Affording Archaeology: How Field school Costs Promote Exclusivity

Abstract

Field schools are essential for undergraduate students pursuing careers in archaeology, but they are expensive and, consequently, inaccessible to many. Although there have been efforts to rectify this through the creation of scholarships, there have been no systematic studies of the full cost of archaeological field schools. Here, we present a study of 208 field schools from 2019, including their tuition, room and board, and airfare, as well as the wages that students may lose by participating in them rather than working. We also explore how archaeologists interviewed for Heath-Stout’s dissertation study of diversity issues in the discipline have navigated finding field experiences. We argue that scholarships are an ineffective and insufficient means of promoting equity and accessibility in the field because the root of the problem lies in institutionalized inequality and exclusivity. We provide strategies that students and faculty can use to address these problems on both individual and systemic levels. By making field schools affordable and accessible to a more diverse set of undergraduate students, we can create a more just and inclusive discipline.

Uncloaking a Lost Cause: Decolonizing ancestry estimation in the United States

“…Anthropologists have long been engaging with racialization and the structural violence of racial disparity, white supremacy, and racism; arguably beginning with Professor W. Montague Cobb (see for example his 1936 paper on the debunking of scientific racism applied to famous Black athletes 6 ), and notably including extensive scholarship by Drs Faye Harrison and Michael Blakey, among several others. Recent contributions from all four subfields approach these issues by actively questioning and demonstrating how and why changes in our theoretical approaches, methods, mentorship, recruitment, and/or retention strategies can lead to an anthropological praxis that is self‐aware by diligently working to decolonize itself of white supremacist ideology 7 (see Alim & Reyes, 2011; Antón et al, 2018; Battle‐Baptiste, 2011; Beliso‐De Jesús & Pierre, 2019; Benn Torres, 2020; Blakey, 2020b; Clancy & Davis, 2019; Franklin et al, 2020; Fuentes, 2020; Harrison, 2010, 2012; Heath‐Stout & Hannigan, 2020; Lans, 2020; Meloche et al, 2020; Muller, 2020; Mullings, 2005; Nelson et al, 2017; Rana, 2019; Reardon & TallBear, 2012; Shankar, 2017; Tallman & Bird, in press; Watkins, 2020; Winburn et al, in press; among others).…”

Digital Data and Data Literacy in Archaeology Now and in the New Decade

“…For example, the recent granting requirement for data management plans (DMPs) helps to signal that demonstration of quality and professionalism in the process of research is becoming a more expected outcome of scholarship. Consequently, data management, ethics, and safety issues in field work (Colaninno et al 2020; Colwell 2016; Heath-Stout and Hannigan 2020; Leighton 2020), community archaeology (Gonzalez 2016; Gupta et al 2020), and even greater transparency in data analysis with reproducible research (Marwick 2017) all reflect a growing recognition that how one arrives at research outcomes is at least as important as the outcomes themselves.…”

Disrupting Cultures of Harassment in Archaeology: Social-Environmental and Trauma-Informed Approaches to Disciplinary Transformation

“…Researchers have identified the following eight distinctive patterns to harassment within archaeological workplaces and learning environments (Bradford and Crema 2020;Clancy et al 2014;Coto Sarmiento et al 2018;Heath-Stout 2019;Hodgetts et al 2020;Jalbert 2019;Meyers et al 2015Meyers et al , 2018Nelson et al 2017;Radde 2018;Rocks-Macqueen 2018;VanDerwarker et al 2018):…”

“…Survivors report "feeling 'vulnerable,' 'powerless,' 'not in control,' 'isolated,' or like 'prey'" (Nelson et al 2017:714). They often become insecure about their own abilities and career futures (Heath-Stout 2019;Meyers et al 2015:28). According to Nelson and colleagues (2017:715), "The continual processing and decision making that goes into negotiating a hostile work environment and maintaining employment can be exhausting and lead to a reduction in mental and physical health."…”

“…According to Nelson and colleagues (2017:715), "The continual processing and decision making that goes into negotiating a hostile work environment and maintaining employment can be exhausting and lead to a reduction in mental and physical health." This cognitive and psychological burden draws time, energy, and attention away from professional activities, compounding the initial impact of harassment, and in some cases, pushing archaeologists out of the field (Clancy et al 2014;Heath-Stout 2019;Nelson et al 2017).…”