Kennewick Man and Archaeology in the Public Imagination

PETER LAPE, University of Washington

June 24-26, 2008 in Seattle, WA Apply: UWA

Note: This course has a participant fee of $250 (in addition to the application fee).

Archaeology, the study of the material remains of ancient human societies, is frequently at the center of contemporary social conflict. From the controversy surrounding Kennewick Man and other cases of Native American sites and human remains, to the political symbolism of excavation of religious sites in the Middle East and India, archaeological research is often taken very seriously (though rarely fully understood) by people outside of academia.

Using multiple case studies and site visits, this course will provide a glimpse into how archaeology is really practiced and how the public outside of academic learns about it, regulates it and pays for it. You will learn about current archaeological research and how this research is portrayed, supported and/or opposed by various social groups in the US and internationally. We will discuss the science and politics of Kennewick Man, look at how archaeology is presented in the media and in museums, and see how governments control the practice of archaeology and excavation of sites.

For college teachers of: all disciplines, but particularly social sciences. High school teachers are welcomed on a space-available basis. Prerequisites: none. Limit: 15 participants.

Dr. Lape is an archaeologist who specializes in the history of cross-cultural interaction in Island Southeast Asia, as well as the role and relevance of archaeology in the contemporary world. He earned a PhD in Anthropology from Brown University in 2000, and is an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at UW and Curator of Archaeology at the Burke Museum, where he is responsible for the care of the human remains known as Kennewick Man. In addition to his research, he is actively involved in involving the non-academic public in archaeology.