Paper short abstract:

Tradition has proved a problematic term within the human sciences, as a result of its critical position within a series of political arguments.

Paper long abstract:

For many conservative thinkers, tradition shelters established forms of life, maintains values and social relationships, and is to be protected from both social engineering and the incursion of markets. Conversely, in Enlightenment thought tradition stood alongside religious superstition and arbitrary authority as one of the obstacles that needed to be overcome in order to achieve a free and rational society. In this contribution, I will explore the ways in which this political burden complicates the explicit use of the notion of tradition in archaeology and anthropology.