Estratos de olvido: violencia epistémica y la negación de la afrodescendencia en la arqueología

Abstract

This paper explores, from an anti-racist perspective, the relationship between formal higher education and the perpetuation of epistemic racism in the production of scientific knowledge. As Black women and archaeologists, we focus on analyzing the academic programs of Archaeology bachelor’s degrees in public and private institutions in Ecuador. Through a qualitative and quantitative analysis of curricula, pedagogical models, and teacher training, we identify the marginalization of Afro-descendant epistemologies, which perpetuates a vision that exclusively legitimizes the pre-Hispanic and colonial (white-mestizo) narratives. This exclusion of Black experiences in academic training led us to engage in debates about current diaspora studies, including perspectives from former students and experts. Finally, we propose initiatives towards transforming archaeological education by integrating maroon spatiality, resistance, and Afro-Ecuadorian everyday life.