[Italian version here]
Associazione Culturale Rodopis, in collaboration with the Department of History and Cultural Heritage of the University of Siena, organizes the XVIII cycle of Ricerche a Confronto Seminars on the topic ‘Archaeology: problems and solutions’, which will take place at the University of Siena between November and December 2023.
The aim is primarily to promote the gathering and discussion of young archaeologists with different backgrounds and interests, in order to achieve interesting and practical ways forward in the near future.
The cycle of conferences will take place in Siena, at Palazzo San Galgano, on a weekly basis starting from the 9th of November 2023. The fixed dates are: Novembre, 9, 16, 23, 30 and December 7. Each seminar will consist of two presentations of approximately 30 minutes each, followed by an extensive discussion. The meeting can possibly take place remotely, should it be necessary, and the contributions can be discussed both in Italian and in English to make it possible for all interested parties to participate and be involved.
The subject of this edition is the macro-theme of the discipline of archaeology, and in particular the countless doubts and difficulties encountered by those who practice and study it.
By now, in fact, the words problem and archaeology are very often mentioned as adjacent: from the ‘bureaucratic struggles’ to the regulatory framework of the profession, passing through the occasional communication with local communities and the dilemmas of finding vital funds for the excavation and preservation of artefacts; the valorisation of heritage and the difficulties related to its fruition and musealization; the opposition between economy and culture, which still dominates in some environments, in which the protection of heritage is obstructed by the development and modification of the territory.
A fertile ground, therefore, where one can range freely, so as to allow and encourage discussion between students and scholars on the various aspects of the discipline, useful to determine the main dilemmas and to provide concrete solutions that are not only limited to these gatherings but can follow their implementation in the world of the discipline itself.
PhDs, Graduates and Master’s Degree students are invited to submit an abstract of 200-250 words, indicating in the accompanying e-mail the dates on which they are available to submit their contribution.
The abstracts must be sent in .pdf format and anonymous (file name: first three words of the title) by the 29th of September 2023 to ricercheaconfronto2023@gmail.com (subject of the email: Abstract RaC 2023). The proposals will be evaluated by a scientific commission chosen within the Rodopis association and the authors of the selected papers will be contacted by the 30th of September 2023.
At the end of the cycle the speakers will be asked to send a written version of their speech in view of the publication of the proceedings of RAC 2023.
Any travel and accommodation expenses will not be covered, but the selected candidates will be provided with all the necessary information to be able to find comfortable accommodation near the university environments where the meetings will be held.
These will be followed by an informal meeting in which it will be possible to continue discussing what emerged during the same.
The seminars can be followed in streaming.
The Rodopis Association will issue the speakers with an informal certificate of participation in the series of meetings upon request.
The organizers,
Roberto Anelli and Federica Bessi
