23rd October 2008, 05:34 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by trowelmonkey
There is a bigger problem though. I have noticed in the past few years that universities are starting to crank out belligerent archaeology graduates (see IfA paper on scribd) who do not listen, look and learn but only challenge every single sentence like a bunch of three year olds.
I think what trowelmonkey might be touching on here is a change in academic and educational structure. These days, archaeology undergraduates are far more likely to be taught skills and theories than facts. The facts are there to be challenged with one's newly honed critical skills. It's all part of the post-processual, baby-boomer theoretical consensus prevalent in British academic archaeology.
Things are very different elsewhere. I remember giving a journal review presentation to some Mexican undergraduates. At the end of the presentation, when I'd pointed out weaknesses and alternative solutions to those put forward in the paper, I was asked by one undergraduate how dare I, as a foreign student, think to criticise this great Mexican archaeologist's work?
A very different attitude, and not one that I'd particularly like to see return in force to UK academia.