4Gender, Masculinity, and Professional–Avocational Heritage Collaborations

Abstract

Professionals and avocationals often work side by side on archaeological sites, collaborate on research, and engage in mutual knowledge sharing. However, little attention has been paid to the way gender and social identities inflect these relationships. In this article I consider the gendered dimensions of avocational–professional relationships, drawing from experiences with a multi-stakeholder collaborative project in New England. I examine how gender and masculinity are intertwined with social class and whiteness to reinforce and reproduce hierarchies and privilege in archaeological practice. I conclude that to realize democratizing goals, archaeologists must critically examine the assumptions, norms, and expectations of avocationals and recognize how gender, class, ethnicity, and race intersect and interact in collaborative contexts.