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Cultural Astronomy Degree in Honduras: the Next Formative Step for the Discipline

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Cultural Astronomy Degree in Honduras: the Next Formative Step for the Discipline Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 18, No 4, (2018), pp. 485-490 Copyright © 2018 MAA Open Access. Printed in Greece. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1477960 CULTURAL ASTRONOMY DEGREE IN HONDURAS: THE NEXT FORMATIVE STEP FOR THE DISCIPLINE Javier Mejuto1, Eduardo Rodas-Quito2 1Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras ([email protected]) 2Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras ([email protected]) Received: 05/02/2018 Accepted: 12/05/2018 ABSTRACT The need for a university training program in Cultural Astronomy has been pointed out by several academ- ics for years. The arrival to the discipline of professionals from different fields has resulted in a lack of standardization in the field studies. This paper describes the process of design, creation and implementation of the first Cultural Astronomy Degree carried out by the Department of Archaeoastronomy and Cultural Astronomy of the Space Science Faculty of the National University Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). The conception of the program through the analysis made of the academic tendencies in Cultural Astronomy on a global scale is summarized below. The program itself is described, detailing each of the sub- jects and modules that make up the program and the different competences that complement the knowledge of the graduates. Finally, the academic and social objectives pursued by the implementation of this program in Central America are explained. KEYWORDS: Cultural Astronomy, Degree, Inclusion and Equity, Cultural Pertinence in Education 486 J. MEJUTO & E. RODAS-QUITO 1. INTRODUCTION (Hamacher, 2014). Making this possible was the mo- Development and conceptualization of the disci- tivation behind the development of the very first pline by Stanislaw Iwaniszewski in the 1990s has Cultural Astronomy degree, made possible through provided the framework for disciplinary growth and a curriculum contextualized in the disciplinary his- methodological standardization (Iwaniszewski 1990, torical moment and Central American, specially ap- 1991, 1994). We agree that there are, since its disci- plied to the case of Honduras, social reality which is plinary inception, large and numerous challenges to shared by most countries of Latin America and the achieve conformity of the field, but perhaps the most world. fundamental one is the need for a common and co- This academic program has been developed over herent academic formation possibilities that will al- the last three years by the Archaeoastronomy and low quality standards in studies by different profes- Cultural Astronomy Department at Universidad sionals in the area around the world, Duane Nacional Autonoma de Honduras (UNAH). It is the Hamacher made an interesting explanation of the result of a condensed experience in research, out- heterogeneous path to became a professional in Cul- reach and teaching of the department’s nine years of tural Astronomy through academic studies existence. Figure 1: Global Spatial distribution of Cultural Astronomy academic programs (1: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, 2: Colgate University, 3: Politecnico de Milano, 4: Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 5: University of Leicester, 6: University of Wales, 7: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 8: Ilia State University) The program’s design process was initiated by any information regarding currently formal means of a diagnostic of similar educational experi- studies in other countries or continents. ences worldwide (Mejuto, 2015). Following this vi- ▪ Only official university courses were taken sion, we focus on the Honduran and Central Ameri- into account, non-periodical courses or work- can reality, including -as a result- equity and inclu- shops were not included. Usually this non sion values and competencies. The aim to include formal or periodical courses have a very dif- this is that graduated students work as promoters of ferent learning outcomes than a degree. social changes through cultural astronomy. This ap- These subjects were divided in 4 groups: elective proach will break the classical paradigm of research- subjects in undergraduate program, selective sub- er and object of study in ethnoastronomical studies. jects subjects in posgraduate program, subjects in master program and subjects in PhD program sub- 2. METHODOLOGY jects. Among the parameters that were included in Prior to the curriculum design process, a compar- this comparison were also taken into account if pre- ative approach to the global tendencies and academ- vious studies are needed to study the subjects and, if ic programs was developed focused in the following so, which and to what