The Mediterranean Archaeology Collaborative Specialization Graduate Interest Group (MACSGIG) is established to foster an interdisciplinary and inclusive community for graduate students engaged in research on the archaeology of the Mediterranean. Rather than being defined by a single period, the group brings together graduate students working across all archaeological periods who share an interest in the Mediterranean as a dynamic and interconnected cultural landscape.
Recognizing the Mediterranean as a space of long-term interaction, mobility, exchange, and transformation, the group encourages dialogue across traditional chronological, geographic, and methodological boundaries. Members research may focus on regions spanning Southern Europe, the Aegean, North Africa, the Levant, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia. Furthermore, they may approach the Mediterranean through diverse lenses including material culture studies, landscape archaeology, networks (land and maritime), digital archaeology, heritage studies, environmental archaeology, and theoretical or comparative perspectives.
We aim to:
- Create a supportive academic community for students whose research engages with Mediterranean archaeology in any capacity.
- Facilitate interdisciplinary discussion across departments.
- Host international conferences, invited speakers, reading groups, and workshops that address current debates and emerging methodologies in Mediterranean archaeology.
- Encourage professional development and networking opportunities among graduate students at different stages of their academic careers.
By emphasizing collaboration over specialization, the group seeks to challenge rigid chronological and regional boundaries, instead highlighting the Mediterranean’s long durée connectivity and shared scholarly concerns. Irrelevant to a student’s research period or region in the larger Mediterranean, the Mediterranean Archaeology Collaborative Specialization Graduate Interest Group offers a space for intellectual exchange, mentorship, and collective growth.