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Tübingen Theses on Archaeology
Programme of the conference
Schafft sich die Öffentlichkeit eine andere Archäologie? Analysen einer Machtverschiebung. More on the conference in German
Past conferences of the DGUF
Programme of the conference
Schafft sich die Öffentlichkeit eine andere Archäologie? Analysen einer Machtverschiebung. More on the conference in German
Past conferences of the DGUF
Is the public creating a different archaeology? Analyses of a power shift
Conference of the German Society for Pre- and Protohistory (DGUF) from 14 to 17 May 2015, Tübingen
Although the financial and political base of state-funded archaeological work is becoming weaker everywhere, archaeology continues to be an attractive adventure for many members of society. Mass media enjoy reporting on exciting discoveries, supported by accompanying statements from archaeologists themselves. At the same time, the social communication structures are changing fundamentally in Web 2.0 environments: instead of listening to scientific pieces of wisdom with reverence, people are self-confident and want to actively get involved themselves. Is archaeology prepared for this?
Other groups of people are currently becoming more and more successful in the public arena, e.g. videos of illegal metal detecting are being clicked many thousands of times and are whetting the appetite for treasure hunts people have organised themselves. Driven by technology, it becomes easier to share the data, e. g. the coordinates of find locations. This causes power structures to change, often to the detriment of this kind of research and specialist expertise, which prefers to cut itself off and protect its sovereign right of interpretation.
Fewer and fewer members of society will support a structure for archaeology and its authorities which the public perceives more as an "obstructing institution". Such a loss of power in conjunction with the current economic and political marginalisation of archaeology is giving rise to a new situation. Society is creating the archaeology it desires to have, digital technologies facilitate this. More and more frequently, archaeology is looking on without doing anything, and is thus becoming a side issue of its own subject.
Does an archaeology weakened by staffing and financial cuts have any chance at all of keeping up when the prevailing technological and social conditions are changing and will continue to change as quickly as they are doing? How successful is the discipline of archaeology at communicating its problems, e. g. the cuts to public funding or archives full to overflowing? How great is the pressure in the archaeological authorities to better keep quiet about any difficulties? Is it even possible for members of the public who are only (to be) told about sensational finds to realise that archaeology is in a desperate situation? Would greater public participation, understood as collaboration on an equal footing (Citizen Science) be a good solution? If yes: what does the public expect in return if they get involved and/or make a donation? What do we expect to be the impact of such developments - on archaeology, its results, and on society and policymakers?
The conference examines the facets of a complex and far-reaching process of change which has already begun.
Other groups of people are currently becoming more and more successful in the public arena, e.g. videos of illegal metal detecting are being clicked many thousands of times and are whetting the appetite for treasure hunts people have organised themselves. Driven by technology, it becomes easier to share the data, e. g. the coordinates of find locations. This causes power structures to change, often to the detriment of this kind of research and specialist expertise, which prefers to cut itself off and protect its sovereign right of interpretation.
Fewer and fewer members of society will support a structure for archaeology and its authorities which the public perceives more as an "obstructing institution". Such a loss of power in conjunction with the current economic and political marginalisation of archaeology is giving rise to a new situation. Society is creating the archaeology it desires to have, digital technologies facilitate this. More and more frequently, archaeology is looking on without doing anything, and is thus becoming a side issue of its own subject.
Does an archaeology weakened by staffing and financial cuts have any chance at all of keeping up when the prevailing technological and social conditions are changing and will continue to change as quickly as they are doing? How successful is the discipline of archaeology at communicating its problems, e. g. the cuts to public funding or archives full to overflowing? How great is the pressure in the archaeological authorities to better keep quiet about any difficulties? Is it even possible for members of the public who are only (to be) told about sensational finds to realise that archaeology is in a desperate situation? Would greater public participation, understood as collaboration on an equal footing (Citizen Science) be a good solution? If yes: what does the public expect in return if they get involved and/or make a donation? What do we expect to be the impact of such developments - on archaeology, its results, and on society and policymakers?
The conference examines the facets of a complex and far-reaching process of change which has already begun.
Organisational information about the DGUF conference
Conference venue:
Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen
Neue Aula, "Großer Senat" and "Kleiner Senat"
Geschwister-Scholl-Platz
D-72074 Tübingen
The conference language is German. Some assistance will be provided for those not fluent in German.
