Archaeologists Resisting Far-Right Appropriation

The First Peoples in the Americas. Ancient DNA with Dr Jennifer Raff @jenniferraff.bsky.social is now ported to Spotify

See it on YouTube here: youtu.be/TcWPRdtT2B8
Spotify here: open.spotify.com/episode/0F9V...

As archaeologists, we understand the ephemerality of borders and the importance of migration to all of our lives. We encourage our followers to resist as you are able: attend counter-protests, support migrant orgs, engage in anti-racist and decolonial praxis in your research and work.

Attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers do nothing to ‘protect communities’ and everything to further endanger some of the most marginalised people in the UK. The evidence shows that they are facilitated by violent white supremacists (see @hopenothate.org.uk) and stoked by racist rhetoric.

Thank you so much to everyone who was able to make it to this evening's seminar, particularly those who contributed such insightful comments and questions, and to @archaeodeathprof.bsky.social for a thought-provoking and inspiring presentation. We'll see you soon.

Here’s a little clip from our emergency meeting on ‘Archaeology and Apartheid’, in which Palestinian archaeologist Fadel Al Utol tells us what it is like to do archaeology under occupation. 🏺🍉

You can watch the whole event on our YouTube channel: m.youtube.com/@Societyfort...

All attendees for this evening's seminar with Howard Williams should now have received a link which allows you to access the seminar. If you signed up but don't have a link, contact us at archaeologistsrfa@proton.me. To those who missed out, keep your eyes peeled for the recording soon.

That’s absolutely okay! Won’t complicate things at all - really look forward to seeing you.

Further to yesterday's post: we've had a big influx of sign-ups for Howard Williams' seminar this evening, so are going to leave sign-ups open till this afternoon in case any more of you curious, brilliant lot want in. Attendees should expect to recieve a Zoom link by email around 16:30BST/11:30EDT.

For those attending the seminar tomorrow: we are extending the sign up deadline slightly to make it accessible to as many as possible, so links to the Zoom meeting will go out tomorrow rather than tonight. We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Events Upcoming Events Prof. Howard Williams – ‘V for Viking: TikTok, Viking Archaeology, and the Far-Right’ Date and Time: 17-07-2025, 17:30BST//12:30 EDT//09:30 PDT To Register: About …

Last chance to sign up to Howard Williams’ upcoming seminar ‘V for Viking: TikTok, Viking Archaeology, and the Far-Right’. Sure to be essential analysis for anyone interested in digital activism against far-right heritage appropriation. This Thursday! archaeologistsrfa.wordpress.com/events/

Really valuable stuff to amplify - thank you so much for sharing

Vital work on confronting the complicity of archaeology/academic institutions in apartheid and genocide. Keep an eye out for the recording and more work from @socstudyofthepast.bsky.social.

Events Upcoming Events Prof. Howard Williams – ‘V for Viking: TikTok, Viking Archaeology, and the Far-Right’ Date and Time: 17-07-2025, 17:30BST//12:30 EDT//09:30 PDT To Register: About …

Reminder that Prof. Howard Williams joins us on the 17th of July for a seminar on 'TikTok, Viking Archaeology, and the Far-Right'. Register for 'V for Viking' here: archaeologistsrfa.wordpress.com/events/

P.S. for newer followers or followers less familiar with these topics, check out archaeologistsrfa.wordpress.com/antifascist-... for recommended texts.

A poster reading "Archaeologists Resisting Far-Right Appropriation: Seminar Series 2025 v.II. 17-07-2025, 17:30 BST, Online, Free. 'V for Viking: TikTok, Viking Archaeology, and the Far Right'. Professor Howard Williams, University of Chester". Also included: A screencap of a grey powerpoint slide featuring the same title and embedded screencaps of Howard Williams' TikTok videos about Viking Archaeology and the Far-Right. The Archaeologists Resisting Far-Right Appropriation logo, featuring lineart of a 'Gundlingen' type prehistoric sword embedded in a stone next to the letters A.R.F.A.

Coming up on the 17th of July, Prof. Howard Williams presents a vital reflection on the intersection of Viking Archaeology, the far-right, and short-form online video content, drawing from his own experiences on TikTok. Visit archaeologistsrfa.wordpress.com/events/ for details and to register.

