Det digitala uppdraget : Om uppdragsarkeologins möjligheter att skapa relevant kunskap i ett digitalt samhälle

Sammanfattning: The aim of this work is to shed new light on the conditions under which knowledgeproduction in Swedish contract archaeology is realised, within a digitalised system.The purpose is to build a platform to further develop the system, with the aim ofmaking contract archaeology more relevant for society.This study uses Science and Technology Studies as a theoretical framework forstudying the archaeological practice as a scientific process, in which knowledge isassumed to be created in a sociotechnical context, rather than discovered. A casestudy based on 18 interviews with 34 informants representing archaeologicalinvestigators, County Administration Boards and the National Heritage Board hasbeen conducted to highlight the sociotechnical aspects of knowledge production.This study investigates the sociotechnical conditions for building relevantknowledge for government agencies, researchers, and the public, and how the digitalinfrastructure and social aspects of knowledge production affect the kind ofknowledge that is produced. The results are used to produce suggestions for adeveloped archaeological practice in contract archaeology and to show how such apractice may be approached.The results show that there is a great potential in digital practice, but that theframework for tapping this potential does not yet exist. The study reveals that thecurrent digital information infrastructure and the social relations betweenknowledge producers limit successful knowledge development.My research proposes several changes in the system in order to advance towards adigital infrastructure for archaeological knowledge that challenges the focus oninformation. By gathering archaeological documentation in one place, regulatingdigital practices, and working closely with the target groups of contract archaeology,more relevant knowledge production for society can be attained.