Island archaeological studies are often characterized by island comparisons and the transfer of information between scholars working in many different island environments around the world....Show moreIsland archaeological studies are often characterized by island comparisons and the transfer of information between scholars working in many different island environments around the world. Comparisons between island environments, however, have never been systematically critiqued. This research questions the use of comparisons between island environments. Prehistoric and modern day differences are highlighted and their relevance for archaeologists working in both regions considered. Island comparisons are evaluated by i) examining the justifications with which comparisons can be made, ii) studying the past use and outcomes of comparisons between the Caribbean and the Pacific and iii) the application of a case study focusing on inter-island interaction and exchange at a local scale within both regions. Although archaeological mobility and exchange studies reveal high levels of inter-island interaction, there has been a tendency amongst island archaeologists towards oversimplifying island processes and a stark dichotomy between interacting islands and an archaeology of isolation or ‘essentialising practices’. Moreover it is argued that island archaeologists are methodologically and theoretically unprepared to deal with these issues due to academic legacies such as island biogeography magnified by popular views of isolation and exoticism. This research aims to systematically critique Island Archaeology and to move towards a more comprehensive understanding of the intricacies, possibilities and limitations of island comparisons.Show less
