Applied human pasts group founded
Posted on Tuesday 14 October 2025
A new group
The Applied Human Pasts group brings together researchers who are interested in using archaeological and historical evidence about the human past to address a wide range of contemporary challenges, including (but not limited to) environmental degradation, health and wellbeing, and social inequalities. Anyone from the university with an interest in applied archaeology and history can become a member, and the group also looks forward to welcoming external speakers and stakeholders in the field.
The Applied Human Pasts group, or ‘AHP’ for short, was founded and is chaired by LCAB PhD researcher Andrew Hill. It will host a range of activities, such as presentations, workshops, and reading sessions. There are also plans to begin a longer-term research project amongst its members. Its hybrid sessions are hosted in LCAB’s Boardroom, and so offers another way to invite collaboration between LCAB and researchers across the university.
Advancing our interdisciplinary connections
AHP builds on LCAB’s existing strengths in interdisciplinary and applied research in archaeology and history. The idea of applied research is to use data and methods from the past to improve the modern world, or to tackle one of its issues. Amongst our community are various researchers who study specific environmental aspects of the human past, and apply their data to address the challenges facing biodiversity in the modern world.
Further strengthening our connections with researchers in archaeology and history also supports the changing physical environment at the university. Our office building, the Berrick Saul building, will soon become home to the Department of Archaeology after their move from King’s Manor. It will be a useful channel for integration for staff and students from our new neighbours, as well as students from the Department of History which is based opposite to our entrance. It will also maintain connections with other researchers from the Arts and Humanities as they move from the Berrick Saul building to their new spaces in Heslington Hall.
Beginning the discussions
The group’s first session, on 7th October, was an introduction. Members got to meet each other, and it was fantastic to see representation from a range of departments and hear about current projects and aspirations. The group’s operations and remit were also shared, which prompted insightful discussions into the meaning and scope of applied research, as well as an emphasis on having an inclusive and welcoming community.
The second session focused on an introductory reading to begin to explore ideas in applied research. In a widely debated theoretical area spanning several disciplines, there were many potential contender pieces, but the first chapter of Jeremy Sabloff’s ‘Archaeology matters: action archaeology in the modern world’ was chosen for its accessibility, inclusiveness of archaeological and historical approaches, and diverse range of case studies. It prompted discussions over the nature and forms of applied research, the value of participatory methods, and how archaeological approaches have developed since the book was published.
We look forward to continuing discussions about applied research in future sessions, and to bringing together a university community who will use applied research to improve our modern world.