Appropriated Pasts: Indigenous Peoples and the Colonial Culture of Archaeology

by Ian J. McNiven, Lynette Russell

Overview

McNiven and Russell (both Australian indigenous studies, Monash U.) examine the overt, subtle, and insidious ways archeology has been complicit in appropriating the pasts of indigenous people, using Australia as a base of study and comparing conditions there with those of North America, Africa, and other regions. They argue that indigenous archeology has been largely, if not entirely colonial, and as such is controlled by negative representational tropes and historical misunderstanding of those same tropes. To support their assertions they describe the colonial culture of archeology, the invention of prehistory through progressivism, the misrepresentation of aboriginal people as "living fossils," the use of migration and diffusion to impose control on the indigenous and of science to reinforce it, and the new means of appropriation, "shared history." They propose methods to develop a decolonized practice. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780759109063
Publisher:	AltaMira Press
Publication date:	09/15/2005
Series:	Archaeology in Society
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	6.06(w) x 9.24(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Ian J. McNiven is Senior Lecturer and co-director of the Programme for Australian Indigenous Archaeology within the School of Geography and Environmental Science, Monash University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Colonial Culture of Archaeology
Chapter 2 Progressivism: The Invention of Prehistory
Chapter 3 Antiquation: Aboriginal Peoples as Living Fossils
Chapter 4 Migrationism: The Archaeology of Dispossession
Chapter 5 Diffusionism: The Archaeology of Alienation
Chapter 6 Subjectation: Appropration Through Science
Chapter 7 Shared Nations: The New Appropriation
Chapter 8 Partnerships: Pathways to a Decolonised Practice
Chapter 9 References
Chapter 10 Index

What People are Saying About This

Claire Smith

Incisive and thought-provoking. A volume that touches all facets of archaeology because of the seriousness of the issues it raises.

Joe Watkins

The authors have given solid support to their goal of producing a manuscript that calls attention not only to the ways that archaeology has been used to subordinate, objectify, and appropriate the heritage and past of indigenous populations in Australia but they have found the means of supporting that goal through lucid writing and documentation. The text will be a useful tool to social scientists studying the issues inherent in Indigenous studies and reflexive examinations of archaeology as a political enterprise, as well as to those archaeologists in North America or in Australia struggling with the idea of a shared stewardship. As such, I see the volume as being a major textbook within classes examining Indigenous Archaeology and Critical Archaeology courses of study.

Editorial Reviews

The book contains an important mapping of 'western' thoughts that influenced certain archaeologies and some fascinating case studies that help especially outsiders better understand Australia's many pasts.

South African Archaeological Bulletin

Incisive and thought-provoking. A volume that touches all facets of archaeology because of the seriousness of the issues it raises.

Claire Smith

This voume is well suited as a textbook in archaeology, Native Studies, and other disciplines. It will clearly be read and widely cited for years to come on several continents.

Canadian Journal of Archaeology - 2007

For the historian wanting to learn about the history of a highly relevant discipline, Appropriated Pasts is a very good starting point. In exposing the national impacts of archaeology's history, we come face to face with many of the lingering cultural assumptions that inform our visual and textual reference languages. This book presents numerous profound insights into a scientific practice that has shaped our views of Aboriginal peoples.
— Ann McGrath, Australian National University

Australian Historical Studies

A good read, informative and thought-provoking. Summing Up: Recommended. Most levels/libraries.

Choice Reviews

The authors effectively utilize Australian archaeology and its relationship with indigenous people in order to present their argument, but with themes directed at wider audiences with varying interests, including archaeologists and anthropologists, historians and social scientists.

Museum Anthropology

For the historian wanting to learn about the history of a highly relevant discipline, Appropriated Pasts is a very good starting point. In exposing the national impacts of archaeology's history, we come face to face with many of the lingering cultural assumptions that inform our visual and textual reference languages. This book presents numerous profound insights into a scientific practice that has shaped our views of Aboriginal peoples.

Australian Historical Studies - Ann McGrath

The authors have given solid support to their goal of producing a manuscript that calls attention not only to the ways that archaeology has been used to subordinate, objectify, and appropriate the heritage and past of indigenous populations in Australia but they have found the means of supporting that goal through lucid writing and documentation. The text will be a useful tool to social scientists studying the issues inherent in Indigenous studies and reflexive examinations of archaeology as a political enterprise, as well as to those archaeologists in North America or in Australia struggling with the idea of a shared stewardship. As such, I see the volume as being a major textbook within classes examining Indigenous Archaeology and Critical Archaeology courses of study.

Joe Watkins

This voume is well suited as a textbook in archaeology, Native Studies, and other disciplines. It will clearly be read and widely cited for years to come on several continents.

From the Publisher

A good read, informative and thought-provoking. Summing Up: Recommended. Most levels/libraries.

Choice

A good read, informative and thought-provoking. Summing Up: Recommended. Most levels/libraries.

CHOICE

I found this book enjoyable and stimulating. It is a thoughtful summation of the sins of our archaeological ancestors. 2007

Aboriginal History

This voume is well suited as a textbook in archaeology, Native Studies, and other disciplines. It will clearly be read and widely cited for years to come on several continents. 2007

Canadian Journal of Archaeology

This voume is well suited as a textbook in archaeology, Native Studies, and other disciplines. It will clearly be read and widely cited for years to come on several continents. 2007

Canadian Journal Of Archaeology