Kirby Farah
Assistant Professor
Anthropology
Contact
Address
300 North Washington St.
Gettysburg, PA 17325-1400
Website
Research and Teaching WebsiteEducation
BA University of Texas, 2009
MA University of California, Riverside, 2011
PhD University of California, Riverside, 2017
I am an anthropological archaeologist, focused on expanding and exploring the potential for community-based and -centered research methods. My research and teaching intersect archaeology, ethnohistory, and critical cultural heritage, with particular emphasis on community identity and social cohesion in the Postclassic Basin of Mexico. My current book project, Built to Last: Memory and Solidarity at Past and Present Xaltocan, Mexico, explores how modern residents of Xaltocan have constructed local identities around a shared past. This work interrogates how decades of archaeological research, shifting nationalist ideologies, and increasingly globalized markets have shaped local conceptions and valuations of Precolumbian heritage at Xaltocan.
I teach a range of classes centered on better understanding the past and present through material culture. All of my classes work to elevate the voices of historically disempowered peoples, and highlight how multivocality and diverse perspectives contribute to better social scientific and humanist research.
Courses Taught
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Article Constructing a Kingdom: Architectural Strategies and the Nature of Leadership at Postclassic Xaltocan, Mexico Journal of Social Archaeology
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Article From Crystal Skulls to the Caste War: Intersections of Tourism, Archaeology and Heritage in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico Anthropology Now
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Article Engaging the Brown Fedora: Archaeology, Education and Popular Media Anthropology Now
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Article Treasured Trash: The Use and Significance of Ceramic Fragments in Elite Ritual Contexts at Postclassic Xaltocan, Mexico Ancient Mesoamerica
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Article Prioritizing the Past: Archaeological Research and Perceptions of Patrimony at Xaltocan, Mexico Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage
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Chapter The Aztec New Fire Ceremony and the Illumination of the Night After Dark: The Nocturnal Urban Landscape and Lightscape of Ancient Cities
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Chapter The Light Burned Brightly: New Fire Ceremonies in Postclassic Central Mexico Night and Darkness in Mexico and Central America