Studying at York
Archaeologies of Colonialism in the British Atlantic World - ARC00023M
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 colonialism and decolonisation in the Atlantic World, c.1600-1840. Drawing upon archaeological and historical research, it examines how colonialism shaped and forced modernity into existence. 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.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2024-25 |
Module aims
This 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
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Critically evaluate the archaeology of the Atlantic World and how colonialism has been entangled within everyday life.
- Evaluate the methods, theories and approaches commonly applied in historical archaeology, and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of case studies from around the world relating to buildings, landscapes, and monuments.
- Critically discuss the ways in which dominant theoretical approaches in archaeology have impacted on historical research, particularly post-colonial perspectives.
- Convey complex ideas in an analytical framework through essay writing
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.
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. 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.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Formative: oral feedback from module leaders
Summative: written feedback within the University's turnaround policy
Indicative reading
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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.
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Ogundiran, A. and Falola, T. (eds) 2007 Archaeology of Atlantic Africa and African Diaspora. Indiana University Press, Bloomington.
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Silliman, S. 2010. Indigenous traces in colonial spaces: Archaeologies of ambiguity, origin, and practice, Journal of Social Archaeology 10(1): 28-58.