Diaspora on the block: Neighborhood archaeology as theory and method

Abstract

The archaeology of diaspora has grown in many directions during the first two decades of the 21st century. It has become a key way of understanding the short-term and long-term connections between people and communities defined by movement and migration. However, archaeologists of diaspora still at times struggle with old models of interpretation which seek out ethnic markers in material culture or signs of acculturation. How then do we move past these paradigmatic pitfalls? In this article we look to the concept of the neighborhood as a potential avenue away from a cul-de-sac of theoretical stagnation. Neighborhoods, spatially proximal areas in towns and cities, often comprise multiple diasporic communities in close contact. Ethnic and racial lines are not necessarily neatly maintained, challenging fixity or fluidity binaries when approaching diasporic communities. Thinking of the neighborhood as interpretive model in itself challenges us to think past siloed communities and look to the distinct ways in which social identities and networks are dynamically shaped by living space in urban contexts. Utilizing material from Santa Barbara’s Nihonmachi, we attempt to think through material culture through the lens of the neighborhood, appreciating the blurred lines across the multiple communities living on the block.