Bibliographic Information
Title
The social archaeology of Australian Indigenous societies
Author(s)
Bruno David Bryce Barker
Year of Publication
2006
Web Address (URL)
Additional Information
Language
English
Source Type
Book
Notes
Book description:
The Social Archaeology of Indigenous Societies presents original and provocative views on the complex and dynamic social lives of Indigenous Australians from an historical perspective. Building on the foundational work of Harry Lourandos, the book critically examines and challenges traditional approaches which have presented Indigenous Australian past as static and tethered to ecological rationalism. The book reveals the ancient past of Aboriginal Australians to be one of long term changes in social relationships and traditions, as well as the active management and manipulation of the environment. The book encourages a deeper appreciation of the ways Aboriginal peoples have engaged with and constructed their worlds. It solicits a deeper understanding of the contemporary political and social context of research and the insidious impacts of colonialist philosophies. In short, it concerns people, both past and present.
It will be of interest to students as well as to a general archaeological audience interested in the origin and development of ideas first formulated by Harry Lourandos. It can be said that he made a significant and lively contribution to an understanding of Indigenous Australian cultures. His legacy will continue to endure within the archaeological literature and broader debates on the nature of late Holocene cultural changes.
— Richard Cosgrove, Australian Archaeology, No. 66, June 2008
Taxonomies
RPA Codes & Standards
- Archaeologist's Responsibility to Colleagues, Employees, and Students
- Archaeologist's Responsibility to the Public
CIfA Codes
- Principle 1: Adherence to ethical and responsible behaviour in archaeological affairs
- Principle 2: Responsibility for the conservation of the historic environment
Keywords & Terms
- Management of Cultural Resources, Heritage, History
- Professional Standards
- Respect for and Responsibility to Affected Groups