?
15:50-16:25       Caroline Jeffra (Universiteit van Amsterdam)- Practicing Anthropological Archaeology: Investigating and Interpreting Technological Change in the Human Past
16:25-17:00       Pieter ter Keurs (Leiden University and National museum of Antiquities)- Archaeology and Anthropology: Problems and Challenges

17:00-17:15        discussion
17:15                     drinks

Please register before February 15 via the online registration form here.

Credits: You can receive 1 EC if you participate the first full day and hand in a written report.