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Entering history? Archaeologists as intellectuals à la recherche du temps perdu

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2013

Nathan Schlanger
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Abstract

Following some comments on the notion of ‘public’ intellectuals (can they be otherwise?), this brief paper focuses on the intellectual roles that could be played by archaeologists today. Exposure to the media, usually following some spectacular discovery, serves to confirm the romantico-empirical image of the discipline, but should also lead to an engagement with key public debates. Three such debates are indicated: the idea that ‘African man has yet to enter history’ as expressed by the former French president; the creation of a Maison de l'histoire de France under the tutelage of the Ministry of National Identity; and, across the Channel, the Localism Bill, which pushes decision making to an untenably low level while promoting a historically and archaeologically questionable view of local communities.

Keywords

public intellectualprivate intellectualAfrican historyMaison de l'histoire de FranceLocalism Bill
Type
Discussion
Information
Archaeological Dialogues , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , June 2013 , pp. 58 - 65
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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