Relativ betydelse : Individualitet och totalitet i arkeologisk kulturteori : [individuality and totality in archaeological cultural theory]

Sammanfattning: This dissertation deals with the epistemological aspects of cultural theory in archaeology. It is argued that the discourse of modem archaeology was formed during the first decades of the 19th century. This discourse has shaped a picture of man which was first questioned by postprocessual archaeologists. A different theory of culture and man is formulated in this dissertation, which also presents a platform for cultural studies built on different epistemological principles. This has helped to establish a critique against the structures, of cultural science and archaeology, making the point that archaeological studies and prehistory are shaped through ideological and social strategies. There is always a risk that the discourse of archaeology is ordered and structured by totalistic principles. This was the case with modem archaeology. In this dissertation an alternative framework is suggested, arguing that an ethical perspective on man and science can help to create a pluralistic archaeology.