iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist

Dr Alex Fitzpatrick @animalarchaeology.com · 07/10/2026

🏺 If you’re interested, you can read my chapter on social media and digital activism in archaeology in this edited volume, which is open access online! www.archaeopress.com/Archaeopress...

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Not sure if I want it to be a miracle that I'm flying....

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Reposted by Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist

Ross Cameron @archaeoross.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Great to catch up with some old friends and hear thought provoking presentations at #CIfA2026.

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Reposted by Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist

alix e. harrow @alixeharrow.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

when we mourn le guin, we mourn one of our greatest writers & thinkers. but we also mourn one of our all-time greatest haters

All you do is take all the sex out, and use little short words, and little dumb ideas, and don't be too scary, and be sure there's a happy ending. Right? Nothing to it. Write down. Right on.

If you do all that, you might even write Jonathan Livingston Seagull and make twenty billion dollars and have every adult in America reading your book.

But you won't have every kid in America reading your book. They will look at it, and they will see straight through it, with their clear, cold, beady little eyes, and they will put it down, and they will go away. Kids will devour vast amounts of garbage (and it is good for them) but they are not like adults: they have not yet learned to eat plastic.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Workplaces should be psychologically safe environments, there shouldn't be retaliation for admitting mistakes or offering different ways of working. Can't be done alone, communities of trust and support are vital.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Accessibility is a huge issue in archaeology. There doesn't seem to be a wide range of different kinds of working.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

People management is a skill-set that should not be a reward for seniority. It needs to be taught as part of training for practitioners.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Bullying is fear driven, the sector is precarious and it affects people. We need to deal with that in order to make conditions better

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Solutions? Organisational change is slow and unreliable but individually we can also be part of the change by speaking up and advocating and also be able to self reflect on our own behaviour.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Speaking up is hard because there's a fear of "rocking the boat" and the impact that can have on your reputation

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

On the job informal training can be a vector of risk, e.g. if someone doesn't like you, they can jeopardize your career.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Time needs to built into the work day for training. Gov bodies are much better than commercial units with structured training. Sometimes it can be very ad-hoc and sporadic.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

There is an expectation of "oven-ready" archaeologist. Neither unis or employers are consistently taking responsibility for training. Although archaeology is subjective, training needs to be more formalised.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Training can be very different. People's own bias can affect how they appraise things. A lack of training is management responsibility. It's a development need not a performance failure

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Last talk Emily Plunkett & Sarah Howard - talking about despite taking different routes into archaeology There will be personal experiences in this, which I won't be adding to this thread

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Inclusion improves fieldwork and interpretation, strengthens public trust in the sector and improves the conditions in the field.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Everyone on site can practice allyship by challenging comments and behaviour, believe those who are reporting issues. Cifa can promote inclusive supervision and anti-racism as standard CPD

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Employers can set baselines and measure progress, not just headcount. Progression and entry routes have diverse panels and accountable. Protection from retaliation. Credit contributions publicly and advocate for people.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Mentorship is valuable but changes requires advocacy as well. We need to challenge cultural norms as well, as this can quietly reinforce structural barriers

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Support networks on their own cannot fix this. The system needs to change, safe trusted reporting routes, consistent consequences for racist and sexist behaviour, measuring outcomes not intent

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

If Archaeology wants to improve it has to focus on both hiring and retaining a diverse workforce

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Cultural pressure can also be a barrier in career choice, especially when archaeology is not seen as prestigious as medicine or law.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Short term contracts, remote work locations can amplify structural racism and misogyny

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Why does representation stay low? Who gets hired? Who gets the good work on site? Who is identified for leadership? Bias can accumulate

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

No black respondents in high level positions and around 1% overall

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

When we talk about diversity in archaeology, usually gender is centred but when we look at women of colour there has only been a marginal improvement in representation in the field

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Next presentation Women in Colour in Archaeology

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Talking about conditions on site and significance of the archaeology will bring better interpretations and better understanding of the past

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

So seeing field archaeologists as simply technicians limits and de-values their work

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

As well as excavation fieldwork archaeologists also interpret what they find and thus the significance of the archaeologist is vital to that archaeological discovery

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Fieldwork archaeologists use a multitude of skills in their work. Under pressure, in any weather condition and while working collaboratively

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Now responses to a question: are fieldwork skills accurately represented the public? Majority of respondents said no

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

All Frameworks center significance as a crucial element in the establishment of archaeology.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Archaeology exists with 4 different frameworks within the UK. Archaeologists find and preserve archaeological remains because of their significance

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

What is needed is a reappraisal of working conditions and re-evaluation of the role of field archaeologists and their conditions

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

In an industry where almost half of the archaeologists are women , the retention rate of experienced practitioners is low

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

There is a lack of support and education on: menstruation, gynaecological conditions, pregnancy and breastfeeding

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

On top of this women on sites are more likely to be recipients of abuse and harassment, including unwanted sexual remarks and comments.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Archaeology is physically demanding and requires people to work for long periods of time away from home. There are changes but overall there are challenges of low wages, retention, and career progression

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

There is a direct connection between the conditions of fieldwork archaeologists and the conditions of women working on archaeological sites.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

UK sector 4918 people work in developer led archaeologyb Profiling The Profession, in archaeology 19-20 47% Women There is a need for more up to date statistics

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

First Up - Women Presence on Site by Tabitha Gulliver Lawrence & Cecila Galleano. Both part of the Digger's Forum.

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Opening thanks to Rita Pedro, Rosie Lotus and Iro Camini

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Tristan Boyle - Anarchaeologist @anarchaeologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

safeguarding, representation and practical pathways for change.

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