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Empires of Improvement - ARC00023M

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  • Department: Archaeology
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Caitlin Kitchener
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module summary

Historical archaeology has never been more relevant. Movements like Black Lives Matter have highlighted the extent to which colonial legacies sustain inequalities and impact our society. ‘Empires of Improvement’ focuses on the important topics of colonialism and decolonisation in the Atlantic World, c.1600-1840. Drawing upon archaeological and historical research, this module examines how colonialism shaped and forced modernity into existence.

The module focuses on a range of significant topics, including the African Diaspora and Atlantic Slave Trade, plantation archaeology in North America and the Caribbean, and protest and resistance to slavery and colonialism through the seismic Haitain Revolution to maroon communities in Jamaica. These powerful stories will be encountered and analysed through fascinating evidence, such as material culture of enslaved people, the architecture of colonial towns, and the landscapes of plantations. The case studies allow for us to understand the local and global together, whilst also permitting us to consider the ways archaeology can contribute to understanding historical entanglements, colonial inheritances, and contemporary memorialisation.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

  • To critically examine the archaeology of globalisation over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

  • To understand the role historical archaeology can play in understanding the foundations of contemporary issues of inequality

  • To develop an understanding of postcolonial and decolonial theory and how these can be applied in historical archaeology

Module learning outcomes

Upon completion of this module students should:

  • Be able to critically evaluate the archaeology of the Atlantic World.

  • Have a good understanding of the different ways in which globalisation impacted upon economy, diet and consumption.

  • Understand how colonialism was entangled within everyday life.

  • Have a deeper understanding of the methods, theories and approaches commonly applied in historical archaeology.

  • Have built knowledge of case studies from around the world relating to buildings, landscapes, and monuments.

  • Be able to critically discuss the ways in which dominant theoretical approaches in archaeology have impacted on historical research, particularly post-colonial perspectives.

  • Have developed their writing skills through assessed essays.

Module content

Colonialism is the central theme of the module. It begins through developing an understanding of postcolonial and decolonial theory and how historical archaeology has approached the subject, before critically evaluating the archaeology of the New World. The module investigates the material lives and landscapes of North America and the Caribbean, analysing the experiences of enslaved people and colonisers. There is the opportunity to build up detailed knowledge on case studies such as Jamestown, Thomas Jefferson’s house Monticello, and the Jamaican Maroon War. Within each week, we will think critically about how archaeology can study the important themes of colonialism, capitalism, and empire. Through being interdisciplinary, this module incorporates material culture, landscapes, excavations, documents, visual culture, and more, allowing us to examine the themes in depth.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay - 3500 words		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay - 3500 words		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Feedback will be available within 6 weeks.

Indicative reading

  • Finch, J. 2013, 'Inside the Pot House: Diaspora, Identity and Locale in Barbadian Ceramics ', Journal of African Diaspora Archaeology and Heritage, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 115-130.

  • Ogundiran, A. and Falola, T. (eds) 2007 Archaeology of Atlantic Africa and African Diaspora. Indiana University Press, Bloomington.

  • Silliman, S. 2010. Indigenous traces in colonial spaces: Archaeologies of ambiguity, origin, and practice, Journal of Social Archaeology 10(1): 28-58.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.