Engaging with the community

[Gilraen]

Are you a member of a local archaeological society?

[afarensis]

Voted for not really interested as it was the closest that fitted me. Unfortunately it gives the impression that I do not care for local societies. In fact I do but as a curator I feel it would be wrong to favour one local society over another and I certainly do not have the time to join all of the local societies in the area as we have quite a large number.

I am on the committee of my regional CBA group and have a close professional working relationship with all of our local societies as well as sitting on the steering committee of a student/local society research project.

So could really do with another option for professionals who work closely with them and strongly support their activities but are not members.

[oldgirl]

I also voted for not really interested, as it was the closest. I have been involved with a number in the past, but I think I might lose the will to live if I was on committees again.....

[BAJR Host]

Guess I am in the... not a member but involved camp

just to make you life difficult!

ps.. perhaps for the celebration of 10 years of BAJR and the move to the new forum... we will have the BAJR Award for the best community /society archaeology site.

Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi

[Pippyn]

I am a member of the one back in my home town, but haven't been involved for a long time because I've moved away, and haven't really gotten round to joining the one up here. I would never be on the committee for anything either. Too much politics.

[Redben]

Went for the 'if i had more time' option. I like local societies as i find them a good way of making the archaeological record accessible to more people, and getting more people involved in the subject. They have to be run well though, as with all things...

4 inch archaeologist's pointing troll- the next big thing for small find management

[oldgirl]

quote:Originally posted by Pippyn

I am a member of the one back in my home town, but haven't been involved for a long time because I've moved away, and haven't really gotten round to joining the one up here. I would never be on the committee for anything either. Too much politics.

Phew, I was going to mention the politics and then backed off - but it was the reason I dropped out of the last one I was involved with!

[srd123]

I'm a member of a local group, only problem is that it's not local to me, being 300 miles away it's a bit tricky to pop over for the meetings. I joined because I was doing research on the area and they had a rich source of resources (both written and human). But i have been active in helping at digs and giving papers in their lecture series. Indeed, I shall probably continue with them as it's a great, forwards-looking and inclusive group that is a joy to be a member of.

I did briefly join my local group, but they seemed to have some problems with communication - my offers of doing a lecture for them were ignored and my subs were messed up so I didn't bother rejoining again. I also felt somewhat out of place at the meetings due to the age difference - and I'm hardly a spring chicken myself! Pity really, as, being a researcher rather than a real™ archaeologist I don't get that much chance to excavate and a nice local project would have helped me to keep my hand in*.

I keep meaning to look into joining the local CBA, but to be honest I've no idea what they get up to or how it would benefit me if I joined. Really ought to drop them an email at some point and find out.

*although I'm also involved in a local(ish) field school both as a volunteer digger and doing a bit of teaching to first-year uni students on occasion.

[Gilraen]

I'm glad to see that 'Yes - and am actively involved' is winning at the moment.

[Reggie]

I polled as actively involved as it is my best fit - although I'm actually involved via supervising community archaeology on a commercial site, rather than being a member of a local society or group. :face-approve: