The Bioarchaeology of Socio-Sexual Lives: Queering Common Sense About Sex, Gender, and Sexuality PDF
Preview The Bioarchaeology of Socio-Sexual Lives: Queering Common Sense About Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
Bioarchaeology and Social Theory Series Editor: Debra L. Martin Pamela L. Geller The Bioarchaeology of Socio-Sexual Lives Queering Common Sense About Sex, Gender, and Sexuality Bioarchaeology and Social Theory Series editor Debra L. Martin Professor of Anthropology University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV, USA More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/11976 Pamela L. Geller The Bioarchaeology of Socio-Sexual Lives Queering Common Sense About Sex, Gender, and Sexuality 123 PamelaL. Geller Department ofAnthropology University of Miami CoralGables USA Bioarchaeology andSocial Theory ISBN978-3-319-40993-1 ISBN978-3-319-40995-5 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-40995-5 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2016943410 ©SpringerInternationalPublishingSwitzerland2017 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpart of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission orinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar methodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfrom therelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,expressorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinor foranyerrorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade. Printedonacid-freepaper ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbySpringerNature TheregisteredcompanyisSpringerInternationalPublishingAGSwitzerland For Teddy Foreword Pamela Geller presents a wide-ranging exploration of the ways that bioarchaeolo- gists,archaeologists,andotherscholarscanutilizecontemporarygender,queer,and feminist theory to reframe research questions in ways that will move our studies of the past in new directions. The body of knowledge produced in the future utilizing the kinds of theoretical orientations and critical thinking offered in this book will transform the subdiscipline of bioarchaeology in important ways. This volume presents a uniquely original and engaging romp through bioarchaeology that closely examines the long held assumptions that are made about not only sex and gender but also race, ethnicity, and status. As many of the case studies reveal, sex and gender are inextricably linked to almost all other domains of existence for humans. Although the scope of this volume is broad, each chapter is anchored in case studies that illuminate the fundamental problems of the narrow and binary thinking that has constrained bioarchaeological interpretations. Yet, the approach offeredbyGellerisinvitingandpositiveinthatmanysuggestionsforfuturestudies are provided. This book will be one of those foundational works that all graduate students read in order to have their mind’s blown (in very good ways). Thisvolumeoffersaverysophisticatedapproachtohowfuturescholarscanbest incorporate feminist and queer theory into their research and teaching. For the uninitiated reader, the early chapters provide background to the terminology, seminal writings, and historical trajectories that will provide a good grounding to anyone not familiar with feminist and queer theory. Expanding upon her earlier work using the concept of the bodyscape, Geller provides more contextualization of the idea and innovative ways to use bodyscapes to expand how past bodies and lives are shaped and what this tells us about culture and power. Gellerapproachesethicalandepistemologicaldeliberationasabioarchaeologist steeped in and committed to feminist and queer studies. Yet, this is not simply a volume deliberating the pros and cons of gender writ large, it is a far ranging volumethatdrawsinandre-envisionsmoderntropesabouteverythingfromracism to the future of genetic testing. While many others, particularly authors who have publishedinthisseries,arecriticalofthewaysthatbioarchaeologistsobjectifyand vii viii Foreword essentializetheskeletonsandmummiesundertheirgaze,thisvolumeoffersafresh critique that includes examples not normally drawn upon. From Beethoven’s temporal bones and Schubert’s hair to the disinterment of Jewish bodies in Nazi Germany,newwaystoseehowobjectificationofbodiesunderwritesandconstrains interpretations based on skeletal and mummified remains. Thereisaquotefromthebookthatlingersinthemindtowardstheendofthelast chapterthatIwanttoemphasizehere.Gellersumsupthinkingthroughtheethicsof technology and its advances regarding all things related to genes and genetics. It capturesherraisond’etraforthevolumeandforherfiercecommitmenttoupending reductionist and assumptive thinking. “In my theoretical alignment, I do not begin from a negative position, born from certain threads of feminism … that techno- logical innovation is harmful to humans in general and women specifically … Iwouldratherbeacyborgthanagoddessinourbravenewworld.Forthecyborg’s hybridityremindsusofcommonsense’sconstruction,engendersnewwaystoexist, andinvitespoliticalchangeandsocialjustice.”Maytheperspectivesofferedbythis extraordinaryandengagingvolumebemulledoverandtakenupforgenerationsto comeandmayweallstrivetowardslivingthecommonsenseofferedinthesepages. Debra L. Martin Series Editor, Bioarchaeology and Social Theory University of Nevada, Las Vegas Acknowledgments Theoverallproblemisthattheauthorwantsthefieldtosomethingthatitisn’t[sic].Atthis pointinthehistoryofbioarchaeology,ithasascience-basedcoreandIdonotseeitmaking