AHA Session 242
Conference on Latin American History 54
Conference on Latin American History 54
Saturday, January 6, 2024: 1:30 PM-3:00 PM
Golden Gate 4 (Hilton Union Square, Lobby)
Chair:
Christina M. Bueno, Northeastern Illinois University
Papers:
Session Abstract
Panel two of this multi-session proposal examines different categories of actors—an Indigenous governor, a professor of archaeology, German planters, and land developers—who moved and arranged objects and ruins to gain cultural or economic purchase during an era of increased consumption. During the late nineteenth and twentieth century, Latin American governments invested in archaeology to materialize Indigenous contributions to new mestizo national identities, and to facilitate economic development through tourism. Recent research challenges ideas about the historical development and eventual success of nationalist archaeology. New theoretical perspectives involve questioning whether—and how—archaeology worked on the ground, from bureaucracies working in cultural capitals like Mexico City to remote Maya archaeological sites in the Yucatán and Guatemala. These questions take on renewed importance in the context of contemporary Indigenous and Afro-Latin American struggles for recognition and rights. This panel aims to bring together scholars interested in questions of cultural heritage in Latin America, generating dialogue between specialists of different periods, approaches, and regional interests.