CALL FOR SESSIONS
WAC-6, Dublin "Archaeologists, War and Conflict: Ethics, Politics, Responsibility."

The "Archaeologists and War" Taskforce, established in the aftermath of the Fifth World Archaeological Congress is charged with investigating the ethical and political role of archaeologists in armed conflicts around the world. Taking as its starting point the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the subsequent media focus upon the archaeology of 'Mesopotamia', the taskforce was established to "investigate the role of archaeologists in situations of armed conflict around the world, and explore the ethical dilemmas and the social and political consequences and effects arising from that involvement".

Given the perceived increasing involvement of archaeologists with the military in many parts of the world, and other phenomena that appear to testify to the militarization of archaeology (recalling perhaps the distant past in the history of archaeology when archaeologists formed an integral part of military imperialistic campaigns), this theme invites sessions which will confront the ethics and politics of this phenomenon. It also aims to explore possible stances and practices by archaeologists and others who oppose militarization and colonialists/imperialists wars, but find themselves working amidst such situations.

More specifically, we welcome sessions with a thematic, historical, or geographical focus but which address questions such as:
- Can archaeologists use their expertise to foster cultural understanding and thereby work against militarization and military "solutions"?
- Is it possible to reconcile an anti-war stance with an archaeological involvement (advice, contribution with scholarly expertise, scientific investigations) in military conflicts?
- When should archaeologists opposed to the war become involved in 'reconstruction' efforts or forensic investigations?
- Does the desire to "rescue" antiquities justify the collaboration of archaeologists with military structures or the exclusive focus on sites and artefacts as opposed to human lives?
- What is the nature of links between imperial/colonial wars and financial profit through archaeological activity?
- Is there a need for a new code of ethics that takes into account the notion of the 'embedded archaeologist' (that is, the archaeologist who is embedded in military structures, adopting the role of an "objective professional")?
- Can there be, in contexts of armed conflict, a role for an archaeology that is both politically engaged and neutral, in the sense that it takes an ethical stance that is opposed to any and all violence?
- What should the role of forensic archaeologists and anthropologists be when asked to investigate existing or assumed mass graves?
- Should we accept the participation of serving army personnel in archaeological conferences and publications? - How can we resist a further militarization of archaeology?
- How can anti-war archaeologists in opposing camps of a conflict but with similar ethical stances collaborate and bridge the dividing line?
Reinhard Bernbeck (rbernbec@binghamton.edu)
Yannis Hamilakis (y.hamilakis@soton.ac.uk)
Susan Pollock (bg9711@binghamton.edu)