Ancient Egypt and the Archaeology of the Disenfranchised

Scham, Sandra Arnold

doi:10.4324/9781843147596-11

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…The exploration and exploitation of their historical monuments and archaeological sites developed in parallel to the establishment of colonial control from the early 19th century onwards (Doyon, 2018; Edwards, 2004: 33–34; Näser, forthcoming; Trigger, 1984, 1994). Western protagonists laid claim to these resources, seeing themselves as the heirs of the “civilizing achievements” connected to them (for Egypt, see Colla, 2007; Reid, 2002; Scham, 2003). Through these configurations, the archaeology of the Nile valley and the archaeologically accessible pasts of Egypt and Sudan became a field of imperialist aspiration and colonial domination, and the colonizing societies have “controlled cultural production about it ever since” (Scham, 2003: 173).…”

Section: Present-day Publics and The Archaeologically Approachable Pamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Western protagonists laid claim to these resources, seeing themselves as the heirs of the “civilizing achievements” connected to them (for Egypt, see Colla, 2007; Reid, 2002; Scham, 2003). Through these configurations, the archaeology of the Nile valley and the archaeologically accessible pasts of Egypt and Sudan became a field of imperialist aspiration and colonial domination, and the colonizing societies have “controlled cultural production about it ever since” (Scham, 2003: 173).…”

Section: Present-day Publics and The Archaeologically Approachable Pamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exploring attitudes towards the archaeological past: Two case studies from majority Muslim communities in the Nile valley

Näser

2019

Journal of Social Archaeology

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There is a dearth of studies on intercultural dynamics in Southwest Asian and North African archaeology, not least since conventional narratives assert that present-day majority Muslim communities in these regions are not interested in the pre-Islamic past. In this paper I argue that, despite seemingly overcoming such positions, collaborative projects may actually exacerbate them through perceiving local communities as deficient, in need of being taught and re-united with “their” heritage. Using data from two current projects in Sudan, I explore actual motivations of local publics to engage with the archaeologically approachable past and the interests they voice vis-à-vis archaeological heritage. I suggest that emphasizing these dimensions effects a shift in how nonarchaeological partners in collaborative projects are conceptualized. This opens new ground for engagement, as changing perceptions impact on interactions and, in consequence, power relations between protagonists.

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Section: Present-day Publics and The Archaeologically Approachable Pamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Present-day Publics and The Archaeologically Approachable Pamentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring attitudes towards the archaeological past: Two case studies from majority Muslim communities in the Nile valley

Näser

2019

Journal of Social Archaeology

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“…The role which archaeology and its practitioners played in the colonial domination of Nile valley societies has seen substantial research (e.g. Trigger 1984Trigger , 1994Scham 2003;Colla 2007). How western archaeologists have asserted their role in the power reconfigurations of the postcolonial era has received much less attention (but see Carruthers 2016;Näser forthcoming).…”

Section: The Mograt Collaborative Project: Context and Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dialogues in the making: Collaborative archaeology in Sudan

Näser

Tully

2019

Journal of Community Archaeology & Heritage

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In this paper we introduce the Mograt Island Collaborative Project. Launched in 2014, this project aims to share archaeological narratives with members of a local community in Sudan, and with other stakeholders engaged with the area's past, building on a collaborative process which investigates how archaeological outputs can be explored together in a meaningful way. We discuss the wider context in which the project takes place, its individual steps, the factual outcome of its first phase, and its evaluation in spring 2018. We share this case study to promote collaborative practice in postcolonial, present-day majority Muslim contexts, such as the Nile valley countries, where the approach is thus far underrepresented. Reflecting on the project's trajectory and its results, we also present critical thoughts on its potentials and challenges which can be helpful for readers working in similar contexts.

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“…In the decades since its publication, the book's arguments have instigated extensive, strong but varied reaction from university scholars. We invoke Black Athena not to rehearse the controversy over the book's claims, but to focus on how a discussion on The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization instigated debates on diversity, specifically in relation to race, culture and claims to knowledge (McCoskey, 2004;Orrells et al, 2011;Scham, 2003;Young, 1994). The story of these debates in the Classics is used as an allegory through which we engage with relevant themes for organizational scholars.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This rendered race and "blackness" its most politically charged issue (Levine, 1989). While various national and organizational collectives have often rushed to claim ancient Egypt (Riad, 2008;Scham, 2003;Trafton, 2004), to western thought Egypt has long been "in Africa, but not of Africa" (O'Connor and Reid, 2003, p. 3). A key theme in considering the relation of Egypt to Africa or Europe has been race.…”

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confidence: 99%

InvokingBlack Athenaand its debates

Riad

Jones

2013

Journal of Management History

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Purpose -The authors use the debates instigated by Bernal's Black Athena to rethink the concepts of "race", "culture" and "diversity" in organization and aim to examine their intersection with academic authority. Design/methodology/approach -Drawing on the works of Derrida and Hegel, the authors question the pursuit of origins and illustrate its role in essentializing race, culture and diversity. The paper examines these through binaries including white/black, nature/culture, purity/diversity and diversity/university. Findings -First, both the Black Athena debates and the organizational literature turn to origins to ground concepts of difference. This attests to the power of narratives of descent in defining current interests. Second, organization studies have relied on images of a clear past which had eliminated racialization and its implications. Whereas culture is considered progressive, as a user-friendly term it has served as a "surrogate" or "homologue" for race. Diversity, in turn, has been deployed both to harbour and to control difference in organization.Research limitations/implications -The Black Athena debates alert people to the authority of scholars and practitioners in normalising identity categories in organization. They challenge people to develop theories and practices of organizational diversity that are open to ongoing difference rather than essence and origin. Originality/value -Derrida's contribution has rarely been used in organizational history, particularly its implication with Hegel's legacy to the historical and cultural canon. The paper invites readers to rethink the notions of race, culture and diversity by examining their historical development and considering the history of their inclusion into the canons of management and organization. Historicising can unsettle entrenched assumptions, but the cautionary word is that it can also legitimate current practices by identifying their relevance since "the beginning".

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Ancient Egypt and the Archaeology of the Disenfranchised

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

Exploring attitudes towards the archaeological past: Two case studies from majority Muslim communities in the Nile valley

Exploring attitudes towards the archaeological past: Two case studies from majority Muslim communities in the Nile valley

Dialogues in the making: Collaborative archaeology in Sudan

InvokingBlack Athenaand its debates

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