The Stone Dam Mill Engine House

In the previous issue of Industrial Archaeology Review the present author argued that Industrial Archaeology has failed to establish a distinctive identity. As a result it continues to fall short of achieving its full potential. This lack of identity has permitted conventional archaeologists to assume an increasingly dominant role in the subject, notwithstanding the fact that they are largely inappropriately qualified and are rarely prepared to acquire the depth and breadth of knowledge necessary to undertake the work. In continuing the argument, the author maintains that the growing predominance of social studies-based graduates within Industrial Archaeology has provided the avenue by which this trend has extended itself. An intrinsic feature of the social studies ethos is its alienation from science and technology, leading ultimately to rejection. Thus the direct study of engineering technology, which was initially of key significance to Industrial Archaeology, is now being abandoned in favour of sociological opinions on technology

Aesthetics · Alienation · Archaeology · Art · Ethos · Industrial archaeology · Industrial society · Mill · Political science · Sociology · Anthropology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies · History · Law

• Jowel, Jowel and Listen Lad”

  Robert Young•Historical Archaeology•2014

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