Dr. Brett Kauffman
Environmental and Industrial Archaeology at the Roman-Carthaginian Urban Mound of Zita, Tripolitania
Tuesday, February 22
11 am-12 pm
U140
Dr. Kauffman will describe the findings of a joint Tunisian-American archaeological excavation. Done in the ancient North African city of Zita, also called the Olive City. This is the first such joint partnership since the Arab Spring. This exciting presentation will explore the remains of the Roman Forum. Along with the Punic tophet or sanctuary, and several industrial workshops. We will learn about ancient human health and agriculture.
Dr. Brett Kauffman is Assistant Professor of Classics and Anthropology at the University of Illinois. He is an archaeologist specializing in the Mediterranean and Near East. As well as ancient engineering and design, and reconstructing the ecological management strategies of ancient societies.
Sarah Latham
Authenticity and Spectacle: An Ethnography of a New Orleans Museum
March 23
1–2 pm
Room U140
Sarah Latham holds a Master's degree in Anthropology from Louisiana State University. She has taught and workshopped social justice issues from a cultural perspective both in and out of the classroom. She strongly believes in collaborating and dialoguing around the important role that culture plays in our world. Both historically and in our current moment.
Plantation tourism is a growing industry in Louisiana. I will review the ethnographic research I conducted with the experiences of tour guides at the Whitney Plantation Museum in Wallace, Louisiana. My study contributes to the literature on tourism, social memory, and the legacy of slavery in North America. It offers a unique perspective as it considers the experiences of the tour guides. Focusing on how to best understand narratives as they are memorialized in heritage sites. I found that as a community, tour guides strive to change people’s perceptions of our nation’s history. It is done in such a way that it has a positive impact on society today.