theshifttohumanisticbioarchaeologyrecommendedbytheauthor.Thecurrentapproach taken in bioarchaeology: Hypotheses are tested, and mostly within the framework of biologyandevolution.Idon’tthinkyouwillfindasinglebioarchaeologistwhodownplays theroleofcultureandsocialbehaviorinwhattheylookatinskeletonsandthedecisions theymakeaboutthem.Asabioarchaeologist,I(andmostofmycolleagues)amcommitted totheapproachtakenbyscience.Ihavelongconcludedthatthehumanistic,postmodern approachwillhave noclearoutcome forthis,foranthropology generally…Theapproach takeninscienceworkswell.Putanotherway,theauthorisgripingaboutsomethingthatis not. The field is what it is, and wishing it was something else isn’t going to change it. (AnonymousReviewer2006). Ioncesubmittedamanuscripttoaneminentanthropologyjournalthatwasrejected bytheeditor.Flat-out.Reviewers’commentssuppliednumerousexplanationsasto why they saw the manuscript asunpublishable. Myreactions ran the gamut. Some comments were spot-on and taken as constructive criticism. Others, like the above quotation, engendered indignation and impotency. (Truth be told I found the grammatical mistakes as offensive as the content.) This anonymous reviewer went on to remark, “Sex is binary: it is either male or female. Gender is definitely negotiable.”Thatcommenthasprovidedstrongimpetusformuchofmysubsequent work. So, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge this anonymous reviewer at the outset. Thank you for making me angry enough about bioarchaeology’s status quo to contribute to making the field something other than what it is. My efforts, however, are not entirely reactionary. Nor are they singular. For those bioarchae- ologists who have worked to make the subfield a more equitable, intellectually stimulating,andethicalone,andmanyofyouarecitedinthesepages,Ithankyou, as well. Inthisbook,Irevisitideasbroachedinearlierpublications,developingsomeand discarding others. For instance, I no longer seek to qualify my bioarchaeological work as humanistic or feminist or queer. Rather, Gramsci’s discussion of common sense has reinforced that we all must deliberate about what qualifies as such. ix x Acknowledgments But,withthatbeingsaid,Idonotexpectthewordsinthisbooktobemylastones on sex, gender, and/or sexuality. Throughoutthecourseofmyresearch,Ihavehadthegoodfortunetocrosspaths withanumberofexcellentscholarsandhumans.Influentialatdifferentstagesinmy professional development have been Wendy Ashmore and Jane Buikstra. As womenandintellectuals,theyhaveinspiredandencouragedmetoseektheanswers todifficult, anthropologically drivenquestions about thepast and thepresent.Iam humbled by their accomplishments, intellectual curiosity, generosity, and colle- giality.AsavisitingassistantprofessoratAmericanUniversity,Ialsohadthegood fortune to interact with Joan Gero. During my time there, she shared her office, personal library, and thoughts on feminism and archaeology. My ideas about sex, gender, and sexuality are richer for this experience. I would also be remiss if I did not acknowledge Debra Martin; as friend, symposium organizer, colleague, and editor of Springer’s Bioarchaeology and Social Theory Series, she has been unfailingly supportive of my work. Many individuals’ prompts at professional meetings germinated the ideas in these pages. Their thoughtful comments were essential for fine-tuning and groundingpotentialadhominemstatements.Chapter3wasenrichedbyparticipants in the 2015 SAA symposium “The Archaeology of Common Sense,” which I co-organized with Ann Kakaliouras, and I am indebted to Tom Patterson for introducing me to Gramsci’s thoughts on the matter. Chapter 7 is an expanded version of a publication that appears in the volume Exploring Sex and Gender in Bioarchaeology, and I thank the editors Sabrina Agarwal and Julie Wesp for their thoughtful comments, as well as those provided by anonymousreviewers.A show of gratitude for valued colleagues who have shared work, offered constructive feedback,andmade conferencesallthemore enjoyable: SabrinaAgarwal,Chelsea Blackmore, Alexis Boutin, Larry Coben, Thomas Dowson, Michael Frachetti, BeckyGowland,SandraHollimon,RosemaryJoyce,ShannonNovak,BobPreucel, and Tim Thompson. I would also like to thank those at Springer whose gentle prompts helped move this book through to publication, as well as the three anonymous reviewers that provided insightful feedback. I reserve a special thank you to Miranda Stockett Suri who has long functioned in the capacityof sounding board, primary reader, co-author, moral supporter, and trusted confidante. Many of these chapters are better as a consequence of the editorial feedback she has provided. My investigations of Maya burials were facilitated by members of the collab- orative Programme for Belize Archaeological Project. I thank its director Fred Valdez, as well as Frank and Julie Saul for their instruction in excavation tech- niques and skeletal analysis. Follow-up research and writing, the bulk of which is presentedinChap.6,tookplaceattheLibraryofCongress’sJohnW.KlugeCenter when I was the 2006–2007 Kislak Fellow in American Studies. Research on the Samuel G. Morton Crania Collection, discussed in Chap. 5, was conducted pri- marilyattheUniversityofPennsylvaniaandwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithout Stacey Espenlaub, Janet Monge, and Lucy Fowler Williams. I am also thankful to the staff at the various archives where I have conducted research: Academy of
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