Instructor: Dr. Samantha Walker
Term 1
Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Description:
This course explores popular depictions of archaeology that may misrepresent the past and mislead the public. But the line between fact and fiction is not always clear — our understandings of the past are constantly changing, and alternative perspectives can challenge research in productive ways. Over the semester, students will acquire the tools to discern between valid controversies and not-so-valid claims through the critical exploration of archaeological hoaxes, myths, and propaganda, and will assess how archaeology is portrayed in fiction and media. Throughout these exercises, students will identify the responsibilities that archaeologists hold towards the public as storytellers of the past.