Expanding Archaeology's Relevance

Increasing numbers of archaeologists are arguing that archaeological evidence should be included in discussions of contemporary issues, but what would it take for archaeological evidence to play a larger role? In a recent paper, Social Reactors Project researcher Scott Ortman argues the main stumbling block is the intellectual history of archaeology which has focused on explaining the specific historical case or on making broad generalizations. He suggests that, if archaeologists are willing to focus more on the study of specific social phenomena, regardless of where or when they occur, archaeological evidence can contribute substantially to contemporary issues. The paper was published as part of an edited research topic, "Where Do Cities Come From and Where Are They Going To? Modelling Past and Present Agglomerations to Understand Urban Ways of Life," in the journal Frontiers in Digital Humanities. The topic includes several additional papers by Social Reactors Project researchers as well.