| Unit name | Conflict Archaeology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ARCH30036 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Saunders |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This course aims to give students a comprehensive understanding of, and theoretical and analytical ability to interpret, historically-recent conflicts, with a focus on the 20th century’s two global conflicts as a core aspect of 20th century conflict archaeology. The Unit introduces the interdisciplinary study of the conflict landscapes and material culture of the first and Second World Wars by archaeologists, anthropologists, and museum and heritage specialists. It emphasizes the global context of these conflicts, and assesses the complex challenges presented by the ethical, political, and national dimensions of this new kind of archaeology.
Aims:
The aim of this unit is to provide the student with comprehensive knowledge of and analytical insights into the military and cultural events of historically-recent conflict, and especially the First and Second World Wars - particularly as they relate to the landscapes and objects of conflict. It will demonstrate how archaeological and anthropological approaches, when creatively combined, can yield a diverse range of critical understandings of conflict beyond military history. Case studies show how such multidisciplinary approaches can be used, applied to any modern conflict, and how employing a range of analytical scales illustrates the cultural and emotional costs and legacies of modern conflict. Topics include:
The material culture and experience of occupation. The archaeology of aerial war. Multi-vocal landscapes of conflict for military and civilians. Media representations of conflict. Global contexts and interrelationships of 2 world wars.
At the end of this unit, a successful student will be able to:
1) Recognise the origins, scope and potential of modern conflict archaeology as it relates to historically recent conflicts, and particularly the First and Second World Wars.
2) Through case studies, identify, conceptualise and interpret a range of evidence and issues relating to these conflicts and reflexively to mainstream archaeology.
3)Use empirical knowledge and mastery of theory to identify and investigate a range of other conflicts from a variety of intellectual perspectives
4) Through critical reading and presentation of a particular topic, summarise, synthesise and analyse the range of critical data and issues concerning modern conflict
Two essays of 3000 words each (50% each) - assesses ILOs 1-4
Virilio, P. 2009. Bunker Archaeology. Princeton Architectural Press.
C. R. Geir et al (eds.) 2011. Historical Archaeology of Military Sites. Texas A&M Press.
Dendooven, D & P Chielens. 2008. Five Continents in Flanders. Lanoo.
Saunders, N.J. 2004. Matters of Conflict. Abingdon: Routledge
Saunders, N. 2007. Killing Time: Archaeology and the First World War. Sutton
