A Challenging Question for a Challenging Future: What Archaeology in a Post-Affluent Society? / 左星樺助理教授（國立成功大學考古學研究所）

A few days ago, we closed the Glasgow climate change summit (COP26). The admission of failure of such an event would be an understatement. Two pivotal objectives were not realized: renewing targets for 2030 that align with limiting warming to 1.5℃, and an agreement on accelerating the phase-out of coal. World political leaders keep on dithering with the urgent and radical decisions that needed to be made.

Now, whether actions will be taken or not, it is already largely too late, and we should be preparing ourselves for the coming advent of a post-affluent society, resting on the ruins of capitalism. Yet, could archaeology, which origins are deeply rooted both in colonialism and in capitalism, play any constructive role in such a post-affluent society to come? Won’t it be a superficial, pointless, and passé activity? My point here is that instead of denying or waiting for the coming collapse of our current socio-economic organizational system, we could instead participate in accompany its transformation. One current movement aiming in triggering this transformation is called the “Degrowth movement”.

The aim of my presentation today is to explore to what extent the proposals of the ‘Degrowth’ movement could be compatible with a new definition of the archaeological practice, notably by exploring concepts such as: civil disobedience, voluntary simplicity, redistribution of means, and ethics of non-growth.