7th March 2006, 08:36 PM
If field archaeologists felt that they were benefitting from membership of the IFA then I'm sure many would join but seeing as though members gain absolutely nothing other than a newsletter and a few letters after their name that they can use if they feel the need to act as snobs, is it worth the money? Field archaeologists are already poorly paid when compared to other graduate professions (yes. field archaeology is a discipline of its own right with professionals practicing it) and so even around ?8 a month is too much to expect people to pay when they see nothing in return. Field archaeologists need an organisation to promote their interests rather than the interests of a mixture of people, many of whom look down on us as if we are dirt and don't even have the decency to recognise us as the professionals that wwe are.