SEMINAR ALERT: on 17/07/2025 the inimitable Prof. Howard Williams (@archaeodeathprof.bsky.social) presents 'Vikings, Tiktok, and the Far-Right'. Essential stuff for understanding the politicisation of medieval Scandinavia and digital activism. Register here: archaeologistsrfa.wordpress.com/events/

YouTube video by Archaeologists Resisting Far-Right Appropriation Archaeology and Far-Right Constructions of 'Indigeneity': Dr Lorna Richardson's 'In Our Blood'

We are pleased to announce that the video recording of @lornarichardson.bsky.social's recent seminar is now publically available. Check it out on our website here: archaeologistsrfa.wordpress.com/seminar-reco... or on Youtube here: youtu.be/Nc2xTErvbDQ

Thank you to everyone who made it to the seminar today, and to @lornarichardson.bsky.social for an insightful and affecting talk! Keep your eyes peeled for updates on our next event as well as a link to the recording coming soon.

The wonderful @archaeodeathprof.bsky.social, a.k.a Prof. Howard Williams, has put together a great TikTok about the importance of trans solidarity in archaeology and updates on what the recipients to the open letter have done since getting it 👇

www.tiktok.com/@archaeodeat...

To any who were too late to register or can't make it, look for a link to the recording dropping here in the next week or so.

To those who signed up for the seminar tomorrow, you should have just recieved the meeting link via email. If there are any issues or queries about this please PM us here or send an email to the address on our contact page. We can't wait to see you tomorrow! 17:30 BST sharp.

Events Thursday 12th June 2025: ARFA Seminar Series 2025 Dr Lorna Richardson – ”In Our Blood’ Archaeology and “Indigeneity” in the British National Party’s Magazine Ide…

Last chance to register for our seminar this Thursday 12 June at 1730 BST! @lornarichardson.bsky.social will be speaking about her paper on the far-right co-option of aDNA by reference to the BNP's 'Identity' magazine - hot off the presses mere weeks ago. archaeologistsrfa.wordpress.com/events/

Hi Eve! Apologies - the seminar is June 12th. We will make sure the next poster is clear and dating-system neutral.

Vital and incisive work from @lornarichardson.bsky.social that cannot be recommended enough. The co-option of archaeological themes plays an increasingly complex role in the narrative-construction of the far-right around nationalism, identity, and 'indigeneity'. Read, share, then read again.

‘In Our Blood’: Archaeology and ‘Indigeneity’ in the British National Party’s Magazine Identity This paper presents the first diachronic analysis of the appropriation of archaeological themes in British far-right politics, focusing on the British National Party’s publication Identity from 200...

Out this morning & Open Access! 📢 My new article in Public Archaeology on the entanglement of archaeology, the far right and ancient genetic studies, using the British National Party as a case study: ‘In Our Blood’: Archaeology and ‘Indigeneity’ in the British National Party’s Magazine Identity'

How to Help Gazan History & Archaeology Students Finish their Degree cover picture by Georgia M. Andreou: GAZAMAP students at work before October 2023 Archaeology has a long legacy of separating heritage from its contemporary context. The ongoing destruction in Gaza…

While you're here: please support the campaign to help 12 history and archaeology students in Gaza complete their degrees. From the looks of things they are over halfway to their goal! Details in the link below.

Reminder that our first seminar runs on Thursday 12th June (two weeks today!) where @lornarichardson.bsky.social will speak on her incredible new paper. Registration link in the pinned post below.

All those researching the past have a responsibility to ensure educational access for those deprived of it, particularly those of us living in nation-states directly supporting occupation and genocide through investments and arms. Please share widely, donate if you can, and keep your eyes on Gaza.

To those unable to attend, don't panic! This seminar will be screen-recorded and a link uploaded to the ARFA website shortly after streaming.

A landscape-format poster about an online seminar run by Archaeologists Resisting Far-Right Appropriation. The poster reads "ARCHAEOLOGISTS RESISTING FAR-RIGHT APPROPRIATION: INAUGURAL SEMINAR 2025, ‘In Our Blood’: Archaeology and “Indigeneity” in the British National Party’s Magazine Identity, Lorna-Jane Richardson, University of East Anglia, 12-06-2025, 17:30BST, Online, FREE. Two images are embedded: a scan of a 2007 edition of the magazing 'Identity' by the far-right British National Party, and, below it, the logo of Archaeologists Resisting Far-Right Appropriation: a line-art Iron Age Gundlingen sword embedded in a stone.

We're excited to announce our inaugural seminar. @lornarichardson.bsky.social presents a thematic analysis of the BNP’s 'Identity' magazine, interpreting the far-right misuse of archaeological science and narratives of indigeneity. Details and registration at archaeologistsrfa.wordpress.com/events/.