Lights and shadows of an archaeology of the Contemporary Era

Abstract

[EN] The Archaeology of the Contemporary Era is called to be one of the most attractive and appealing topics within the discipline of Archaeology. This is why it is necessary to reflect on its potentialities and setbacks in order not to repeat past controversies and mistakes. In this paper, based on a commentary of four relevant texts, I reflect on the capacity of the Archaeology of the Contemporary Era to delve into the recent past and the present and to offer answers to current social concerns. For that matter, I will tackle five main topics of discussion: contemporary archaeology and material culture studies; contemporary archaeology and the analysis of landscapes; the connection of the global and the local; contemporary archaeology as an academic discipline; and contemporary archaeology as politics.