Fact versus fantasy: Critical approaches to pseudoarchaeology

Archaeology, freestanding course on basic level.

Admission to the course requires at least 30 credits in archaeology or ancient culture and society.

In an era shaped by the internet, social media, and generative artificial intelligence, pseudoarchaeological narratives about the human past have become more widespread. Pseudoarchaeology refers to interpretations of archaeology that reject or ignore standard research methods. These narratives can distort our understanding of the past, sometimes with serious consequences. This course introduces students to the topic and provides them with tools to critically assess archaeological information in both academic and non-academic domains. The course uses insights from the philosophy of science and archaeological theory to analyse clear examples of pseudoarchaeology as well as more complex cases where the border between pseudoarchaeology and archaeology is not self-evident. Students will learn to distinguish archaeology from pseudoarchaeology, identify its different forms, and recognize common features of pseudoarchaeological discourse. Moreover, students will gain insight into how pseudoarchaeology uses history to promote particular narratives about the past and why those can generate widespread interest. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyze and deconstruct pseudoarchaeology in various media.

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:

Knowledge and understanding 

• Understand what defines pseudoarchaeology and how it differs from scientific archaeology according to the current fundamentals of philosophy of science.
• Recognise the social, political, and cultural factors contributing to the emergence and persistence of pseudoarchaeological claims.

Competence and skills 

• Identify pseudoarchaeology in its different forms.
• Understand and identify the cues often used in pseudoarchaeology, such as logical fallacies and cognitive biases.
• Critically analyse and be able to deconstruct arguments related to the presentation and interpretation of the past.

Judgement and approach 

• To judge the role of various media in disseminating archaeological and pseudoarchaeological information and demonstrate the importance of recognising and addressing it.
• Demonstrate the ability to discuss the potentially damaging effects of pseudoarchaeology on the discipline.

Teaching includes lectures and mandatory seminars.

The teaching is in english and/or swedish

Assessment takes place in the form of mandatory seminar exercises and written assignments. Students unable to participate in a mandatory seminar exercise will be given a supplementary assignment.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

****The course is given one of the grades: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

The teacher is responsible for systematically collecting students' views through written course evaluations at the end of the course. The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.