Anthropology 397DC - ST- Decolonizing Collections

This course examines and applies decolonizing approaches to archaeological collections management. Students will learn about the history of collecting and museum collections management in the U.S. including laws and policies, such as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) that address the control of Indigenous cultural material and human remains in US museum collections. We will learn about Indigenous approaches to decolonizing museum collections and apply these methods to the care and preparation of UMass collections in support of Tribal consultation requests. Students will have hands-on experiences with UMass archaeological collections to gain practical knowledge and skills in materials identification; cleaning and preventative conservation; curation practices; and digital knowledge production methods.