Additional Information

Course Number

ANTH448

Course Description

This course starts with an analysis of how archaeologists have traditionally represented women and men in prehistory. Although study of the archaeological record is one of the few ways to learn about gender relations in the remote past, conventional assumptions about gender have permeated interpretations. We start by learning how to identify androcentric thinking in archaeology and assess how feminist scholarship is pertinent to the study of the past. Through case studies and examples from various parts of the world, we consider the material evidence that informs us about gender. These approaches demonstrate how we can study, write, and represent gender in the past in more complex and less stereotypical ways. We examine how gender articulates with other variables, such as age, ethnicity, sexuality, and class. Ultimately this could lead to a better understanding of identity construction in the past. By the end of the class, we will have identified the major theoretical, methodological, and social challenges of investigating gender and these other social variables with archaeological data.

Syllabus Available

Yes

Taxonomies

RPA Codes & Standards

• Adequate Preparation for Research Projects
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Colleagues, Employees, and Students
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Employers and Clients
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to the Public
• Integrity of Research Methodology

CIfA Codes

• Principle 1: Adherence to ethical and responsible behaviour in archaeological affairs
• Principle 3: Responsibility for acquiring and recording reliable information of the past in archaeological research
• Principle 5: Recognition of aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers in all matters of employment

Keywords & Terms

• Accountability
• Equity and Representation; Discrimination and Harassment
• Respect for and Responsibility to Affected Groups

Topics & Issues

• Equity, Representation, and Diversity
• Feminism and Intersectionality
• Gender and Sexuality
• Gender Equality
• LGBTQ Issues and Queer Archaeology
• Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, and Other Forms of Discrimination
• Women in Archaeology