Reclaiming Materialism: Marxist Tools for Moving Past Theoretical Binary Oppositions in Archaeology – An introduction
(2025) 33rd Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference (TRAC–TiDA 2025) — Location: Online (22.October.2025)
Files
TRAC-TiDA_Abstract_Book.pdf
Programme
Open Access - Adobe PDF
- 3.09 MB
Details
- Authors
- Abstract
- Despite its foundational role in critical social theory, Marxism remains marginalised in much of contemporary Roman and pre-Roman archaeology. Yet recent works demonstrate a renewed interest in Marxist perspectives, not as a unified doctrine but as a dynamic strand of research. In this sense, Marxist archaeology emerges as a “third way” beyond the worn-out dichotomy between the rationalist and keen-to-generalisation processualism and the postmodern particularism of postprocessualism. This session seeks to reclaim and expand the role of Marxist approaches as powerful interpretative tools for understanding ancient societies across the Mediterranean and beyond. Rather than privileging systems models or hermeneutic relativism, we propose to prioritise the analysis of material relations, while critically engaging with and further developing the analytical categories of Marxist thought in dialogue with the specificities of the ancient world. We invite contributions that reassess the socio-economic foundations of ancient communities, examining inequality, exploitation, surplus extraction, and ideological reproduction. Particular attention is welcome to approaches that integrate Marxism with post-colonial and feminist frameworks, expanding the notion of subalternity to encompass a plurality of marginalised subjectivities. How do colonisation, resistance, and social transformation appear when reinterpreted through a historical materialist lens? What are the limits and potentials of Marxist analysis in addressing the complexities of pre-Roman and Roman-period societies? In addition to case studies focused on specific regions, periods, or social groups, we particularly encourage reflections that interrogate the theoretical and methodological implications of applying Marxist categories to the archaeological record. We invite not only the use of Marxist conceptual tools, but also their critical testing, refinement, and adaptation to ancient contexts. In particular, we view materialist analysis as providing a clearer, more grounded, and intellectually rigorous framework for interpreting Roman imperialism and the dynamics of intercultural interaction. Contributions may range from re-readings of classical sites and material culture to comparative studies linking the Roman and pre-Roman worlds to broader global or longue durée frameworks. Analyses of subaltern lives, household economies, rural and urban production, and labour relations are especially encouraged. This session aims to provide a space for rethinking the theoretical foundations of ancient Mediterranean archaeology, and to explore how materialist approaches can yield deeper insights into the historical dynamics of power, economy, and social change.
- Affiliations
Citations
Monti, D., & Bossolino, I. (2025). Reclaiming Materialism: Marxist Tools for Moving Past Theoretical Binary Oppositions in Archaeology – An introduction. 33rd Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference (TRAC–TiDA 2025), Online. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/266714