Spotlight on Humanities in Sustainability Studies | What Archaeology Can Teach Us About Sustainability-Notes from a Recovering Archaeologist

Archaeology is often overlooked as a teaching platform for sustainability. The information that archaeology produces focuses on the consumption, use, and care of resources. Archaeologists attempt to understand their data and imagine the social systems that produced those results. Most archaeologists, however, rarely consider how long term trend about ecosystem health can be patterned against archaeological data as researchers are working in the field and reporting their results.  We can examine case studies from the Coastal Andes and Central America. In particular, we will discuss how perennial agriculture can be viewed across time and space through a lens of sustainability.

David Goldstein serves the National Park Service the North Atlantic and Appalachian Region’s Cultural Anthropologist. His work aims to serve communities through making ethnographic work relevant and activating Indigenous Co-Stewardship policy on public lands.

Prior to his work in the National Park Service he studied and worked as a paleoethnobotanist and archaeologist in Peru, Bolivia, Belize, Cuba and Mexico. His tours with the National Park Service include in Detroit, MI as an Urban Fellow, in his hometown, and in 2011 as the Interpretation Division Chief for the three park units on St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands. In his current role, David is attempting to bring the region’s Tribal Citizens and community partners into the NPS stewardship programs through sharing capacity and ongoing consultation.  The goal is to support self-determination and resource protection through understanding the tribal and community partnerships provide long term sustainability to stewardship. He lives in Rumney, NH.

This event is hybrid. To receive a Zoom link, please register HERE.