9th February 2006, 05:39 PM
SalonKitty has raised a point I made in another topic a while ago. I think there is potentially a really important issue here, which might become more serious in a few years time and therefore should be addressed now.
In terms of university departments it seems certain that many of the smaller ones will not be able to cope anymore in the near future. May this be due to falling student numbers, not enough research potential, inadequate funding or all of these factors. What is a small fall in student numbers in a big department is potentially a lethal blow to departments that only have a few undegraduate students to start with. The consequence will be fewer, more centrally located university departments teaching archaeology around the country. Subsequently, a loss in diversity of approaches and methods.
Some in the field profession may still want to complain about 'armchair archaeologists' and them not being in touch with what's going on in the field (I personally think that most of them are), but the point is that in the end academic jobs are jobs, too. Furthermore, loosing uni departments means loosing crucial lab facilities, specialists and opportunities for research, training and so forth, which field units also often have to draw on (which unit has a radiocarbon or dendro lab?).
Whether academic or field archaeologists the higher fees and decrease in student numbers should concern all people working in heritage and archaeology.
A related problem is that few students will be able to even get basic field experience during term holidays, because they can't afford going off to volunteer somewhere because they have to work in some supermarket, fast food outlet or otherwise to pay off at least some of their debts and keep going.
In terms of university departments it seems certain that many of the smaller ones will not be able to cope anymore in the near future. May this be due to falling student numbers, not enough research potential, inadequate funding or all of these factors. What is a small fall in student numbers in a big department is potentially a lethal blow to departments that only have a few undegraduate students to start with. The consequence will be fewer, more centrally located university departments teaching archaeology around the country. Subsequently, a loss in diversity of approaches and methods.
Some in the field profession may still want to complain about 'armchair archaeologists' and them not being in touch with what's going on in the field (I personally think that most of them are), but the point is that in the end academic jobs are jobs, too. Furthermore, loosing uni departments means loosing crucial lab facilities, specialists and opportunities for research, training and so forth, which field units also often have to draw on (which unit has a radiocarbon or dendro lab?).
Whether academic or field archaeologists the higher fees and decrease in student numbers should concern all people working in heritage and archaeology.
A related problem is that few students will be able to even get basic field experience during term holidays, because they can't afford going off to volunteer somewhere because they have to work in some supermarket, fast food outlet or otherwise to pay off at least some of their debts and keep going.