The Earth of the Modern

One of the central questions in comparative studies of colonialism is what makes more recent variants of imperial extension so culturally distinctive, aside from the more obvious political-economic dimensions? This set of papers focuses on how European and Euro-American promulgated variants of colonialism can be viewed as embodying central tenets of modernism, such as progressivism, technocentrism, and hybridity. Moreover, the authors demonstrate how colonial practices in the era of the modern were not merely the result of policies emanating from imperial capitals, but were an outgrowth of conflict, mediation, and accommodation between colonizer and colonized. Thus, archaeological research is important for stressing that the past five centuries have seen a time of contested modernities, rather than the growth of ‘a’ modernist sensibility.     

Reforming Cuban Agriculture

This article focuses on the two major reforms undertaken in the Cuban agricultural sector during 1993 and 1994: the re-organization of the state farm sector into worker-managed production co-operatives and the opening of free agricultural markets for above-plan production. It is argued that the Cuban agricultural sector is now characterized by multiple forms of organization of production and land tenure or a ‘mixed economy’, and that the two reforms have produced a turn-around in agricultural performance. Still, the macro-economic impact is likely to depend on a deepening of the reforms in two directions: the development of a free market in agricultural inputs and a reform of the food rationing system.     

“It is loved and it is defended”: Critical Solidarity Across Race and Place

Since 2010, the Wixárika (Huichol) indigenous people of western Mexico have struggled against transnational mining activity in their sacred pilgrimage site of Wirikuta in the semi‐desertic plateaus of San Luis Potosí. This struggle has been accompanied by a multitude of non‐indigenous and largely urban actors who have joined the Wixárika, bringing with them their own cultural, political and geographic registers for understanding and mobilising against mining in the region. Taking Wirikuta as a contemporary demonstration of interracial and cross‐geographic alliance building, I analyse how social movements that express solidarity and affective ties with the territories and cultures of indigenous peoples struggle to unsettle entrenched racial and spatial relations.     

Jean le Bel: portrait of a chronicler

The Old French chronicle by Jean le Bel of Liège in Belgium is one of our most important fourteenth-century historical sources. The author was a pain-staking and self-effacing writer, his aim a reliable and truthful narrative, his language and style remarkable for their directness and purity, his hallmarks clarity, order and intelligence. A canon of the Church and a notable figure in society, he was a man of his time and his narrative is mainly concerned with the ruling classes, yet for the attentive reader there are interesting glimpses of the life of the common man. The portrayal of the figures in the chronicle and Jean le Bel's comments on them show a remarkable capacity for accurate observation and independent thought, and provide evidence of sharp psychological insight. We look at these aspects of his work and at his attitude towards God, his views on great kings, good knights and noble ladies, and the characteristics of different nationalities. We consider judgments about him by his contemporaries and by modern critics, and evaluate his qualities as a writer.     

Poverty in Depth: a New Dialogue

This reflective piece draws together the themes and issues presented within the volume, exploring historic and contemporary definitions and attitudes towards poverty and their implications of the archaeological study of “slum” neighborhoods. It compares and contrasts the individual case studies from York and Manchester with investigations in America and Australia, drawing attention to the differences between them. Suggestions are made for future investigations, particularly in the potential for further comparative work at an international level.     

Cultural globalization and the dominance of the American film industry: cultural policies,national film industries,and transnational film

The global film market is a strategic site for examining the global influence of American media culture. Using a database compiled by the European Audiovisual Observatory, I show that the global film market consists of 34 countries that produce over 25 films per year. Thirty-two countries produce less than 26 films. The countries that produce over 25 films per year were categorized as Super Producers (four countries), Major Producers (seven countries), Medium Producers (11 countries), and Minor Producers (12 countries). Lists of top 10 films in these countries show that US films dominate, followed by local films. A discussion of national cultural policies shows that film policy contributes to the success of national film industries but does not enable them to challenge US dominance. Hollywood’s need for global box office receipts has led to changes in the content of Hollywood film toward deculturized, transnational films, a trend that is also evident in other countries.     

Characterising the potential of sheep wool for ancient DNA analyses

The use of wool derived from sheep (Ovis aries) hair shafts is widespread in ancient and historic textiles. Given that hair can represent a valuable source of ancient DNA, wool may represent a valuable genetic archive for studies on the domestication of the sheep. However, both the quality and content of DNA in hair shafts are known to vary, and it is possible that common treatments of wool such as dyeing may negatively impact the DNA. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we demonstrate that in general, short fragments of both mitochondrial and single-copy nuclear DNA can be PCR-amplified from wool derived from a variety of breeds, regardless of the body location or natural pigmentation. Furthermore, although DNA can be PCR-amplified from wool dyed with one of four common plant dyes (tansy, woad, madder, weld), the use of mordants such as alum or iron leads to considerable DNA degradation. Lastly, we demonstrate that mtDNA at least can be PCR-amplified, cloned and sequenced from a range of archaeological and historic Danish, Flemmish and Greenlandic wool textile samples. In summary, our data suggest that wool offers a promising source for future ancient mitochondrial DNA studies.     

Repertoires of Family Life and the Anchoring of Afghan Trading Networks in Ukraine

This article examines the “repertories” of family life of men of Afghan background in Odessa, Ukraine. It focuses on these men's intimate relationships with “local women” and challenges the notion that such unions merely offer a form of emotional escape for migrants or refugees far from home. Instead, we advance two arguments: first, that Afghan men in Ukraine form part of a complex transnational trading network, rather than a bounded group of refugees or migrants; second, that the cross-community relationships between Afghan men and “local women” play a significant role in the spatial anchoring and commercial fortunes of transnational Afghan traders in Ukraine. In the analysis of our ethnographic data, we consider the importance of the aftermath of the Cold War in shaping the diverse forms of family life within these trading networks.