Bioarchaeologists Speak Out: An Introduction

Through the contextualized study of archaeological human remains, bioarchaeologists have the opportunity to speak out on many current, pressing global issues uniquely equipped with a rich knowledge of the diverse past. This volume brings together scholars specializing in such issues as migration, health and diet, epidemic diseases, global warming, and social identity and conflict to explore the ways in which bioarchaeologists can more effectively communicate their research and results with nonspecialists, the popular media, and the general public. In this introductory chapter, we briefly review the opportunities and challenges associated with conveying the results of research on human skeletal remains to these entities, reviewing select examples of areas in which bioarchaeology has been particularly successful in this regard. We then turn to an examination of public perceptions of archaeology in a more general sense and review the notion of archaeology as pop culture. We introduce the subsequent chapters in this volume through identification of crosscutting themes and important take-home messages. Finally, we conclude with a section on “writing for your audience,” in which we demonstrate the need for awareness of accessibility issues when speaking out to a broader public.