Bending archaeology toward social justice : transformational action for positive peace / Barbara J. Little.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Little, Barbara J., author.

Contributor:

Society for Historical Archaeology.

Series:

Archaeologies of restorative justice

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Archaeology--Social aspects--United States.

Archaeology.

Archaeology--Political aspects--United States.

Archaeology--United States--Philosophy.

Social justice--United States.

Social justice.

Social change--United States.

Social change.

Power (Social sciences)--United States.

Power (Social sciences).

United States--Race relations--History.

United States.

Archaeology--Philosophy.

Archaeology--Political aspects.

Archaeology--Social aspects.

Race relations.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xvii, 172 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Other Title:

Transformational action for positive peace

Place of Publication:

Tuscaloosa, Alabama : The University of Alabama Press, [2023]

Summary:

"In this time of Black Lives Matter, the demands of NAGPRA, and climate crises, the field of American archaeology needs a radical transformation. It has been largely a white, male, privileged domain that replicates an entrenched patriarchal, colonial, and capitalist system. In this book, Barbara J. Little explores the concepts and actions required for such a change, looking to peace studies, anthropology, sociology, social justice activism, and more for helpful approaches and in keeping with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She introduces an effective model that uses the strengths of archaeology. As Little explains, the Diachronic Transformational Action model and the "peace/violence triad" of interconnected personal, cultural, and structural domains of power can help disrupt the injustice of all forms of violence. "Diachronic" connects the past to present to understand how power worked in the past and works now. "Transformational" influences power now by distrusting the stability of the violence triad. "Action" refers to collaborative work to diagnose power relations and transform toward social justice. In this framework, coverage includes confronting the country's founding and myth of liberty and justice for all and the American Dream. It also examines white racism, privilege, and hierarchy and generational trauma. Archaeological case studies enlighten violent direct actions against women, Indigenous peoples, African Americans, and Japanese Americans. Archaeologies of poverty, precarity, and labor are used to show how archaeologists have documented and helped to address these injustices. Finally, Little showcases insights that archaeology can bring to bear on the climate crisis and how lessons from the past can inform direct actions today. Overall, white archaeologists are asked to do the work necessary for social justice"-- Provided by publisher.

"In this time of Black Lives Matter, the demands of NAGPRA, and climate crises, the field of American archaeology needs a radical transformation. It has been largely a white, male, privileged domain that replicates an entrenched patriarchal, colonial, and capitalist system. In Bending Archaeology toward Social Justice, Barbara J. Little explores the concepts and actions required for such a change, looking to peace studies, anthropology, sociology, social justice activism, and the achievements of community-based archaeology for helpful approaches in keeping with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She introduces an analytic model that uses the strengths of archaeology to destabilize violence and build peace. As Little explains, the Diachronic Transformational Action model and the peace/violence triad of interconnected personal, cultural, and structural domains of power can help disrupt the injustice of all forms of violence. Diachronic connects the past to the present to understand how power worked in the past and works now. Transformational influences power now by disrupting the stability of the violence triad. Action refers to collaborative work to diagnose power relations and transform toward social justice. Using this framework, Little confronts the country's founding and myth of liberty and justice for all, as well as the American Dream. She also examines whiteness, antiracism, privilege, and intergenerational trauma, and offers white archaeologists concepts to grapple with their own racialized identities and to consider how to relinquish white supremacy. Archaeological case studies examine cultural violence and violent direct actions against women, Indigenous peoples, African Americans, and Japanese Americans, while archaeologies of poverty, precarity, and labor are used to show how archaeologists have helped expose the roots of these injustices. Because climate justice is integral to social justice, Little showcases insights that archaeology can bring to bear on the climate crisis and how lessons from the past can inform direct actions today. Finally, Little invites archaeologists to embrace inquiry and imagination so that they can both imagine and achieve the positive peace of social justice."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Archaeology and Social Justice

Violence, Peace, and Social Justice as Positive Peace

Cultural Domain of Power

Direct Interpersonal Domain of Power

Structural and Disciplinary Domain of Power

Climate Justice

Reality, Hope, Imagination.

Notes:

"Published in cooperation with the Society for Historical Archaeology."

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780817321635

0817321632

9780817360931

081736093X

OCLC:

1346531850