12th February 2007, 10:06 PM
Da Da [8D]
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The Commercial Paradigm
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12th February 2007, 10:09 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by kevin wooldridge 
13th February 2007, 12:11 PM
Yeh. Obviously a lot of this is tongue-in -cheek, and how grand for us to propose a new paradigm HA HA HA!
But on a slightly more serious point, I think there is a gap at the moment for a genuine univesity and professional fieldworkers forum. I like Kevin's FieldTAG idea, although Im not sure the 'theory' need to be played up too much. There hasnt been an Interpreting Stratigraphy conference for a while, the last one I went to, in York 2001 was very 'reflexsive' methodology obsessed(of which I was a major culprit doing a paper on reflexsive methodologies?!). Having since regretted my band-wagon jumping Ive become more interested in some of the issues raised in the Bradley paper as I am interested in comparison between 'sites' at a landscape level, something im not sure these 'reflexsive' methods allow easily. What I would like to see is something that takes elements of the BAJR conference from last year, the macro-thinking elements of the Interpreting Stratigraphy group and perhaps only one or two of last years Exeter TAG (looking at the Abstracts I didnt go). The aim could be to get academics and professional fieldworkers talking about whether it would be good to become effectively one and the same (the Scandinavian model pre 2000 or so). Before, everyone knocks this down, this need not sit uncomfortably with commercial realities. Look at, such examples as Regional research frameworks and who writes these The Bradley article on academic involvements in commercial Grey Literature The ADS The Academic Panel at Oxford Archaeology THese are just a few key collaborations. THe concern that Dave raised is also right that academics may have time to pick and choose which elements of the professional world they use, but the process doesnt work the other way. This process needs thrashing out. I have been thinking for a number of years that ?English Heritage should have 'grey literature' synthesisers at the geographic/period scale of the current Finds Liason Officer. This could be a fulcrum for genuine Unit/University collaboration on a national scale? Perhaps this could be the goal of such a conference? These are only random musings; not worried if people destroy them! G 
13th February 2007, 04:14 PM
I like Gumbos idea of the 'grey literature' synthesisers (could almost be a cult prog-rock band c1972) and would suggest this as an area that commercial archaeology could push back towards the universities as a source for undergraduate dissertations or case studies or post-graduate synthesis. I note that something similar has been going at the Institute of Archaeology of UCL for a few years now (largely inspired by Gus Milne I think) where IoA students are encouraged to explore areas of the Museum of London archaeological archive for source material (that otherwise would probably not see the light of day).
As for Interpreting Stratigraphy. The most recent Scandinavian conference (September 2005 I think) in Trondheim was looking at ways that new technology and stratigraphic recording was being introduced. I couldn't make the conference, but got some interesting feedback from one of the organisers (particularly about 'paper free' data collection which I have been lucky enough to put into practice over the past year or so). Maybe that could be one theme for a resurrection of the UK series. Perhaps also a paper on Recording Stratigraphy under Commercial conditions. (Reference back to the BAJR discussion last week on MoLAS' cemetery recording methodology) You know what Gumbo, I say phooey to paradigms!!
22nd February 2007, 10:02 AM
Kevin! Did you see that The Gas got a 0-0 draw at Ashton Gate last night in the League Trophy Southern final. One game away from Wembley!
G (sorry that this is an irrelevant post everyone else)
22nd February 2007, 12:23 PM
So that's where we're heading is it Gumbo, The Freight Rover Trophy paradigm. What kind of competition is it that doesn't allow 2 of its most frequent competitors (City and Rovers) to appear together in the final because of some arbitrary North/South boundary. Its a farce Gumbo and it makes archaeology look positively well organised[8D]!!
22nd February 2007, 03:28 PM
Yeh, that would make a great final, drawing artificial lines around geographical entities is, im sure, theoretically weak.
Also whats in a name: the JP, Freight Rover and LDV vans Paradigms were all equally as **** werent they (apart from the 0-0 at Northampton where Brian Parkin empirically saved that penalty. no relativism there). Think thats my last post for now! G
22nd February 2007, 05:56 PM
This is so funny just has a MA seminar discussing this at UCL - there were two long time field archaeologists (me being one)within the group who had a very similar rant. Its interesting I was looking up the meaning of a profession and it is a career that combines theory, practice and approach and therefore as a profession archaeologists should be combining forces.
Field TAG would be a nice idea as maybe some idea of application might come into what academics discuss - Have you ever been to TAG? I hated it, was meant to go this past christmas but threw a sickie at last moment as could not face it. I love thrashing stuff out in our seminars but always end up concluding that we could talk forever but archaeology would not exist at all if we did not just get out there and do it occasionally! I love deadlines I love the whoosing noise they make as they pass you be! (Douglas Adams)
23rd February 2007, 12:03 AM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by gumboAlso whats in a name: the JP, Freight Rover and LDV vans Paradigms were all equally as **** werent they (apart from the 0-0 at Northampton where Brian Parkin empirically saved that penalty. no relativism there). ...but have you seen the Wim Wenders' movie "The Goalkeepers Fear of the Penalty" in which the central character quits his profession (goalkeeping) during a vital European Cup match to go walkabout in Central Europe. His adventures whilst the Cup game carries on without him has been described by one critic as a study in the struggle between the essentials of human subject and objectivity. Imagine the same movie entitled "The Digger's Fear of Commercial Archaeology" and you get some idea where I'm heading here..... |
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