From Workers to Companions: Confronting the Contradictions in Neoliberal Social Relationships in Peruvian Archaeology

Abstract In the practice of archaeological research in Peru, a set of economic, political, and ethical contradictions can be recognized in the relationships between archaeologists, excavation technicians, and other groups. It has been observed that our social relationships in fieldwork and other archaeological practice spaces reproduce the principles of the free market, individual competition, and labor exploitation. However, a medium-term archaeological project, the Chicama Archaeological Program (PRACH), has been established on the northern coast of Peru, confronting those contradictions to transform socioeconomic relationships in the discipline. Over time, crew members and participants in this program have transformed their ways of being, transcending the conventional boundaries of mere workers. Despite the pervasive influence of the laws of the market on our social fabric, a conscious political stance has emerged as a counterforce, aiming to overcome the alienating effects of neoliberalism. Thus, our crew prioritizes cooperation, solidarity, and care over competition, individualism, selfishness, and immediate and utilitarian relationships. A host of challenges must be confronted, but the motivation for this effort lies in adopting an alternative, novel, and conscious approach to the inequalities generated by conventional forms of interpersonal interaction, especially in our archaeological practice.