NAS Part III – The Social History of Ships
Research and Information Technology module
Aims:
The objective of this one day course is to create an awareness of the nature of the socially constructed space and material culture of ships, the theoretical basis for analysis and interpretation, and the tools and techniques used.
Course Outline:
This course will explore, from an archaeological perspective, the way ships, and the people that use them, function both in the context of larger social and economic systems, and as closed societies unto themselves. The social meanings of the space, structure, and material culture of ships and shipboard life will be analyzed to identify patterns of status, role, and identity. Cases, while drawn from Great Lakes maritime history, will illustrate general principles, theories, and techniques.
Teaching Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course you will be better able to contextualize ships and their material culture within larger systems, with emphasis on the nature, function and deposition of artifacts associated with shipwreck sites.
Cost and Credits:
A maximum of 6 credit points will be available in the Research and Information Technology module. The cost for the course is $160. Part III courses are open to everyone; however credit points will only be awarded to those who have completed the NAS Part I and Part II Courses.
Suggested Readings:
Adams, Jonathan 2001. Ships and Boats as Archaeological Source Material. World Archaeology 32(3): 292-310. [In “Readings” file as Adams_2001.pdf]
Gould, Richard A. 2000. Archaeology and the Social History of Ships. Cambridge University Press, New York. (Chap 9: Transition from Sail to Steam in Maritime Commerce, pp. 238-64). [In “Readings” file as Gould_2000.pdf]
Richardson, Stephen A. 1956. Organizational Contrasts on British and American Ships. Administrative Science Quarterly 1(2):189-207. [In “Readings” file as Richardson.pdf] Tolson, Hawk 1998. The Boats That Were My Friends: The Fishing Craft of Isle Royale. In “A Fully Accredited Ocean:” Essays on the Great Lakes, edited by Victoria Brehm. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, pp. 199-222. [In “Readings” file as Tolson_1998.pdf]
Course Instructor: Dan Harrison