Digital Public Archaeology in a Time of Crisis: investigating and improving the real world impact of online engagement in the UK
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Archaeology
Abstract
This project will provide a critical analysis of digital public outreach undertaken in commercial archaeology. Over 90% of the UK's archaeological excavations involve commercial units (Fulford 2011) but there is yet to be any detailed analysis of digital outreach. Given the changing communication landscape it is critical for archaeologists to understand the reach and impact of these new technologies.
This research is particularly timely as British archaeology faces serious challenges, notably a widespread shortage of skills and government cuts to core services. Demonstrating the impact of public outreach using online media, e.g. Facebook, is critical for demonstrating archaeology's value to society. Indeed, the UK's two leading archaeological agencies, the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) and the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), have stated that the value, engagement and impact of digital media are critical, time-sensitive issues that must be addressed. Both agencies have enthusiastically endorsed this project.
This proposal builds on my innovative social media engagement work on the UK Must Farm Bronze Age excavation and my MSc dissertation that conducted qualitative analysis of its social media metrics and content analysis of user comments. I identified an imperative to understand public audiences, the nature of user interactions on archaeological social media, and a wide ranging examination of current commercial digital engagement initiatives.
Previous research on digital public archaeology has largely focused on characterising its components (Bonacchi & Moshenska 2015) or the use of specific social media platforms (e.g. Twitter) (Richardson 2012). Where researchers have explored social media use in heritage they have highlighted the paucity of critical studies and analyses of impact (Bonacchi 2012; Walker 2014), drawn on limited datasets or been overly quantitative (Perry & Beale 2015). This PhD will build on this research and create a substantial dataset to evaluate current digital public engagement of UK commercial archaeology.
I will first create a database of commercial archaeological organisations (using the CIfA members list), focusing on social media platforms. Quantitative data sampled from a representative timeframe will then be collected. This will include core metrics (likes, reactions) and more interactive representations of engagement (comments, shares with text). Interactive engagements will be further coded with qualitative content analysis, using a new combined framework incorporating my MSc Must Farm research.
The metrics-derived database and coded content analysis of user engagements would be augmented with case studies. Case studies would involve the ongoing Must Farm communiques and recent online outreach from excavations at Black Loch (Scot.) by AOC Archaeology, and the Museum of London Archaeology.
Questionnaires and targeted interviews with stakeholders will be used to characterise audiences beyond algorithm-driven social media metrics. Interviews can better inform issues of accessibility and inclusivity by exploring individuals' backgrounds, prior interactions and perceptions of archaeology.
This research will produce a sizable, mixed dataset to identify the most impactful use of social media for archaeologists. Working with the external partner (CBA), I will create a best practice document, followed by a series of workshops for commercial archaeological units and community-based local history and archaeology societies to engage effectively with social media to communicate archaeological research. Working with a broad range of archaeologists will strengthen and nuance archaeological science communication. While the research focus is the UK, this work is of international interest and significance. Globally, archaeologists are working to improve online communication of archaeology to combat nationalist uses of the past. This research will directly support this effort.
This research is particularly timely as British archaeology faces serious challenges, notably a widespread shortage of skills and government cuts to core services. Demonstrating the impact of public outreach using online media, e.g. Facebook, is critical for demonstrating archaeology's value to society. Indeed, the UK's two leading archaeological agencies, the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) and the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), have stated that the value, engagement and impact of digital media are critical, time-sensitive issues that must be addressed. Both agencies have enthusiastically endorsed this project.
This proposal builds on my innovative social media engagement work on the UK Must Farm Bronze Age excavation and my MSc dissertation that conducted qualitative analysis of its social media metrics and content analysis of user comments. I identified an imperative to understand public audiences, the nature of user interactions on archaeological social media, and a wide ranging examination of current commercial digital engagement initiatives.
Previous research on digital public archaeology has largely focused on characterising its components (Bonacchi & Moshenska 2015) or the use of specific social media platforms (e.g. Twitter) (Richardson 2012). Where researchers have explored social media use in heritage they have highlighted the paucity of critical studies and analyses of impact (Bonacchi 2012; Walker 2014), drawn on limited datasets or been overly quantitative (Perry & Beale 2015). This PhD will build on this research and create a substantial dataset to evaluate current digital public engagement of UK commercial archaeology.
I will first create a database of commercial archaeological organisations (using the CIfA members list), focusing on social media platforms. Quantitative data sampled from a representative timeframe will then be collected. This will include core metrics (likes, reactions) and more interactive representations of engagement (comments, shares with text). Interactive engagements will be further coded with qualitative content analysis, using a new combined framework incorporating my MSc Must Farm research.
The metrics-derived database and coded content analysis of user engagements would be augmented with case studies. Case studies would involve the ongoing Must Farm communiques and recent online outreach from excavations at Black Loch (Scot.) by AOC Archaeology, and the Museum of London Archaeology.
Questionnaires and targeted interviews with stakeholders will be used to characterise audiences beyond algorithm-driven social media metrics. Interviews can better inform issues of accessibility and inclusivity by exploring individuals' backgrounds, prior interactions and perceptions of archaeology.
This research will produce a sizable, mixed dataset to identify the most impactful use of social media for archaeologists. Working with the external partner (CBA), I will create a best practice document, followed by a series of workshops for commercial archaeological units and community-based local history and archaeology societies to engage effectively with social media to communicate archaeological research. Working with a broad range of archaeologists will strengthen and nuance archaeological science communication. While the research focus is the UK, this work is of international interest and significance. Globally, archaeologists are working to improve online communication of archaeology to combat nationalist uses of the past. This research will directly support this effort.
