General Graduate Student Works

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12588/603

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    The Potential and Pitfalls of Collector Collaboration in Southeast Arizona
    (Cambridge University Press, 2021-12-06) Wisenhunt, Mary E.
    In locales where much of the archaeological record has been destroyed or heavily impacted by pothunting and development, engaging with collector informants—including those who legally excavated sites on private property in the 1980s—can help fill crucial information gaps. However, such collaboration can pose ethical, and potentially legal, challenges. In this article, I outline research goals and results from a survey project in southeast Arizona’s York-Duncan Valley, discuss the legal and ethical implications involved in working with former pothunters, and offer a critical evaluation of project practice. Finally, I offer a set of recommendations for those considering similar collaborations. I argue that the rejection of individuals who are knowledgeable about damaged or destroyed archaeological sites effectively silences the sites forever. Data acquired from former pothunters led to the identification and recording of 25 of 87 archaeological sites in the York-Duncan Valley. These individuals also served as interlocutors with others in the local community, helping us foster the trusted relationships necessary to promote site preservation on private property. A long-term engagement strategy that incorporates an assessment determining whether collector informants are responsible or responsive and that nurtures community involvement in preserving local archaeology offers a more productive course of action.
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    An Analysis of San Antonio's Vacant Building Program and the Impacts on Surrounding Neighborhoods
    (2020-04-18) Angel, Selina
    This report discusses how the City of San Antonio’s (COSA) Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) Vacant Building Program (VBP) has impacted surrounding properties and communities around neglected and abandoned structures since the program’s 2014 launch. The study area focuses on Dignowity Hill, a historic district and neighborhood that has the second-highest number of vacancies in San Antonio. After background research and statistical data was collected from VBP specialists, a market and demographic analysis was conducted on the study area. This data was retrieved from the National Historical Geographic Information Systems (NHGIS) website to determine the changes of the housing market and demographics before and after the VBP launch. Data shows that there is a correlation between the high number of vacancies and the revitalization of certain areas within Dignowity Hill. The analysis also concluded that most registered vacant properties lie near San Antonio’s downtown core. This area is experiencing the highest number of new constructions, which is bringing in diversity. The data also shows that there is a migration of the Hispanic population moving further away from the city core in Dignowity Hill. It is concluded that the VBP preserves the architectural aspects of the neighborhood but does not preserve the intangible elements -- therefore displacement and gentrification are bound to happen. The findings of this paper will help understand not only how programs like the VBP can help discover areas of redevelopment through vacancies within the city but also shed light on how these programs must find ways to preserve the intangible elements of a neighborhood as well.