Archaeology as a Tool of Civic Engagement

There is a new kind of public archaeology emerging; one that takes seriously archaeology’s potential to understand the past to give a sense of meaning for our future. This work has the familiar goals of inventorying significant sites and doing better archaeology. It also aims to build better communities. Archaeology as a Tool of Civic Engagement provides us with lessons, sometimes painful and sometimes exhilarating, from some of our most accomplished colleagues, whose research has explored the ways in which we tell the truth about the past and thereby is a source of hope for the future. -- Robert Paynter, University of Massachusetts
If archaeology is to become relevant to society at large, the papers in Archaeology as a Tool of Civic Engagement can show us the way....The contributors to Archaeology as a Tool of Civic Engagement clearly demonstrate that in living up to our social obligations archaeology can be a powerful tool in redressing long-standing problems of social justice. * Canadian Journal of Archaeology *
Archaeology as a Tool of Civic Engagement provides a useful and interesting set of case studies. Furthermore, its central thesis that the inclusion of descendant and other affected communities into the practice of archaeology can be empowering and potentially lead to a greater interest in heritage is a worthy topic for discussion. * American Anthropologist, Fall 2009 *
The archaeologists in this volume have stepped up to the plate to present a rich selection of essays on how archaeology can be used to promote social justice. As the authors note, public engagement with the past makes archaeology more socially relevant and democratizes knowledge. Little and Shackel are to be commended for their vision of archaeology's future. -- Barbara J. Mills, University of Arizona