Graduate Speaker Series 2021: PhD proposal defence - David Finch, 5/02/2021

Jan 29th, 2021

Dept. of Archaeology

Poster for David Finch's PhD proposal defence 2021
Graduate Speaker Series 2021: PhD proposal defence - David Finch, 5/02/2021

David Finch will be defending his PhD proposal, 'Practicing heritage: Community-based archaeology and learning in Labrador', on Friday, February 5th at 10:00am.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

This will be a virtual proposal defence using the Webex platform, and the link to the Online Room is here: https://mun.webex.com/mun/j.php?MTID=macb11b49400a8ab774e908ec51f9 20d3
Meeting number (access code): 132 907 9585
Meeting password: bAZECnFq422

David explains his research: "The Innu Nation in Labrador has expressed concern regarding certain areas in which environmental and human factors may be affecting archaeological sites. These areas include national parks, hydroelectric project footprints, and along traditional travel corridors. Effective community-based land management will require filling gaps in the archaeological baseline knowledge as well as identifying best practices in community-based archaeology (focusing on cultural resource management projects in the region). In my research, I propose to undertake an applied research program in partnership with the Innu Nation. This centres on a collaborative survey and monitoring case study in Labrador. This is an anchor for a broader investigation of the management of land use and cultural resources on Innu lands. It also provides a two-way training opportunity as Innu Nation’s guardians build environmental assessment skills and archaeologists obtain guidance on heritage and conservation principles and valued components. Supplementing archaeological assessments are interviews with Innu and non-Innu land managers and fieldworkers. The research will address two questions: 1) What are Innu concepts of cultural landscapes and how do they differ from other landscape paradigms? 2) How can understanding an Innu landscape perspective inform effective strategies for the management of heritage resources on Innu lands?"