Archaeologists converge on Toowoomba for national conference

Archaeologists from around the country will converge on Toowoomba for Sociality of Archaeology - the 2011 Australian Archaeology Association National Conference being held from 1-3 December.

The Conference will be hosted by USQ and held at the Empire Theatre will feature experts from Australia and around the world with a keynote address from Professor Lynn Meskell, the Director of the Stanford University Archaeology Centre.

Professor Bryce Barker – Head, School of Humanities and Communication said that having this national conference in Toowoomba was positive for the region and for USQ.

‘USQ will be hosting some of the leading researchers in the archaeology field and we’ll be discussing ground breaking issues like contemporary politics of archaeology, the place of indigenous perspectives in archaeological interpretation, the role of the public and the media in archaeology,’ Professor Barker said.

‘We will be discussing both issues of theory and practice and Professor Meskell’s keynote speech will be very interesting.’

The Conference will feature a ‘Meet the Graduates’ evening where representatives from 30 companies including BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto will discuss employment opportunities with students.

‘Archaeology graduates have a very high rate of employment in the cultural heritage industry in Australia and demand has increased even more over recent years because of the mining boom.’

‘The ‘Meet the Graduates’ function will be very valuable for students, recent graduates and the employers present.’

Professor Meskell’s address is titled Human Rights and Heritage Ethics focussing on exploring the ethical implications of deploying rights discourses when archaeologists are engaged in heritage work.

Professor Meskell is a world leader in her field having published over 75 journal articles having worked at Oxford University and Columbia College. She has conducted fieldwork South Africa, Egypt, Turkey, Sicily, Cyprus, Greece, Australia and the Pacific.

Additionally, the Conference will host the recently formed Indigenous Archaeologists Association and over 40 individuals from community based Traditional Owner groups from around Australia.

Further information on the conference including registration details and the program of events is available on the website.