The Department of Anthropology Colloquium Series

Thursday January 28^th 2010
3:00 pm in Crawford Hall 115
Reception to Follow

Rasmi Shoocondej, Associate Professor of Archaeology,
Silpakorn University, Thailand,
presents,

Impact of Colonialism and Nationalism in “Thai” Archaeology

Over the past few years archaeologists throughout the world have become increasingly concerned about issues of colonialism and nationalism in archaeological interpretation. In both contexts, the past has been interpreted by the dominant power in a way that serves the present. Clearly, this assumes that there is a close relationship between the political environment and the structure of archaeological research. Often, elites and political leaders have sought legitimacy for their own power through the evidence of the past. Colonial self-representations have commonly been re-generated in nationalism. These observations are not new and have been extensively discussed in anthropology and history. Nevertheless, little is known about the impact of nationalism in response to colonialism and the study of archaeology within individual countries. In developing countries, archaeology is closely tied to the formation of nation-states. However, it is no longer valid to assume that core state archaeologists totally dominate the archaeology of peripheral states. For example, in a number of Asian countries with long and complex histories, the investigation of the past through material remains developed in the "pre-modern era" long before the introduction of scientific archaeology. The archaeological tradition, therefore, developed differently than in the West. Furthermore, the native views of the past differ from those of the west. Undoubtedly, Western contributions to archaeology in developing countries entered an already complex intellectual arena. It is important for archaeologists who conduct their research in such countries to make an effort to understand the native concept of the past and how it has been studied. Thailand provides an excellent illustration of the complex ties between colonialism, nationalism, and archaeological research.

Rasmi Shooocongdej (PhD, University of Michigan) is an Associate Professor of Archaeology and the former Chair of the Department of Archaeology, Silpakorn University. Her areas of expertise include late- and post-Pleistocene tropical foragers, Southeast Asian prehistory, and cave archaeology. Lately her interests includenationalism and archaeology, archaeology and multiethnic education, looting, and arts and archaeology. She has conducted field research in Thailand, Cambodia, the US Southwest, and SE Turkey. She has worked intensively with local communities and the Thai public on heritage protection and archaeological education. Dr. Shoocongdej is an elected senior member of the World Archaeological Congress Council and an executive member of the Southeast Asian Prehistory Association. She is the co-founder and co-editor of the Southeast Asian Archaeology International Newsletter, and serves on the editorial boards of World Archaeology, AsianPerspectives, Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association, and Archaeologies.

** Cosponsored with the Center for Southeast Asian Studies **

for more information, please contact the Department of Anthropology at anthprog@hawaii.edu

page last updated March 5, 2010