ARCH3641: Archaeology and Global Sustainable Development

• Any level 2 module.

• N/A

• N/A

• To provide knowledge of how archaeological research articulates with an contributes to global sustainable development goals
• To enable students to engage with critical debates about the potential and limitations of archaeological research to contribute to sustainable development in the UK and globally
• To enable students to acquire skills in critical evaluation of research potential and writing policy briefs for national and international policymakers, consultations, enquiries, cross-government working groups, or think tanks.

• The content of this module is based on a series of lectures and workshops (seminar format) on themes that are selected on the basis of current relevance and the most recent, topical debates. A lecture is given to introduce each theme, followed by a two-hour workshop on a topic set by the lecturer. For example, topics may include (but are not limited to):
• The impacts of past and present climate change on human societies, and the contribution of archaeological data to the understanding of societal resilience, adaptation, and collapse
• Long-term archaeological data on the relationships between social (in)equality, diet, health, and well-being
• Archaeology of (un)sustainable energy sources, agriculture, forestry, soil management/degradation, and/or human impacts on terrestrial and marine ecosystems
• Archaeological perspectives on sustainable cities and communities
• Archaeology of past and present water management
• Archaeological contributions to the understanding of ecosystem engineering, modern biogeographies, species dispersal, and biodiversity
• Archaeological contributions to the understanding of modern conflicts, genocide, and/or heritage crime

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Knowledge of global sustainable development goals, their development, and relevance
• Critical understanding of the relevance of archaeological research to sustainable development goals
• Knowledge of the context in which relevant archaeological and heritage research can be communicated to national and international policymakers, consultations, enquiries, cross-government working groups, or think tanks
• Understanding of ethical and scientific standards relevant to archaeological research

Subject-specific Skills:

• Ability to collate, analyse, and evaluate archaeological data from a range of sources and across a range of spatial scales
• Ability to assess the potential and limitations of archaeological techniques and approaches and their application to sustainable development goals

Key Skills:

• Development of research and critical evaluation skills
• Effective written communication, including a non-specialist audience
• Effective oral communication (e.g. workshop presentations and discussions), including to a non-specialist audience
• Ability to work in diverse groups, and to communicate and collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds and knowledge

• The module is taught through:
• Lectures for imparting information and introducing themes, which will be selected on the basis of current relevance and the most recent, topical debates. Research is embedded in the teaching of this module through the expertise of the lecturers and tutors, and the topics chosen are closely aligned with the specialist research and experience of the staff teaching the module. Lectures may consist of pre-recorded videos and/or live presentations from tutors, and may integrate tutorial elements, such as break-out discussions, study exercises, and/or other learning activities as appropriate to the material covered from week to week.
• Workshops (seminar format) linked to each thematic lecture, based on a series of set readings. The teacher will serve as a rapporteur, and will provide guidance on identifying the key points arising from the workshop.
• The final seminar is a reflective discussion about the content and learning outcomes of the module, and future directions for the contribution of archaeology to global sustainable development.
• A portfolio of summative assessments that give students an opportunity to research in depth a topic of choice relevant to the contribution of archaeology to global sustainable development, and to select and communicate the key points from their research in a policy brief aimed at decision-makers or a think tank.

Formative assessment will include a 500-word policy brief written for a policymaker, government committee or working group, a think tank, or as evidence for a consultation or enquiry.

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