Conference fees
Standard rate: 70 euros
Reduced rate (DGUF members, speakers, students): 40 euros
The conference fee includes refreshments during the coffee breaks and the "Early palaeolithic caves in the Swabian Alb" excursion (whole day).
Conference registration
To participate, please register by sending an email with the subject line "Conference registration Tübingen 2015: Your NAME" to:Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein. .
On receipt of your registration you will be sent confirmation with details of the conference bank account. Participants must register by email (and pay the conference fee) by 11 May.
Conference venue:
Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen
Neue Aula, "Großer Senat" and "Kleiner Senat"
Geschwister-Scholl-Platz
D-72074 Tübingen
The conference language is German. Some assistance will be provided for those not fluent in German.
Conference fees
Standard rate: 70 euros
Reduced rate (DGUF members, speakers, students): 40 euros
The conference fee includes refreshments during the coffee breaks and the "Early palaeolithic caves in the Swabian Alb" excursion (whole day).
Conference registration
To participate, please register by sending an email with the subject line "Conference registration Tübingen 2015: Your NAME" to:
On receipt of your registration you will be sent confirmation with details of the conference bank account. Participants must register by email (and pay the conference fee) by 11 May.
Der Call for Papers
Wir erwarten Vorträge von etwa 20 Minuten Dauer, an die sich eine Diskussion mit dem Auditorium anschließt. Vorträge in deutscher oder englischer Sprache sind willkommen. Bitte reichen Sie Ihren Vorschlag für einen Vortrag mit Titel, einer aussagekräftigen Zusammenfassung von max. 250 Wörtern, einer Kurzbiografie (max. 5 Zeilen) und Ihren Kontaktdaten bis zum 23. März mit dem Betreff "DGUF-Tagung 2015" an den Vorstand der DGUF ein (Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein. ). Wir begutachten alle Einreichungen und geben Ihnen bis spätestens 31. März Bescheid, ob Ihr Vorschlag akzeptiert wurde. Bitte beachten Sie, dass Sie unbedingt bis spätestens 19. April für die Tagung angemeldet sein müssen inkl. Eingang der Tagungsgebühr auf unserem Konto.
Die Zusammenfassungen und Kurzbiografien werden vorab mit dem Tagungsprogramm veröffentlicht. Die Vorträge werden in der im Open Access erscheinenden Zeitschrift der DGUF, "Archäologische Informationen", publiziert.
Treffen der AG Archäologisches Publizieren
Im Rahmen der DGUF-Jahrestagung findet das kommende Treffen der AG Archäologisches Publizieren statt: "Medialisierung - Ein Trend in der Archäologie?" ist Thema eines Runden Tisches, der am Nachmittag des 15. Mai stattfindet. Alle am Thema Interessierten sind herzlich eingeladen.
Wir erwarten Vorträge von etwa 20 Minuten Dauer, an die sich eine Diskussion mit dem Auditorium anschließt. Vorträge in deutscher oder englischer Sprache sind willkommen. Bitte reichen Sie Ihren Vorschlag für einen Vortrag mit Titel, einer aussagekräftigen Zusammenfassung von max. 250 Wörtern, einer Kurzbiografie (max. 5 Zeilen) und Ihren Kontaktdaten bis zum 23. März mit dem Betreff "DGUF-Tagung 2015" an den Vorstand der DGUF ein (
Die Zusammenfassungen und Kurzbiografien werden vorab mit dem Tagungsprogramm veröffentlicht. Die Vorträge werden in der im Open Access erscheinenden Zeitschrift der DGUF, "Archäologische Informationen", publiziert.
Treffen der AG Archäologisches Publizieren
Im Rahmen der DGUF-Jahrestagung findet das kommende Treffen der AG Archäologisches Publizieren statt: "Medialisierung - Ein Trend in der Archäologie?" ist Thema eines Runden Tisches, der am Nachmittag des 15. Mai stattfindet. Alle am Thema Interessierten sind herzlich eingeladen.
Tübingen Theses on archaeology
A result grown from the DGUF conference 2015: 6 Theses on archaeology that you are invited to read and to spread. more