NPR podcasts--The Geopolitics of Archaeology

Chicago Public Radio has a series of podcasts up titled The Geopolitics of Archaeology.

The accompanying blurb is:

We explore the politics swirling around the fields of archaeology, anthropology and history. We’ll dig up the forgotten roots of “Western Civilization,” and we’ll find out what happens when stolen antiquities end up in museums and universities. You’ll hear the voices of scholars you won’t hear anywhere else as we explore a new model of archaeology looking past imperial, national and ethno-centric worldviews to explore our shared heritage.

The segments are:

• Biblical Archaeology --Sandra Scham
  
• Repatriation of Native American Remains and Artifacts -- Tamara Bray
• Global Market for Stolen Antiquities -- Neil Brodie and Richard Leventhal
• Stolen Antiquities and the Law -- Patty Gerstenblith
• The Origins of Western Civilization (2 Parts)-- Martin Bernal
• Archaeological Tourism's Effect on People and Heritage -- Lynn Meskell
• Creating a New Paradigm for Archaeology -- Phil Duke and Yannis Hamilakis

So far I've listened to Repatriation, Biblical Archaeology, and The New Paradigm ones. I liked the Biblical archaeology one. Especially timely after the Nadia Abu El Haj lynchfest. Sandra Scham is the editor of a forthcoming book Forgotten Past: Reader in the Archaeology of Palestine by Palestinians. That'll go on the wishlist. The repatriation one was a bit bland and measured (I suppose that shouldn't be a criticism), but it covered the main bases. Phil and Yannis Hamilakis didn't pull any punches, but I am not sure how it would come across to the average non-archaeologist. It was also a bit disappointing that the big example of a politically-engaged archaeology was working with neopagans at Stonehenge. But they did have a good critique of CRM and its facade of apoliticism.