Athens Spring School “Audio Visual Methods in Collaborative Archaeology: Exploring the Politics of Heritage” – 21-30 March 2025
Date: 21-30 March 2025
Location: The Netherlands Institute at Athens (NIA)
Credits: 4 ECTS
About the course
Audio-visual applications are nowadays broadly used in heritage and museum studies, fostering communication between researchers and visitors as well as the promotion of heritage sites and museum collections. Furthermore, as digital media has become increasingly affordable and accessible, visual representation is expanding across several dimensions in archaeology, becoming a prominent tool of analysis and collaboration within the discipline. By discussing the available methodological tools and critically reflecting on their application, this intensive course focuses on how such tools can be incorporated ethically into collaborative archaeological research. For this, the program includes a basic introductory course on audio-visual methods in one of the most challenging urban landscapes of Europe, where archaeology and the politics of heritage management intersect in unique ways. During this course participants will be involved with storytelling, will collaboratively produce short multimedia works, such as clip-films or essay films, featuring alternative archaeological narratives about the many relationships between the people, archaeological materiality, and discourse.
Structure of the course
Between March 21 and 30, 2025 the seminars will run daily at the NIA, located in the heart of Athens. The program will feature field research (film & photography production) in selected locations throughout the city. The seminar will focus on providing the general theoretical context in relation to audio-visual methodologies and contemporary approaches to field research in urban settings. During the course, the students will be assigned with specific topics to conduct their research and produce video and sound recordings with their own smart phones, or for more experienced users the Institute’s equipment will be provided. In preparation for the seminar, all students are expected to have read the mandatory literature before arrival in Greece.
For more detailed information, see here.
Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships covering the total cost of the course (including accommodation) is available for Archon members only. To apply for a scholarship, please email Dr. Natalia Donner at n.r.donner@hum.leidenuniv.nl. You will then receive a separate application form that you will have to fill out and send back before Friday, January 10th at 17:00 (CEST). If you are eligible to receive funding from other sources (such as your school, research project, or other types of grants), please do not apply for our scholarships, which are limited and preferably will benefit students who do not have any alternative funding options.
About credits
Active participation in the daily educational activities and completion of all related assignments. Assignments will be communicated by the course organisers. To register the obtained ECTS with ARCHON, students will have to provide a certificate of completion from the NIA.
Registration: Please register through the NIA website here.
