Coverage

The literature in archaeological method and theory is enormous. In this course we can only touch on a tiny fraction if it. Our coverage is necessarily highly selective, with a decided bias to the Americanist literature. I have tried to balance this with Johnson's Archaeological Theory: An Introduction, which has a decidedly British and hence post-processual slant.

Organization
The bulk of the course is organized around reading, class presentations, and critical discussion. Responsibilities for class presentations and leading discussion of the readings will be rotated among pairs of class participants. There will be occasional mini-lectures to offer background on theoretical issues and to explain technical topics. The quality of the seminar will in large part be a function of your willingness do the reading thoughtfully, in advance, and with an eye to active participation in class discussions. This is a chance to hone your skills in extracting significant arguments from detailed or technical expositions. The course also provides a supportive environment in which to practice your skills at written exposition and public presentation.

Prerequisites
This course is, for the most part, a reading and discussion seminar intended for graduate students and advanced undergraduates in anthropology and archaeology. Previous course work in archaeology is assumed, along with familiarity with basic archaeological and anthropological concepts.

Reading

The bulk of the reading for this course will be available on the web at http://toolkit.virginia.edu/anth508-1. You'll want to buy two books:

Kosso, Peter

1992 Reading the Book of Nature, An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Johnson, Matthew

1999 Archaeological Theory: An Introduction, Blackwell,Oxford.

These can be had at the UVA Bookstore. You might also want to buy:

Hacking, Ian

1999 The Social Construction of What? Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

The reading list is not carved in stone. There will be changes. Let me know if you have suggestions.

Requirements
1. Class presentations. Each week, assigned pairs of seminar participants will be responsible for preparing a joint presentation on the week's reading and leading class discussion. Presentations should not simply summarize reading assignments one by one, but rather highlight significant theoretical and methodological themes that emerge in the articles, the manner in which they relate to one another and to previous topics discussed in the course, and their implications for archaeological practice. Do the authors's positions agree? Do you buy their arguments? How do they fit (or fail to fit) with other anthropological and archaeological ideas you find helpful or attractive? A key focus of your presentation should be the manner in which abstract theoretical prescriptions can actually be implemented in studying the archaeological record. If patterns in the archaeological record are discussed and explained, can you think of other ways to account for them? In preparing your presentation, meet with your partner to plan strategies for a coherent ensemble. Make sure that your presentation both contains opportunities for class discussion and encourages it.

2. Class discussion. Both presenting and non-presenting participants should come to class prepared to discuss critically the week's reading, along the same lines as if they were responsible for the week's presentation.

3. Reading discussion questions. As you digest what you have read each week, prepare 4-6 questions designed to isolate and clarify major themes. Bring copies of your questions to class for distribution to me and to class members. We will make every effort to make sure that everyone leaves with their questions answered! Discussion questions MUST be submitted on time.

3. Three short papers. During the course, you will be responsible for preparing 3 short essays (6-8 pages in length). Your three essays should provide incisive, critical discussions of a theoretical problem raised in each third of the course. Your essay should include a bibliography. It is your responsibility to clear your topic with me in advance. Essays should conform to American Antiquity style, available at http://www.saa.org/Publications/StyleGuide/styframe.html. Paper dues dates are as follows:

2/27: Paper 1, covering a topic drawn from readings of weeks 1-5.

3/27: Paper 2, covering a topic drawn from readings of weeks 6-10.

5/8: Paper 3, covering a topic drawn from readings of weeks 11-14.

Papers that are submitted after the above dues dates will have 5 points subtracted for each day they are late.

Evaluation

Grades for the course will be weighted as follows:

Discussion participation: 10%

Discussion questions: 15%

Oral presentations: 30 %

Three short papers: 45%