Documenting Activism, Creating Change: Archaeology and the Legacy of #MeToo

Hannah Cobb · Kayt Hawkins

Aug 2025 · Archaeopress Publishing Ltd

About this ebook

A powerful wave of feminist, intersectional, anti-harassment, anti-discrimination activism has swept archaeology and heritage since at least 2010, and unlike any other time in archaeology’s short history, much of this has taken place online. In some places this has created a space to have open conversations that previously only existed in whisper networks, meaning that sexism, misogyny and harassment can no longer be ignored or dismissed. This has forced our sector to listen, and organisations have had to confront hard truths and, in some instances, begin to make changes to their practice. As this volume shows, the picture is not necessarily consistent or global, but none the less the ubiquity of social media has brought activism around gendered inequalities and violence against women and minorities to the fore in archaeological practice around the world.

Yet the activism that has unfolded over the last fifteen years has almost always occurred in temporary, transient spaces, through social media, conference sessions, symposia and protests. This means there have been few permanent spaces where this important work and its impacts have been documented. This volume transforms that picture, bringing together the insights of 43 different archaeologists to provide a permanent record of this work, sharing good practice and highlighting positive changes. In doing so, it both captures a moment in time, documents positive changes, and provides a resource to enable practitioners to continue to advocate for transformation in their own context.

About the author

Hannah Cobb is a Professor of Archaeology and Pedagogy. She has led numerous EDI initiatives including #everyDIGsexism and the CIfA Equality and Diversity Group (2015- 2022). She has published extensively on teaching and learning in archaeology, including "Assembling Archaeology: Teaching, Practice and Research" (OUP, 2020) and the textbook "Archaeology: An Introduction" (6th ed, 2024). Through her teaching, research and leadership she passionately advocates for inclusion, equity and diversity in the past, present and future.

Kayt Hawkins is an archaeologist with over 25 years experience working and publishing within UK developer-led archaeology. A founder member of the RESPECT campaign, she regularly engages with, and advises on, EDI initiatives, such as the CIfA Qualitative Inequalities Research. Kayt is also a Deputy Commissioner (England) for the Archaeo-Sexism exhibition, having secured funding for the exhibition in the UK, and has co-organised sessions at both UK and European conferences on the prevention of harassment.