Discourse Analysis as a Methodological Tool for Decolonization in Archaeology

In this article, we propose a path committed to Critical Discourse Analysis, adapted from Norman Fairclough's (2001) three-dimensional model and applied as a decolonial methodology in archaeological studies. Considering the meaning expressed by Foucault (2009), we understand that discourse is a culturally constructed representation of reality and not an exact copy of events. In this way, we consider the potential that archaeological discourses hold in the construction, dissemination and confrontation of social problems, recognizing that they can serve both to maintain a status quo, based on a dominant narrative, and also to mediate transformations in society, reducing asymmetries. Thus, Critical Discourse Analysis allows us to raise questions about how archaeological interpretations are being operationalized to maintain prejudices, by appropriating pre-colonial and historical contexts to legitimize contemporary power structures

Critical discourse analysis · Decolonization · Discourse analysis · Operationalization · Social practice · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies