The Archaeology of the Contemporary Past

Archaeology is not limited to the study of the remote past. What happened a fifty years ago or even this morning can be subjected to archaeological scrutiny as well. In this course, we will see what the discipline has to say about the Second World War, refugees, climate change or music festivals through a diversity of global examples. We will also learn how to use archaeology to explore and understand our everyday world -our house, the town we live in, and the garbage we produce. Political and ethical issues are very relevant in the archaeology of the contemporary past: we will tackle them through readings, debates and the discussion of case studies.Prerequisite: consent of instructor.