Contemporary archeology as an interdisciplinary discipline. Research questions, tasks and challenges

Lecturer: Claudia Theune, Department of Prehistory and Historical Archaeology, University Vienna

When and Where? May 17, 2021, 18:00-20:00 c.t., ZOOM

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Since the mid-1980s, a new confrontation with the National Socialist dictatorship and the Holocaust began in Germany. A short time later, the first archaeological excavations and uncoverings took place in the former Nazi internment camps. Since the 2000s in particular, archaeological investigations have been carried out all over the world in former internment camps, but also in many other places of the 20th century. Even though conflict archeology in connection with the world wars is the focus of a lot of research, research on the Cold War, protest movements, migration in the 20th century, and much more is increasingly being carried out as well.

In the spirit of a historical archeology, the material sources are paramount regardless of the time period, always including numerous other sources and with a focus on the specific informational potential of the sources or the consideration of the respective perspectives. Close cooperation with various disciplines and institutions such as contemporary history, social sciences, memorial centers, and various interest groups is also important. In addition to general and fundamental discussions on contemporary archeology, current examples are also presented, such as a joint project currently underway with the Department of Contemporary History (Kerstin von Lingen) on the extermination site of Maly Trostenec.

 

 

Foto Credit: Tötungsbereich im ehemaligen Konzentrationslager Sachsenhausen

© J. Weishaupt