Elena Sesma

Research Interests:
historical archaeology
cultural heritage; collective memory
archaeological ethnography
public and community archaeology
African Diaspora
The Bahamas
slavery and emancipation
Anthropologist with archaeological tendencies
Education

Ph.D 2019 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Anthropology. PhD, "The Political Work of Memory in Collaborative Caribbean Archaeology."

M.A. 2014 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Anthropology. M.A., "Creating Mindful Heritage Narratives: Black Women in Slavery and Freedom"

B.A. 2011 University of Maryland, College Park.

Prospective Students

Prospective graduate students are welcome to contact me by email to disucss advising/mentoring possibilities for the coming academic year. Those interested in historical & contemporary archaeology, community-based research, Black feminist theory and African Diaspora archaeology are especially encouraged to apply. 

 

ANT585

University of Kentucky Campus Archaeology Project

Dr. Sesma ran the first ever on-campus archaeology field school from May23-July1, 2022. Students excavated the yard of a historic building on the edge of campus to learn about changes to the landscape throughout the twentieth century and the daily lives of those who lived in the house before it was part of campus and those who continue using the building as classroom and offices to this day! Check out the project's social media, blog, and reporting by the College of Arts & Sciences. 

UKCAP on Instagram 

Field School Blog, made by student Cheryl Arnold

 
Selected Publications:

PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES

  • 2022. Taylor, Evan and Elena Sesma. Exploring the Contemporary in Old Places. Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association. Contemporary Archaeologies in Old Places: Material Politics between Past and Present, editors Elena Sesma and Evan Taylor.
  • 2022. Sesma, Elena. Materializing Memory and Building Community: A Contemporary Archaeology of the Bahamas. Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association. Contemporary Archaeologies in Old Places: Material Politics between Past and Present, editors Elena Sesma and Evan Taylor.
  • 2020. Sesma, Elena. Photo elicitation as a tool for expanded participation in community archaeology. Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage. Available open-access: https://doi.org/10.1080/20518196.2020.1793074
  • 2016. Sesma, Elena. Creating Mindful Heritage Narratives: Black Women in Slavery and Freedom. Journal of African Diaspora Archaeology and Heritage 5(1):38-61.
  • 2015. Sesma, Elena. 'A Web of Community': Uncovering African American Historic Sites in Deerfield, MA. Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage 2(2): 121-136. 

PEER-REVIEWED EDITED VOLUMES

COMMUNITY REPORTS