Archaeology as Political Action

These approaches have developed alongside the socioeconomic and political circumstances under which publicly accessible and publicly understandable archaeology takes place, and are subject to policy, which varies from nation to nation.

“These approaches have developed alongside the socioeconomic and political circumstances under which publicly accessible and publicly understandable archaeology takes place, and is subject to policy, which varies from nation to nation (McGuire 2008; Matsuda and Okamura 2011).”

Historical archaeologists know much about lives at forts, outposts, farmhouses, plantations, enslaved people's quarters, urban domestic/industrial sites, utopian communities, and marginalized urban communities, but know far less about sites and their peoples in swamps, wetlands, deep forests, vast plains and deserts, and mountainous terrains.

“But we know far less about sites and their peoples in swamps, wetlands, deep for -ests, vast plains and deserts, and mountainous terrains, though important exceptions can be found in the literature (e.g., DeLeón 2015 ; McGuire 2008 ).”

Archaeology as a discipline has a history of asserting its desire to contribute to issues of social justice, and at times some have proclaimed that archaeology has the power to change the world.

“Archaeology as a discipline has a history of asserting its desire to contribute to issues of social justice, and at times some have proclaimed that archaeology has the power to change the world (Jones forthcoming; McGuire 2008).”

By far the clearest debates in historical archaeologies of capitalism have been directed at periods of industrial capitalism in USA.

“By far the clearest debates in historical archaeologies of capitalism have been directed at periods of industrial capitalism in USA.”

Nineteenth century nationalist and colonialist endeavors in the United States and México shaped prehispanic culture areas and impacted their research trajectory.

“In both the United States and México, nineteenth century nationalist and colonialist endeavors shaped prehispanic culture areas and impacted their research trajectory.”

Following the revolution in México, archaeology became a means for legitimizing the state and for connecting the rebuilt nation with the grandeurs of ancient Mesoamerica.

“Following the revolution in México, archaeology became a means for legitimizing the state and for connecting the rebuilt nation with the grandeurs of ancient Mesoamerica (McGuire 2008).”

These diverse approaches to social justice are united by a shared recognition that political and social factors-particularly capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism-have affected knowledge production about Indigenous pasts and its circulation in the present.

“These diverse approaches to social justice are united by a shared recognition that political and social factors-particularly capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism-have affected knowledge production about Indigenous pasts and its circulation in the present (McGuire 2008:17).”