Coming Up for Air Discussions

Stone tools from Meadowcroft Shelter North American Prehistory
Anthropology E-316, IUPUI
Larry J. Zimmerman

Coming Up for Air Discussion Groups—Spring 2010

* indicates group chair whose task it is to get and keep things rolling

Session 1, February 15

Lobdell, Olivia	olobdell@iupui.edu
Wendling, Christa	chralbro@iupui.edu
Sexson, Andrew	absexson@iupui.edu
Collins, Lauren	laucolli@iupui.edu
Courtot, Rachael	rcourtot@iupui.edu
Ebinger, Pierce	pebinger@iupui.edu
Francis, Caitlin	francis2@iupui.edu
*Mauser, Laura	lmauser@iupui.edu

Session 2, March 22

O'Malley, Lucas	leomalle@iupui.edu
Dodson, Amber	ammdodso@iupui.edu
Brummett, Melissa	mmbrumme@iupui.edu
Butterworth, Allison	aebutter@iupui.edu
Ax, Daniel	daax@iupui.edu
Cooke, Connor	cccooke@iupui.edu
*Enos, Lydia	lenos@indiana.edu
Deffenbaugh, Erich	edeffenb@iupui.edu

Session 3, April 23

Lowder, Andrea	alowder@iupui.edu
Benson, Joshua	jwbenson@iupui.edu
Brown, Joseph	brown264@iupui.edu
Vance, Emily	vancee@iupui.edu
Gattone, Anthony	agattone@iupui.edu
Castro Madariaga, Marcela Patricia	mcastrom@iupui.edu
Enos, Rachel	renos@indiana.edu
*Phelps, Latasha	latphelp@iupui.edu
Moore, Rachel	moorers@iupui.edu

These sessions are meant to be an opportunity for you to give your opinions, raise questions you might have, and to ascertain your classmates' views on the subject of the materials presented since the prior session. The dates are more or less placed according to major thematic units in class: How archaeology in America gets done and its history; How archaeology views Indians and the problems with it; How people view the distant North American past and the problems that causes; How North American prehistory is presented to the public. By random assignment you will be placed in a group of four or five students whose job it is to organize and to lead discussion on the theme during the Coming Up for Air sessions. This group is also responsible for suggesting a response paper theme, which the class can discuss and "negotiate" in the Coming Up for Air sessions. Examples of possible response themes:

Is American archaeology still in the Speculative Period in some ways? Why or why not? Consider the impact of speculation on American archaeology. Are there any benefits to speculation?
What has been/is the impact of archaeology on American Indians? Consider both problems and benefits.
What has been the most important technological or methodological breakthrough for American archaeology?
Why has the origin of American Indians been such a difficult problem for archaeologists? Consider impacts of time, technology and "politics."
What are the processes that led to the beginnings of urbanism in prehistoric North America?
If you were to "do" archaeology in one culture area, which would you choose and why? What major problems might you face in that area?

Grading: During the time your theme is being discussed you can either meet as a group or use the OnCourse Forum and Chatroom to organize the discussion session and to select the topic. See the syllabus for assessment of points for the discussions.

Background Image: Deep excavations at the Meadowcroft Rock Shelter in western Pennsylvania. Excavation uncovered Pre-Clovis materials. Some of the artifacts are in the photo at the upper left. For a precís about the site see the review by George Wisner (Athena Review, 3[4]) of The First Americans: In Pursuit of Archaeology's Greatest Mystery by James M. Adovasio.