A tiny drop in the ocean: my experiences with the teaching of African archaeology.

  • Author: Ndukuyakhe Ndlovu
  • Topic: Theory and method
  • Related Congress: 13th Congress, Dakar

Archaeology is a highly politicised discipline, and this is no different to any other. However, archaeologists often deny the political nature of their discipline. The politics of archaeology have been manifested in many ways, amongst which are the racial composition of the professionals involved in the discipline, the teaching of archaeology, and interactions amongst archaeologists of opposing ideological and political views. The teaching of archaeology, the focus of this paper, must be considered within this politicised aspect of archaeology. What should a postcolonial teaching of archaeology involve and how can it be achieved? In providing my own views, I take a personal approach in discussing this significant element of the discipline of archaeology. Within this personalised framework, I shall provide a personal reflection on my upbringing within the discipline and how I could have been a different archaeologist, if at all, had the teaching approach been different and involved different personalities. I wish to also reflect on my experience as an international student in the United Kingdom and the nature of challenges I am experiencing and comment on how my progression could have been had I studied within my home country.


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