Archaeology After Structuralism Post-structuralism and the Practice of Archaeology Routledge Library Editions: Archaeology Series

Most practising archaeologists have preferred to leave the deep theories of what lies behind their methods and perceptions on one side. Now archaeologists have faced up to the difficult task of making (or not making) the connections between the past, interpretation and the present. The writers of this volumes address the problems of archaeology, sometimes warily and sometimes with enthusiasm. The connections are not easy to accomplish: a great deal of theory seems of little relevance to the everyday practice of archaeology, and much of post-structuralism refers exclusively back to itself rather than to the more specific concerns of a historical discipline. But where the junction between post-structuralism and archaeology can be made, the results are innovative and enriching. Originally published in 1990.

Preface Introduction: Archaeology and Post-Structuralism Part 1: Interdisciplinary Readings 1. The Joker is Wild, the Text Untameable: the Analytics of Homo Analogicus Gareth Burr 2. Undermining Archaeology: From Reconstruction to Deconstruction Willy Maley 3. Discourse and Domination: Michel Foucault and the Problem of Ideology Shaun Waterman 4. The Experience and Identity of ‘Woman’: Feminism After Structuralism Ruth Bagnal Part 2: Archaeological Perspectives 5. On Modernity and Archaeological Discourse Christopher Tilley 6. Archaeology Through the Looking-Glass Tim Yates 7. Writing, Authority and the Determination of a Subject Paul Moran and David Shaun Hides 8. This Perfect Body, This Virgin Text: Between Sex and Gender in Archaeology Jarl Nordbladhand Tim Yates 9. Nietzsche, Derrida and Foucault: Re-excavating the Meaning of Archaeology Ian Bapty 10. The Post-Modern Threat to the Past Kevin Walsh. Conclusion: Reading the Signs: Responses to Archaeology After StructuralismMichael Shanks