Jon Daehnke received his B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Nebraska, an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.A. in Anthropology from Portland State University, and his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on the archaeological study of landscapes – how landscapes change over time, how people respond to “catastrophic” changes in landscape, and how societies perceive and shape space and place. He is also interested in the political, legal and ethical questions surrounding the management of archaeological resources, the interplay between colonialism and heritage stewardship, and the ways that archaeological spaces are sometimes transformed into politicized places. Jon is currently conducting research on the heritage landscape along the Columbia River, especially the role archaeology plays in shaping public memory.
Originally from the plains of Nebraska, Jon spends his off-campus time looking after his cats Maxx and Maya, searching for good movies, and hitting a few golf balls at the range.