Structured Tumult: A Review Forum for Robert L. Bettinger's Book, Orderly Anarchy: Sociopolitical Evolution in Aboriginal California

Published In

California Archaeology

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

5-2016

Abstract

Review forum of of the book, Orderly Anarchy: Sociopolitical Evolution in Aboriginal California by Robert L. Bettinger.

Select at random an issue of American Antiquity from the past 15 years. Chances are good that you will find at least one article or report in the table of contents that focuses on the archaeology of California. Recent research in the Golden State and adjacent regions has been highly influential in two main areas: the archaeology of prehistoric hunter-gatherers and innovative historic archaeology brought to bear on the past few centuries. One might argue that the specialists in the historic period of California have been truly at the forefront of general anthropological and archaeological theory, while those focused on precontact California have been relatively satisfied with a long-cherished and comfortable package of theory that leans heavily—as hunter-gatherer archaeology nearly always does—on cultural ecology and behavioral ecology. While some archaeologists grumble that they do not need any stinking theory for their job at hand, the truth is that every time we load up the field gear in the truck, sort through a tray of artifacts in the lab, write up that overdue report, or critique someone else’s work, we are using archaeological theory. As many have pointed out, everything we think or do with regard to archaeology is based on theoretical assumptions and models.

Description

Copyright © 2016 Society for California Archaeology. All rights reserved.

DOI

10.1080/1947461X.2016.1177273

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/25367

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