The Death of Archaeological Theory? addresses the provocative subject
of whether it is time to discount the burden of somewhat dogmatic
theory and ideology that has defined archaeological debate and shaped
archaeology over the last 25 years. Seven chapters meet this
controversial subject head on, also assessing where archaeological
theory is now, and future directions. John Bintliff questions what
theory is and argues that archaeologists should be freed from
'Ideopraxists', or those who preach that a single approach or model is
right to the exclusion of all others. Marc Pluciennik again questions
what we mean by archaeological theory and argues that the role of
intellectual fashion is underestimated. He predicts pressure from
outside archaeology to redirect our dominant theories towards genetic
and human impact theory. Kristian Kristiansen argues that theory
cannot die, but it can change direction and sees signs of a retreat
from the present post-modern and post-processual cycle towards a more
science based, rationalistic cycle of revived modernity. To Mark
Pearce the most striking thing about the present state of
archaeological theory is that there is no emerging paradigm to be
discerned; he proposes that Theory is not dead, but has instead become
more eclectic and nuanced. Two papers offer a different perspective
from other areas of the world; Alexander Gramsch examines the issue
from the German tradition and shows that in Central and Eastern Europe
not only has Anglo-American Theory had limited impact, but current
discussions on the future of method and theory offer a broader view of
the discipline in which older traditions are seen to form the
foundation. Kent Flannery and Joyce Marcus demonstrate that American
archaeologists do not foresee the death of a genuinely archaeological
theory (which they believe has never existed) but fear the real
catastrophe would be the death of anthropological theory, because some
anthropology today has become decidedly anti-scientific, rejecting not
only the controlled comparison and contrast of cultures, but also the
use of generalisation, both of which are crucial to theories and
models and without which the longue durée will always be invisible.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781842176603
Publisert
2022
Utgiver
Vendor
Oxbow Books
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter