Archaeology's recent history from a gender perspective, now in a documentary
Wednesday 30 October the UAB Cinema Hall will be presenting the preview of Off the Archeological Record, a UAB PhD research documentary showcasing a variety of personal archaeological experiences to narrate the recent past of this field from a gender perspective. The experts talk about several issues, including the existence of gender inequality despite a large amount of progress made, and how this can have an influence on professional careers.
Off the Archeological Record is based on the PhD thesis “A history of archaeology. An analysis of the social dynamics and female experiences in the discipline (1975-2020)” carried out by Paloma Zarzuela, predoctoral researcher under the framework of the PhD programme in Prehistoric Archaeology at the UAB.
The documentary, directed by Katia Calmet Valle, analyses how the introduction of feminist theses in archaeology has led to the denouncement of the discrimination suffered by women professionals in their work.
The university, museums, companies or the administration have been the meeting points with the protagonists of the documentary, seven young and senior experts who work or have worked in the public administration, in companies or as freelancers. Without pretending to give a univocal vision, the archaeologists expose the realities they have lived in the past decades in their profession. Among other issues, the documentary addresses issues such as precariousness, specialisation, camaraderie, leadership, management or motherhood, factors that influence the continuity, or abandonment, of professional careers.
“With this documentary we want to contribute to these studies by proposing a new format to express and share ideas that many of us know, and even experience,” explains Paloma Zarzuela, who plans to present her PhD thesis at the end of next year.
Off the Archeological Record will be officially presented on 16 January at the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. Afterwards, several screenings will be held throughout the 2024/25 academic year, accompanied by round tables with the participation of the director, the women interviewed in the documentary and other archaeology professionals.
The documentary was produced by the Pastwomen network and the Research Group on Digital Technologies for a Social Archaeology, directed by Paloma González Marcén, lecutrer in the Department of Archaeology at the UAB and one of the experts involved. The project received support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Government of Catalonia.