No Margins, No Word Counts, No Masters! Experimenting With 'Zines for Archaeological Outreach

Abstract

Alternative forms of information dissemination have always been a crucial part of many radical forms of activism and organization. Arguably the most famous is the ‘zine - popularized in the punk/anarchist subculture of the 1980’s and 90’s, ‘zines were the antithesis of mainstream magazines, journals, and periodicals. They were an extension of the D.I.Y. (do-it-yourself) attitude that flourished within the subculture, reflecting a more informal and individualistic approach to the dissemination of information and ideas without the rigid formalities of mainstream literature. With the emergence of a new countercultural led by millennials, ‘zines have once again found popularity, taking advantage of the Internet to spread information even further than before through digital means. Although all ‘zines are different due to the individualistic and free nature of the format, most are often educational texts that also incorporate other forms of writing and media to help engage its audience with its content in a more exciting and entertaining way. Unfortunately, it appears that ‘zines have yet to find a foothold in academia as they have in social justice and activist groups – this is a shame, as there is a wealth of possibilities for the application of a ‘zine format for the dissemination of information to non-specialist audiences. This paper explores the idea of utilizing ‘zines as an alternative approach to public outreach in archaeology. This will include documenting and reflecting on the current progress of a ‘zine being developed by myself and other archaeologists about anarchist approaches to archaeological theory and practice. I will examine how practical it is to adopt this method for outreach, compare it to the more "traditional" methods of dissemination (journals, conferences, etc.), and reflect on my personal experiences with creating an archaeological 'zine of my own.