Location: New London, Connecticut, United States

Season Dates: June 30, 2013 - August 3, 2013
Application Deadline: July 1, 2013

Website: http://www.ifrglobal.org/programs/current/us-connecticut-garbology

Program Type
Field school

Affiliation: Institute for Field Research, Connecticut College

Project Director: Dr. Anthony Graesch

Project Description

Embedded in an active, methodologically rigorous research program addressing the linkages between modern material culture and behavior in urban America, this field school aims to produce a robust dataset that allows archaeologists to reflect on the ways that social identity is indexed in/with everyday trash.  Working in a unique, New England urban setting, students will learn to apply both archaeological and ethnographic research methods as they study the garbage of city dwellers from ethnoarchaeological and forensic perspectives, with special attention to the most ubiquitous of urban trash, cigarettes.  Field and lab training include surface survey, artifact collection and identification, GPS mapping, photography, scan sampling, person-centered interviewing, GIS, and database design.

Period(s) of Occupation: Contemporary

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Entire duration of field school

Minimum Age: 18 years old

Experience Required: No prior experience required

Room and Board Arrangements

All students will be housed on the Connecticut College campus in dormitory student housing.  Students can park in a nearby lot.
Students will have a meal plan with the dining services staff at Harris Refractory on the Connecticut College campus (costs included in field school fee). Breakfast and dinner will be served at the Harris Refractory and bag lunches for the field will be prepared by Dining Services staff each day.  All meals will be communal events and will provide plenty of nutritious but basic food in the tradition of local cuisine. Culinary options for vegetarians, vegans, and folks with other food preferences and/or restrictions are available.
All students will have access to the Connecticut College Fitness Center and Pool during summer operational hours.
Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs, as well as any medical or physical conditions. We will advise you accordingly. The project is used to catering for vegetarians, those with gluten intolerance etc.

Academic Credit
Name of institution offering credit: Connecticut College
Number of credits offered: 8 semester credit units
Tuition: $3,350

Contact Information
Ran Boytner
1855 Industrial Street Unit 106
Los Angeles, California 90021
USA
info@IFRglobal.org