K. Kris Hirst runs the archaeology guide at about.com.

As well as the usual stuff, she also has a series of curiously eclectic quotes on archaeological themes. The one posted yesterday, Quote 25, was Keith Bassett on the new intellectual, from an article in Environment and Planning 1996. A sound, if familiar, comment on the potential of new media to recreate a democratic public sphere. A call for committed intellectuals in the academy.

Back in ’87 Tilley and I wrote a chapter for our book on social theory in archaeology on similar themes (we were considering the politics of theory). Back then it brought a horrified reaction from our fellow archaeologists. So it’s great to see this kind of context given to archaeology now. The site is really very balanced and comprehensive – unusual.

I notice that Phil@philosophistry picked up on this too just the other day in a comment on Chomsky and the responsibility of the academic/intellectual to debunk, ask awkward questions. Especially in these times.