Environmental Humanities: A rethinking of landscape archaeology? Interdisciplinary academic research related to different perspectives of landscapes

Archaeology has shifted from deciphering meaning to acknowledging how things, places, and the environment contribute to relations. Environmental humanities pose the question of how to work with the intermeshing of humans and their surroundings, allowing the environment back in as an active agent of change. This humanities approach is of utmost importance when dealing with climate and environmental challenges, and can be found in discussions with scholars in the emerging field of Environmental Humanities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 108 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2021
Publisher: Sidestone Press

Archaeology has witnessed a growing fascination with human-animal-nature relations, marking a significant shift from its traditional emphasis on deciphering meaning and understanding symbols to acknowledge the active role of things, places, and the environment in shaping these relationships. This recognition goes beyond the notion of the environment as a passive backdrop onto which landscape meanings are projected. In parallel, the field of environmental humanities emerges, raising crucial questions about how to engage with the intricate interplay between humans and their surroundings. By reintegrating the environment as an active agent of change, landscape archaeology gains the ability to address pressing issues such as global warming, the rapid loss of biodiversity, and the increasingly toxic environment. However, it is important to note that human agency remains central to this equation. Humans not only contribute to the environmental challenges of today but also reinforce them.

The humanities, as a scholarly domain, delve into profound inquiries about the attribution of meaning, the cultural factors that drive human actions, the role of ethics, the emotional experiences associated with landscapes, and the ways in which concepts derived from art, literature, and history contribute to these processes of meaning attribution and other cultural phenomena. This humanities approach holds immense significance in addressing the climate and environmental challenges that lie ahead. It demands a new landscape archaeology that not only meets these challenges head-on but also seamlessly crosses disciplinary boundaries. In seeking inspiration, discussions with scholars in the emerging field of Environmental Humanities offer valuable insights.

By embracing a holistic perspective that recognizes the interdependence of humans, animals, and the natural world, landscape archaeology can evolve to become a more responsive and effective discipline in addressing the pressing environmental concerns of our time. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between people and their environments, we can develop innovative approaches that promote sustainability, conservation, and a harmonious coexistence with the natural world.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 183 x 256 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789464270037