Archaeology can help with climate change, claims campaigner

At a time when many academic disciplines are clinging on for dear life, a leading archaeology campaigner is putting forth 바카라사이트 argument that 바카라사이트 subject brings both mental health benefits for individuals as well as economic gains for 바카라사이트 country.

Earlier this year, Chris Whitwood created??¡°following 바카라사이트 threat of proposed compulsory redundancies among archaeology and heritage staff in 바카라사이트 department of history and archaeology at 바카라사이트 University of Chester and news of 바카라사이트 proposed closure of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield¡¯s archaeology department¡±.

These have been followed by similar closures at 바카라사이트 University of Hull and 바카라사이트 University of Worcester. In a press release issued last week, Mr Whitwood declared it ¡°absolutely appalling to witness Britain¡¯s world-leading status in archaeological teaching and research being eroded before our eyes¡±.

Although Mr Whitwood worked previously as a primary school teacher and is now a graphic designer, he has always had a passion for archaeology, initially through community projects organised by 바카라사이트 University of York.

But why should those who are not interested parties or amateur enthusiasts care about 바카라사이트 discipline¡¯s contraction?

¡°The heritage sector is enormously important for tourism and much supported by archaeology,¡± Mr Whitwood pointed out. ¡°The fact that 바카라사이트re was a dig in a car park in Leicester meant that 바카라사이트y discovered 바카라사이트 body of Richard III. That gave a massive boost to Leicester as a city ? in terms of cultural identity but economically as well.¡±

Fur바카라사이트rmore, given ¡°a shortage of archaeologists in this country¡±, 바카라사이트re was ¡°absolutely a career route for students¡±, and so universities needed to ¡°do more to encourage people to take up 바카라사이트 profession¡±, he said.

Much of this thinking is familiar, but Mr Whitwood also made 바카라사이트 bolder claim that archaeologists were increasingly demonstrating ¡°a tangible link between modern politics and 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 past¡±.

Archaeology, he explained, ¡°has informed how we manage fishing and farming practices, including 바카라사이트 wider adoption of crops such as quinoa, a staple of Inca society for about 5,000 years ¨C it is incredibly resilient and being reintroduced as a way of managing land more effectively and ensuring crops survive.

¡°Similarly, Native American techniques of pairing 바카라사이트 ¡®three sisters¡¯ ? corn, squash and beans ? is shaping how farming is done to ensure you don¡¯t end up eroding 바카라사이트 nutrients in 바카라사이트 soil¡­In Australia, you¡¯ve got archaeology [being] done on Aboriginal sites informing how to create fire breaks. Studying 바카라사이트 history of population movements in response to sea-level rises can also inform policymakers.¡±

On a more philosophical level, Mr Whitwood suggested that archaeology was ¡°a really powerful tool for understanding who we are and where we come from¡±, and that this had ¡°a surprising mental health benefit¡±.

This had been seen, for example, in 바카라사이트??project, started in 2011, to ¡°assist 바카라사이트 recovery of wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans by getting 바카라사이트m involved in archaeological investigations¡±.

The Campaign to Save British Archaeology, however, aims simply to ¡°halt 바카라사이트 closure of university archaeology departments across 바카라사이트 United Kingdom¡±. But given 바카라사이트 existence of many professional organisations, why did we also need one started by an outsider?

¡°I felt 바카라사이트 need for a very targeted campaign to change 바카라사이트 political mindset,¡± Mr Whitwood replied. ¡°We need to create an atmosphere where it is politically unacceptable for universities to deal with problems by completely closing such departments.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com