ASHA (Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology) is pleased to advise that the 2019 conference will be held on Sunday 13 October to Wednesday 16th October 2019 in Port Macquarie.
The conference theme is Colonial Futures:
Historical archaeology in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific is intertwined with the colonial legacies of our countries. From the often coercive and entangled colonialism of the frontier, through to the subtle yet pervasive transfer and transformation of British material culture and technology across society, or the distinctive contribution of non-British migrants – Australasian historical archaeology deals with the physical remains of colonial pasts.
Yet what is the future of these colonial pasts? What new stories can we tell about past lives and places? What new methods can we apply? How do we manage the physical remains of the past for the future? How can the archaeology of the colonial past be interpreted or presented to future audiences? How can we integrate colonial histories with Indigenous histories? What relevance does local archaeology have to our culturally-diverse contemporary societies? How can the archaeology of our colonial past inform broader contemporary debates?
Port Macquarie, on the NSW mid-north coast, provides an ideal venue to discuss these issues – a former convict settlement and place of secondary punishment, it later became an important coastal river port, a family holiday destination, and growing regional centre.
Call for Papers:
Abstracts are welcome from all those researching, teaching or working in archaeology, heritage studies, history, and related fields. Note that the ‘colonial’ theme does not imply a temporal limit for suitable papers. Early career practitioners are particularly encouraged to get involved – whether they are presently in private sector, education, GLAM, or government positions. Those with particular experience and expertise in the Port Macquarie region are also specifically invited to present. Proposals for sessions or groups of papers related to the conference theme will also be considered.
Abstracts should be no more than 150 words. Submissions should also include:
• Contact name and affiliation
• Names and affiliations of other authors (if relevant)
Email submissions to conference@asha.org.au. Only submit an abstract if you have permission to present from the relevant stakeholders, such as employers, clients, or traditional owners. Submissions are due on 30 June 2019.
A call-out for short (3 minute) presentations will be made closer to the conference date
