Conference Theme

The 2025 joint AAA and AIMA conference invites a multi-faceted exploration of temporal themes within the discipline. This will be a platform to celebrate the significant strides made in archaeology and maritime archaeology, particularly regarding the increased inclusion and empowerment of previously silenced voices. We encourage reflections on how perspectives from Indigenous Australians and other First Nations peoples, women, queer communities, slaves, migrants and other historically underrepresented groups have enriched and reshaped these fields, prompting critical examination of past practices and fostering a more inclusive future. We invite the results of investigations from different subdisciplines which illuminate the change and continuity of people and Country through time. Certain aspects of the human experience transcend time altogether, connecting us to our ancestors and future generations, so “It’s About Time!” also beckons us to delve deeper into the very concept of time itself. We welcome presentations that challenge conventional, linear understandings of time and consider alternative temporal ontologies. We look forward to a collective examination of how archaeology and maritime archaeology engage with the past, present, and future through the multi-faceted dimensions of time.