Archäologie und die Pflicht zum Politischen: Die Berner Erklärung der 'European Association of Archaeologists'

Abstract

In German-speaking academia it is not yet uncontradicted that archaeology takes an explicitly political stance; it is even not generally accepted that archaeological narratives and heritage practices have a political impact. At a European level the European Association of Archaeologists now has gone a crucial step further. In a statement it advocates that archaeologists have a political responsibility for the future of peaceful and stable societies, grounded in respect for human rights, democracy, cultural diversity and the rule of law. By its heritage practices archaeology can contribute to enable or to deny cultural participation, as guaranteed by human rights, of all social groups and especially of minorities. By its narratives archaeology naturalises or deconstructs societal assumptions about social, ethnic, cultural and other (in)equalities and it creates present and future knowledge how to deal with the Grand societal Challenges. Modern democracy and academia are mutually linked by the principle of academic freedom. It is the premise of all critical inquiry epitomising the rationality of the enlightenment and thus a fundamental European value. And it is likewise academia's duty to engage for an open civil society.