TRACK: OUTREACH - MARKETING, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION
You are invited to attend this thought-provoking session where you will have a
unique opportunity explore the relationship between people and things with
specialists in the field of cultural behavior, applied anthropology, and
archaeology. The session will be held on Tuesday, June 8, at 3:30 p.m.
We look forward to seeing you !!
SESSION: USING IT ALL UP: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN NATURAL RESOURCES, MATERIAL
CULTURE, AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
1. WELCOME
2. SESSION FORMAT: Round-table discussion
3. INTRODUCTIONS: MODERATORS - MYRA NISSEN and REBECCA BROWN
SPEAKERS ? DR.MARGARET PURSER
and DR.TERRI CASTANEDA
ATTENDEES
3. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Last year's conference theme, "Building
Bridges", inspired us to continue the effort to reach out and learn from others
whose work can have a significant, positive impact on our aspirations. This
session will provide a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between
people and things with specialists in the field of cultural behavior, applied
anthropology, and archaeology. Our professions link because we both work with
natural resources. In our profession, we confront natural resources as the
goods we ask people to reduce, reuse and recycle. In anthropology and
archaeology,connections are made to natural resources through the excavation
and
study of material culture.
Together, in a comfortable round-table session, we will discuss the role of
material goods in our society,
(1)what drives consumer behavior,
(2) our natural resource consumption,
(3)our discard patterns, and,
(4) how to initiate behavioral and societal changes.
The goal of the session is to begin to understand what we can do as solid waste
& recycling professionals to promote long term change in human behavior to
achieve sustainable societies and minimize solid waste. It is stated most
succinctly in John Bodley's book, Anthropology and Contemporary Human Problems,
".... What cultural forces drive the present consumption patterns of the
consumption culture? We can say that over consumption is not an innate human
trait; it is culturally determined." * We hope to stimulate your thinking,
generate ideas, and plant seeds for future sessions.
4. DISCUSSION
1. Myth or Reality: Have we romanticized past reuse and recycling practices?
2. Our "Stuff": What is the meaning and influence of material culture in our
lives, and what are the links among material culture, consumerism, and discard
patterns?
3. Achieving Permanent Long-Term Change: Is it realistic to think that we can
make changes and transform culture to create sustainable societies? If so, how?
5. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
* (Bodley, John, H. 1996 Anthropology and Contemporary Human Problems.Mayfield
Publishing Company. pg. 82.)
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, 6/8, at 3:30 for an engaging and
fruitful discussion.
For more information about CRRA and the conference: www.CRRA.com
Speakers:
Terri Castaneda received her Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from Rice
University. Formerly the Curator of Anthropology at the Houston Museum of
Natural Science, she currently teaches anthropology and museum studies at CSU,
Sacramento. Dr. Castaneda specializes in the politics of culture in
contemporary
complex society and is particularly interested in the role material culture
plays in the construction, interpretation, and representation of cultural
identity.
Margaret Purser received her Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley. Dr.
Purser is the Chairperson of the Anthropology and Linguistics Department, and
teaches at Sonoma State University. She specializes in historic archaeology,
archaeological theory, gender studies, and material culture studies.