In Defense of „the New“: a Response to Dawid Kobiałka: Streitraum: Neue Archäologien

Abstract

On a first reading of Dawid Kobiałka’s reflections, I found a lot to agree with. A second reading, however, led me to take a rather different perspective on three grounds: (1) his claims to the global reach of theoretical discourse are mistaken; (2) he adroitly but inappropriately mixes different forms of the “new”; and (3) he tends to dismiss the endeavor of critique as wrongheaded.