13th February 2007, 12:11 PM
Yeh. Obviously a lot of this is tongue-in -cheek, and how grand for us to propose a new paradigm HA HA HA!
But on a slightly more serious point, I think there is a gap at the moment for a genuine univesity and professional fieldworkers forum. I like Kevin's FieldTAG idea, although Im not sure the 'theory' need to be played up too much.
There hasnt been an Interpreting Stratigraphy conference for a while, the last one I went to, in York 2001 was very 'reflexsive' methodology obsessed(of which I was a major culprit doing a paper on reflexsive methodologies?!). Having since regretted my band-wagon jumping Ive become more interested in some of the issues raised in the Bradley paper as I am interested in comparison between 'sites' at a landscape level, something im not sure these 'reflexsive' methods allow easily.
What I would like to see is something that takes elements of the BAJR conference from last year, the macro-thinking elements of the Interpreting Stratigraphy group and perhaps only one or two of last years Exeter TAG (looking at the Abstracts I didnt go). The aim could be to get academics and professional fieldworkers talking about whether it would be good to become effectively one and the same (the Scandinavian model pre 2000 or so). Before, everyone knocks this down, this need not sit uncomfortably with commercial realities. Look at, such examples as
Regional research frameworks and who writes these
The Bradley article on academic involvements in commercial Grey Literature
The ADS
The Academic Panel at Oxford Archaeology
THese are just a few key collaborations. THe concern that Dave raised is also right that academics may have time to pick and choose which elements of the professional world they use, but the process doesnt work the other way. This process needs thrashing out.
I have been thinking for a number of years that ?English Heritage should have 'grey literature' synthesisers at the geographic/period scale of the current Finds Liason Officer. This could be a fulcrum for genuine Unit/University collaboration on a national scale? Perhaps this could be the goal of such a conference?
These are only random musings; not worried if people destroy them!
G
But on a slightly more serious point, I think there is a gap at the moment for a genuine univesity and professional fieldworkers forum. I like Kevin's FieldTAG idea, although Im not sure the 'theory' need to be played up too much.
There hasnt been an Interpreting Stratigraphy conference for a while, the last one I went to, in York 2001 was very 'reflexsive' methodology obsessed(of which I was a major culprit doing a paper on reflexsive methodologies?!). Having since regretted my band-wagon jumping Ive become more interested in some of the issues raised in the Bradley paper as I am interested in comparison between 'sites' at a landscape level, something im not sure these 'reflexsive' methods allow easily.
What I would like to see is something that takes elements of the BAJR conference from last year, the macro-thinking elements of the Interpreting Stratigraphy group and perhaps only one or two of last years Exeter TAG (looking at the Abstracts I didnt go). The aim could be to get academics and professional fieldworkers talking about whether it would be good to become effectively one and the same (the Scandinavian model pre 2000 or so). Before, everyone knocks this down, this need not sit uncomfortably with commercial realities. Look at, such examples as
Regional research frameworks and who writes these
The Bradley article on academic involvements in commercial Grey Literature
The ADS
The Academic Panel at Oxford Archaeology
THese are just a few key collaborations. THe concern that Dave raised is also right that academics may have time to pick and choose which elements of the professional world they use, but the process doesnt work the other way. This process needs thrashing out.
I have been thinking for a number of years that ?English Heritage should have 'grey literature' synthesisers at the geographic/period scale of the current Finds Liason Officer. This could be a fulcrum for genuine Unit/University collaboration on a national scale? Perhaps this could be the goal of such a conference?
These are only random musings; not worried if people destroy them!
G