Towards an archaeology of belonging : corporate agriculture in the San Emigdio Hills, California and the transformation of the modern American West
How do people conceptualize a new landscape, is a study of research in archaeology with a long tradition. This paper proposes to approach the study of landscape through Belonging. With no prior theorization in archaeology, Belonging is developed through a multidisciplinary perspective to understand how people form attachments to landscapes. Belonging is then applied to the landscape of the San Emigdio Hills in south central California. This thesis both proposes four themes of Belonging: identity, emotional ties, instrumental ties, and performativity, and applies these themes to a rural case study. The post-colonial landscape provides an ideal data set, as issues of identity and Belonging are inherent, and are further magnified by the ever changing demographics of the rural landscape. The San Emigdio Hills in the modern period was inhabited by both homesteading families who lived in dual-gendered households and corporate households of the Kern County Land Company. Some corporate households are also nested dual-gendered households living in paternalistic situations, and are commonly linked to positions of power in the corporate structure. Tensions of the similarities and differences between dual-gendered and
Shier, Melonie Renee
Archaeology
Towards an archaeology of belonging : corporate agriculture in the San Emigdio Hills, California and the transformation of the modern American West. How do people conceptualize a new landscape, is a study of research in archaeology with a long tradition. This paper proposes to approach the study of landscape through Belonging. With no prior theorization in archaeology, Belonging is developed through a multidisciplinary perspective to understand how people form attachments to landscapes. Belonging is then applied to the landscape of the San Emigdio Hills in south central California. This thesis both proposes four themes of Belonging: identity, emotional ties, instrumental ties, and performativity, and applies these themes to a rural case study. The post-colonial landscape provides an ideal data set, as issues of identity and Belonging are inherent, and are further magnified by the ever changing demographics of the rural landscape. The San Emigdio Hills in the modern period was inhabited by both homesteading families who lived in dual-gendered households and corporate households of the Kern County Land Company. Some corporate households are also nested dual-gendered households living in paternalistic situations, and are commonly linked to positions of power in the corporate structure. Tensions of the similarities and differences between dual-gendered and
towards archaeology belonging corporate agriculture california transformation modern american west people conceptualize new landscape study archaeology long_tradition paper propose study landscape belonging prior theorization archaeology belonging develop multidisciplinary perspective people form attachment landscape belonging apply landscape south_central california proposes four_theme belonging identity emotional tie instrumental tie performativity applies theme rural case_study post_colonial landscape provide_ideal data_set issue identity belonging inherent magnify ever change demographic rural_landscape modern_period inhabit family live dual gendered household corporate household county land company corporate household also nest dual gendered household live paternalistic situation commonly link position power corporate structure tensions similarity_difference dual gendered