Archaeology, Heritage, and Reactionary Populism

A timely collection on the role of public archaeology in an era of reactionary populism

Reactionary populism, seen in radical anti-intellectual movements around the globe, is changing how politics are practiced and how people view themselves and others. Amid increasing polarization and extremism, the social role of archaeology is more relevant but also more difficult. This volume explores how populist politics present new challenges to public archaeologists in North America, South America, and Europe.

Archaeology, Heritage, and Reactionary Populism shows that the field of community archaeology must do more to address how these movements can distort history. Contributors demonstrate why researchers and heritage managers should be aware of the interests their work advances, discuss the ethics of working with communities that promote extreme populist values, and examine the ways governments affect heritage regulations. Acknowledging that community archaeology is often very localized, they argue that it can and should connect with and inform broader historical narratives.

Written by practitioners from different subfields of public archaeology, this collection problematizes commonly held assumptions about community, the public, and political action. At the same time, it moves beyond critique to propose practical forms of engagement. This reflective and critical approach will help archaeologists mobilize their work to engage with the growing influence of reactionary populism.