Class Barriers to Merit in the American Professoriate: An Archaeology Example and Proposals for Reform

Consumers and academics alike perceive a status hierarchy among American universities. By this perception, professors are placed in the befitting their scholarly merit. However, recent study of archaeology professoriate found no consistent correlation between faculty placement This essay identifies reasons for lack meritocracy, some unique to others common many fields. Archaeology, similar academy at large, ignores class as bias that handicaps while favoring others. Notwithstanding challenges definition measurement, should be treated equally with race, gender, other biases an academy’s pursuit true meritocracy.