Click the star to add/remove an item to/from your individual schedule.
You need to be logged in to avail of this functionality.
Log in
Accepted Paper:
Revival of Vladimir Gening's Fundamental Archaeological Theory: possible solution of contemporary methodological problems in archaeology
Sergii Paliienko (Kiev University of Tourism, Economy and Law)
Paper short abstract:
Fundamental Archaeological Theory based on materialistic dialectic was created by Vladimir Gening in the second half of 1970s - 80s. Its applying and further development were stopped now, but returning to this theory would help solving a lot of actual contemporary archaeology problems.
Paper long abstract:
Applying of the Marxist paradigm in Soviet archaeology during 1930-s enabled to reconstruct social processes in the past, but there were no special methodology created at that time. Accumulation of the archaeological dates in 1960-s determined an elaboration of USSR archaeology theoretical problems.
Vladimir Gening was one of the greatest Soviet theorists. He developed Fundamental Archaeological Theory (FAT) based on materialistic dialectic in the second half of 1970s - 80s. It would have to be the methodological ground for social problems researches using archaeological sources. V. Gening elaborated the archaeology structure problems, the archaeological research procedure, social reconstructions general methodology during that period. His disciples attempted to apply FAT in practice.
The main Gening's opponent was Leo Klejn. The discussion about object and subject matter of science took place in soviet archaeology in the second half of 1980s. But Klejn's critic of Gening's theory had grown into critic of Marxism and communist ideas, while the latest attainments of FAT were not critically analyzed.
Applying of FAT and further development were stopped after the USSR disappearing and Gening's death in 1993rd, but the potencial of theory was not exhaust. Therefore returning to the theoretical heritage of V. Gening would be able to solve a lot of actual problems producing by use the contemporary methodological paradigm and this way archaeology may be raised to the new level of quality.
Marxism in archaeology, reprised: the continuing relevance of power, ideology and structural change for an interpretive and socially engaged archaeology
Session 1