Our EDI Statement outlines the Society’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
The SPMA is committed to providing a network of solidarity among those engaged in the archaeology of the post-medieval world up to the present. We advocate an anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-discriminatory archaeology through our activities, membership and outputs. This means raising awareness of and confronting the ongoing structural inequalities of the modern world as they are reflected and reproduced in our discipline and through our institutions. This includes SPMA. As a Society we are committed to identifying and removing barriers to participation where possible, and to taking positive steps to encourage participation and widen engagement. This means:
- Regularly scrutinising our own processes, activities, and roles to make them inclusive and transparent.
- A commitment to support those who are traditionally underrepresented in archaeology. We will provide opportunities for engagement and resources for Black, Asian, and other people of colour; Indigenous, autochthonous, ethnic, religious, and other minority groups; LGBTQI+; differently abled archaeologists; non-native English speakers; first-generation scholars; those with caring responsibilities and care leavers; archaeologists from working class and other economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Ensuring a positive, safe, and harassment-free experience when participating in SPMA activities, in person or virtually.
Being mindful of our responsibilities as the leading professional society in the United Kingdom and Europe for the archaeology of the modern world from 1500 CE to the present, and in our capacities as a small and volunteer-run organisation, we aim to positively inspire and change ourselves, our members, and those who participate in our activities.
Our commitment to diversity is made in practice by the attempt to ensure that the membership of the council is diverse and comprises:
- at least half of the members identify as either women or non-binary/agender
- some of the members are not (originally) from the UK, but represent various countries in Europe, or wider
- members from ethnic/religious minorities
- Black, Brown, and/or Indigenous members
- LGBTQ+ members
- members with disabilities
- members from all stages of their careers, including students, early career researchers, and retired
- the EDI Officer position is held by someone who is from a historically excluded or marginalised community (for example, a woman, non-binary/agender, Black, Brown, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, person with disabilities, from an ethnic or religious minority).
In addition, the Society is committed to regularly holding EDI workshops during its conferences. The first workshop, “Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Language and Accessibility,” was held at PMAC25 in Lisbon. The workshop addressed the dominant use of formal English in academic and publishing contexts, which can exclude various groups of people in different ways. It was discussed how the Society could (and should) actively work to remove some of the barriers faced by non-native English speakers, international students, first-generation/working-class students, and neurodivergent individuals.
Published 8 October 2025