TAG-Turkey Meeting
Theoretical Archaeology Group – Turkey
9-10 May 2013, Ege University – Izmir
Call for Papers
Current archaeology in Turkey produces knowledge beyond the well-explored culture-historical framework, which traditionally concentrates on chronological problems, pottery typologies and publication of decontextualized objects. The quality and quantity of problem-oriented research implementing innovative methods with theoretical agendas are increasing rapidly. On the other hand, the ever-increasing awareness of the history of archaeology generated a very welcome critical thinking about the discipline. With this meeting, we intend to explore the social, cultural, political and economic contexts in which archaeology is conducted in Turkey and to gain an overview of the innovative theoretical archaeological research.
During the meeting we would like to discuss themes such as these:
How do archaeologists experience archaeology? How do we teach archaeology at the universities? What are the problems of undergraduate and graduate teaching in archaeology? How did archaeological practice change over time in Turkey? How did archaeology in Turkey emerge and develop? How are the methodological and theoretical frameworks formulated and applied? Does archaeology establish sufficient bonds with other disciplines? Is there a healthy relationship between the archaeological world and the mass media? How do Turkey’s official cultural heritage and tourism politics affect the development of archaeology? In what ways NGO’s are involved in archaeological practice?
We kindly invite you to discuss these and more issues at Ege University, İzmir on May 9-10, 2013. Papers can be presented in Turkish and English. Please send your title and abstracts (max. 150 words) until February 1, 2013 to tagturkey@gmail.com
Why TAG?
The very first TAG, organized by Colin Renfrew and Andrew Fleming, was held in Sheffield, UK in 1979. Since then, every year TAG meetings are held at a different venue in Great Britain, where archaeologists, junior and senior alike, gather together to discuss diverse issues in archaeology in a social context. After 30 years, TAG has demonstrably contributed to the practice of archaeology in this country. New methods, techniques and theories concerned with archaeology are frequently introduced to the discipline by the Anglo-Saxon tradition.
TAG-Network has been growing. Nordic-TAG has been held in the Scandinavian countries since 2000 and TAG-USA has been organized annually since 2008. Finally, in Greece TAG meetings have been set up. The organizers of TAG-Turkey intend to extend the TAG-Network to Turkey and create a scholarly environment to stimulate lively discussion and critical thinking for archaeologists in Turkey. As a result, we have taken the initiative to create TAG-Turkey as a platform for archaeologists interested in theoretical and methodological issues.
Theme Suggestions:
• History of archaeology, development of archaeology in Turkey
• Current state of archaeological practice in Turkey
• Settlement, Environment and Landscape archaeology
• GIS applications in archaeology
• Origins of social inequality, complex societies and the state
• Gender Archaeology
• Theories in archaeology
• Methods in archaeology
• Cultural heritage management and NGO’s
• Archaeology and education
• Archaeology, mass media and popular culture
• State and politics of archaeology
• Ethnoarchaeology
• Epistemology and ethics in archaeology
• Philosophy of history and archaeology
Organizers:
Çiler Çilingiroğlu (Ege University)
Fahri Dikkaya (Bilkent University)
