Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

From Past To Present: Heritage As An Avenue To Contemporary Social Concerns, Uzi Baram

Florida Statewide Symposium: Best Practices in Undergraduate Research

The New College Public Archaeology Lab program in regional heritage has expanded undergraduate experiential learning from excavations and laboratory analysis to community service learning with engagement with the public and diverse communities. Archaeology focuses research on the past but the public aspect situates the studies in the context of the present, with excavations and preservation requiring a critical perspective on contemporary social concerns. Recognizing the past can be empowering for subordinated communities, heritage interpretation, built on the archaeological research, offers undergraduates opportunities to grapple with community identities, contemporary politics, and commemoration.