22nd January 2009, 04:22 PM
There was an interesting article in the online version of the Independent this morning talking to different persons who have lost their jobs recently. One was an architect. Which initally shocked me...until I read on and discovered for the past few years he has worked for a practice specialising in high value renovations (eg swimming pools in your basement) and he even admitted that they solved most problems by throwing money at it rather than 'designing' an answer.
I am glad that someone has raised the subject of whether archaeology might be recessing differently in different regions. Personally, I wasn't particularly shocked to hear of redundancies in the UK last autumn after hearing of problems earlier in the year in Ireland. It seemed to me then that some of our current problems were shouting out to be addressed much earlier than some folk would have you believe. To that extent I wonder if both the survey and our perceptions of the crisis aren't also being slightly 'Little Britain'-ish. I mean it does seem to me over the past few years that many of the recently unemployed from UK archaeology are probably resting at home in Krakow r or Norkjopping rather than in Kidderminster or Nottingham. And for that reason shouldn't the survey be asking non-UK nationals who practice archaeology in the UK how the recession is affecting them as well. I also note that at least 3 of the 6 biggest contracting organisations have an Irish 'field component' and wonder if the figures for staffing cuts recognise this.
![[Image: 3216700919_bab3ee7520_t.jpg]](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3216700919_bab3ee7520_t.jpg)
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...
I am glad that someone has raised the subject of whether archaeology might be recessing differently in different regions. Personally, I wasn't particularly shocked to hear of redundancies in the UK last autumn after hearing of problems earlier in the year in Ireland. It seemed to me then that some of our current problems were shouting out to be addressed much earlier than some folk would have you believe. To that extent I wonder if both the survey and our perceptions of the crisis aren't also being slightly 'Little Britain'-ish. I mean it does seem to me over the past few years that many of the recently unemployed from UK archaeology are probably resting at home in Krakow r or Norkjopping rather than in Kidderminster or Nottingham. And for that reason shouldn't the survey be asking non-UK nationals who practice archaeology in the UK how the recession is affecting them as well. I also note that at least 3 of the 6 biggest contracting organisations have an Irish 'field component' and wonder if the figures for staffing cuts recognise this.
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...