On Plastic, Glass and Silicon

Methodological and Theoretical Reflections of Electronic Waste in Archaeology

Authors

  • Daniel Carvalho UNIARQ – Centro de Arqueologia da Universidade de Lisboa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jca.26868

Keywords:

archaeological theory, contemporary archaeology, digital, electronic waste, method

Abstract

In this paper, I focus on the methodological and theoretical possibilities of an archaeology of electronic waste, using an assemblage of e-waste to explore issues pertaining to memory, ethics and the true impact of the digital on people and things. It is argued that archaeologists working on contemporary archaeology are well equipped to address the challenges of e-waste, both as it affects communities in the present and also as regards a future that may well be closer than is imagined.

Author Biography

  • Daniel Carvalho, UNIARQ – Centro de Arqueologia da Universidade de Lisboa

    Daniel Carvalho (MA 2019, University of Lisbon) is a PhD student and a researcher at UNIARQ (Center of Archaeology of the University of Lisbon) and LAQU (Quantitative Archaeology Lab of Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona). His research interests are artificial intelligence and robotics applied to archaeology, archaeological theory and contemporary archaeology.

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Published

2024-12-19

Issue

Section

Research Articles

How to Cite

Carvalho, D. (2024). On Plastic, Glass and Silicon: Methodological and Theoretical Reflections of Electronic Waste in Archaeology. Journal of Contemporary Archaeology, 11(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1558/jca.26868