From Leaky Pipelines to Watering Cans: Feminist Recommendations for Change
Abstract Despite improvement over the past few decades, particularly for white, cisgender women, intersectional gender-based inequality remains prominent within anthropological archaeology and beyond. Building on critiques of the leaky pipeline metaphor laid out in the introduction to this themed issue, and drawing on Black, Indigenous, and Posthumanist Feminisms, we advocate for a metaphorical shift focused on care, inclusivity, and diversity—that of a garden. The garden metaphor provides a way to express and explore the complex and intertwined ways disciplinary norms, institutions, and individuals structure and shape experiences in archaeology. After reviewing the garden metaphor and summarizing previous suggestions for improving equity in archaeology, we present recommendations for actionable steps at disciplinary, institutional, supervisory, and individual levels. Drawing on insights from the articles in the issue, as well as existing literature within and beyond archaeology, we argue that a greater emphasis on care, and its integration into the value structure of archaeology, would create a more inclusive discipline.
Authors
- Sarah Simeonoff
- Sasha G. Buckser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8229-6973)
- Sarah Kurnick (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8232-8047)
- Samantha G. Fladd (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4575-3474)
- Marie Matsuda
- Jessica MacLellan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1162-5087)
- Jocelyne M. Ponce (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3128-4769)
- Breeanna Charolla
- Laura E. Heath-Stout (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1649-9988)
- Scott R. Hutson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4907-2876)
- Sarah Oas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3612-1176)
- Lydia D. Evans
- Adriana M. De León
- Luisa Escobar Galo
- Isabella N. Garcia
- Jaycee Castro
- Bruno Athie Teruel
- Nala K. Williams
- Elena Lompe
- Katelyn J. Bishop
- Kelsey Hoppes
Institutions
- Tulane University (US)
- University of Kentucky (US)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- University of Colorado System (US)
- Yale University (US)
- Environmental Resources Management (United Kingdom) (GB)
- Film Independent (US)
- STS International (US)
- Wake Forest University (US)
- Washington State University (US)
- Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (GT)
- Stanford University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advances in Archaeological Practice
- Published
- 2026-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1017/aap.2025.10137
- Primary Topic
- Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00