Archaeologists draw upon diverse data sets and approaches to reconstruct rich pictures of ancient ecologies, build environments, economies, cultural and cognitive practices. This 0.5 credit seminar explores, challenges, and evaluates the theoretical frameworks employed by archaeologists in research design and analyses of past societies. Topics will rotate depending upon student interests and current research projects but will be chosen from among anti-racist archaeology, gender and ethnicity studies, object and entanglement theory, frameworks for experimental archaeology, funerary analyses, typology and data management, landscape archaeology, conservation, or ethical approaches to archaeological science, among others. Foundational theoretical texts will be discussed alongside current publications in each topic area. The seminar is designed to prepare students for independent research in archaeology and related fields. This seminar is required for all Archaeology majors and strongly recommended for Archaeology minors, in addition to being open to all students in related disciplines |