Theoretical Approaches in Bioarchaeology

Theoretical Approaches in Bioarchaeology emphasizes how several different theoretical perspectives can be used to reconstruct the biocultural experiences of humans in the past.

Over the past few decades, bioarchaeology has been transformed through methodological revisions, technological advances, and the inclusion of external theoretical frameworks from the social and natural sciences. These interdisciplinary perspectives became the backbone of bioarchaeology and strengthened the discipline’s ability to address questions about past biological and social dynamics. Consequently, how, why, and when to apply external theory to studies of past populations are central and timely questions tied to future developments of the discipline. This book facilitates ongoing dialogues about theoretical applications within the field and interdisciplinary connections between bioarchaeology, biological anthropology, and other disciplines. Each chapter highlights how a theoretical framework originating from a social or natural science connects to past and future bioarchaeological research.

For scholars and archaeologists interested in the theoretical applications of bioarchaeology, this book will be an excellent resource.

Colleen M Cheverko earned her PhD in Anthropology from The Ohio State University in 2018 and was a University of California Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Merced from 2018–2020. She is currently the Anatomical Sciences Lab Supervisor and Faculty at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Monroe, Louisiana. Her research interests include bioarchaeology, life history theory, and methodological and theoretical development.

Julia R Prince-Buitenhuys is an archaeologist and environmental scientist at the California Department of Water Resources. She received her MAs in Anthropology from California State University, Chico and the University of Notre Dame. Her research interests include stable isotope ecology, methodological development, and the application of theory to osteological research.

Mark Hubbe is a Professor at the Department of Anthropology at The Ohio State University. His research covers diverse topics in biological anthropology, including the early human occupation of South America and the origin of social inequality among prehistoric societies from the South Central Andes.