degree. As a result of this main parameters: comparison we could make a spatial distribution ▪ Only European and American universities map (see Figure 1) which gives a general idea of were considered because we couldn’t find Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 18, No 4, (2018), pp. 485-490 CULTURAL ASTRONOMY DEGREE IN HONDURAS: THE NEXT FORMATIVE STEP FOR THE DISCIPLINE 487 which cultural areas are more commonly studied institutions and programs are shown in original lan- and by which countries’ researchers. guage. If type of academic programs does not appear Also, in Table 1 the distribution by type of study means it is program independent or it is a complete can be seen. For further research and information the program itself. Table 1: Academic programs and subjects [E=Elective, S=Selective, M=Mandatory]. Subjects and institutions are in original language for comparison. SUBJECT TYPE INSTITUTION Introducción a la Arqueoas- E Facultad de Ciencias Espaciales, tronomía UNAH Introducción a la Arqueoas- E Facultad de Ciencias Espaciales, tronomía Maya UNAH Astronomy in Culture E Colgate University Comparative Cosmologies E Colgate University UNDERGRADUATE Archeoastronomia M Scuola di Architettura Civile, Politecnico de Milano Exploración geofísica y ori- S Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Uni- entación topoastro-nómica de versidad Complutense de Madrid yacimientos arqueológicos Seminarios en Arqueoastronomía S Facultad de Ciencias Espaciales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras MA Cultural Astronomy and Sophia center for the study of Astrology cosmology in culture, University POSGRADUATE of Wales Ph.D program in cultural astron- School of Arts & Sciences, Ilia omy and archaeoastronomy State University Diplomado en Arqueoastronomía Facultad de Ciencias Espaciales, Maya UNAH Seminarios en Arqueoastronomía Escuela Nacional de Antropología FORMAL e Historia, Universidad Nacional - Autónoma de México School Research Seminar Series School of Archaeology & Ancient NON NON History, University of Leicester Once this first comparison of the academic pro- comparison with other disciplines. As previously grams was made, a survey that explored the needs mentioned, their inclusion by universities as taught and interests of the future students of the Degree in programs level is still minimal. Either way, they can Cultural Astronomy was carried out, as well as those be divided into three major groups: undergraduate of their future employers. To this end, this survey studies, postgraduate studies and non-formal cours- was conducted on the following focal groups: high es. school students of the final year, university students Among the undergraduate studies we have five of the National Autonomous University of Hondu- related to cultural astronomy that are divided into ras, students of subjects taught by the Department of four general elective subjects and one compulsory in Archaeoastronomy and Cultural Astronomy, field a degree from another discipline. Among the post- professionals, potential employers in the country graduate studies we have four that are divided into and the public general. The distribution of the sam- an optional subject in a master's program from an- ples made between the focus groups can be seen in other discipline, a mandatory subject in a master's Figure 2. The distribution of the country of origin of degree from another discipline, a master's degree in the surveyed professionals is shown in Figure 3. cultural astronomy and a doctoral program in Cul- tural Astronomy. Finally, as non-formal studies we 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION have a diploma and 2 research seminars. 3.1 Cultural Astronomy in Academy In Europe the most traditional studies in Cultural Astronomy are located in England, in the Faculty of Currently there are very few examples of academ- Archaeology and Ancient History of the University ic programs in cultural astronomy (see Table 1), in of Leicester. Their courses in Archaeoastronomy con- Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 18, No 4, (2018), pp. 485-490 488 J. MEJUTO & E. RODAS-QUITO tain a general elective subject that covers introducto- in the Faculty of Space Sciences of the National Au- ry aspects of the discipline and is being managed by tonomous University of Honduras. These two sub- Prof. Clive Ruggles. It is an 11-week course divided jects are: Introduction to Archaeoastronomy and In- into four thematic blocks: nature and development troduction to Maya Archaeoastronomy. As its name of Archaeoastronomy, Astronomy in prehistoric indicates, they are of an introductory nature with a Britain and Ireland, Archaeoastronomy of the world strong knowledge component in Mesoamerican cul- and field trips. tures. The subjects are taught 3 times in the academic Also, general electives are the subjects of the only year with several sections for each of the subjects, university department
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