Invisible Role Research Articles

Ethnoarchaeology of Subsistence Space and Gender: A Subarctic Dene Case

The interplay of gender and spatial organization of labor receives little attention in archaeological discussions of huntergatherer society. To help remedy this situation, our ethnoarchaeological research among subarctic Dene (Chipewyan) communities employs a gender-resource mapping approach, including the spatial dimension of hunting for a complex of major subsistence resources. Analysis reveals both profound differences and interconnections between female and male hunters as they procure and process materials and move across the landscape in the sociological context of three team types. The data offer a means of modeling gender dynamics in archaeological contexts as well as rectifying the often invisible role of women in archaeological interpretations of hunting in high-latitude societies. An analysis of historical shifts between “bush-centered” and “village-centered” hunts demonstrates how both women's and men's behavior can be incorporated in site formation processes and general subsistence settlement models, such as Binford's forager/logistical collector framework.

Where Do We Go From Here? Issues in the Professional Development of Learning Support Assistants

ABSTRACT This paper explores the professional development of Learning Support Assistants in primary schools, a key, yet often invisible role. Drawing upon ‐ documentary evidence and informal interviews with course participants on a Certificate of Learning Support course, the author analyses the central issues in the continuing professional development of this group. These are identified as the importance of the school's organisational culture, valuing workplace heterogeneity, the gendered nature of the role of an LSA, career patterns and the ‘gender agenda’ in career choice. The crucial role of Higher Education Institutions in evolving and developing a range of accredited courses is highlighted, and consideration given to the methodological issues involved in this, and future research in this area. The paper concludes with an agenda for change in respect of both practice and research.