Decolonizing Archaeological Thought in South America

TitleDecolonizing Archaeological Thought in South America
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
Authors
JournalAnnual Review of Anthropology
Pagination469
ISSN0084-6570
Abstract

Keywords: archaeological theory, coloniality, decoloniality, discipline, knowledge, politics of memory Abstract Decolonizing archaeological thought in South America happens through three paths: (a) a critical approach to the ways archaeology contributes to coloniality, (b) a criticism of the mechanisms by which coloniality informs archaeology, and (c) a varied exposure of archaeology to subaltern (that is, non-hegemonic and counter-hegemonic) knowledge. These three paths are sometimes taken together and sometimes alone, and the diverse pieces of thought reviewed herein provide examples of each. South America as a locus for the enunciation of archaeological theory opens the epistemic range of the discipline to include indigenous and African-descendant communities' theories of history and materiality. Ongoing research prefigures future trends in decolonizing archaeological thought around issues of land, memory, and knowledge.

DOI10.1146/annurev-anthro-102215-095906