Indiana Jones: Myth, Reality And 21st Century Archaeology

This week we are looking at archaeology and activism with the executive director of Sustainable Preservation Initiative (SPI), Dr. Larry Coben. Active since 2010, SPI is a non-profit that offers sustainable business and entrepreneurial opportunities to economically disadvantaged communities as a way to aid the historic preservation of archaeological sites. SPI accomplishes its goal by instituting sustainable economic incentives that offer alternatives to the economic uses of archaeological sites, such as looting and grazing. As archaeology moves away from academia and into the applied field, efforts to build connections and empower local communities in the service of historic preservation are becoming increasingly important to the future of the discipline.