A fundamental issue for twenty-first century archaeologists is the need to better direct their efforts toward supporting rather than harming indigenous peoples. Collaborative indigenous archaeology
An absolutely first-rate example of public outreach in archaeology.
There is much to be learned from the many innovative programs described here.
—Museum Anthropology
|
|
has already begun to stress the importance of cooperative, community-based research; this book now offers an up-to-date assessment of how Native American and non-native archaeologists have jointly
undertaken research that is not only politically aware and historically minded but fundamentally better as well.
Eighteen contributors—many with tribal ties—cover the current state
of collaborative indigenous archaeology in North America to show where the discipline is headed. Continent-wide cases, from the Northeast to the Southwest, demonstrate the situated nature of local
practice alongside the global significance of further decolonizing archaeology. And by probing issues of indigenous participation with an eye toward method, theory, and pedagogy, many show how the
archaeological field school can be retailored to address politics, ethics, and critical practice alongside traditional teaching and research methods.
These chapters reflect the strong
link between politics and research, showing what can be achieved when indigenous values, perspectives, and knowledge are placed at the center of the research process. They not only draw on experiences
at specific field schools but also examine advances in indigenous cultural resource management and in training Native American and non-native students.
Theoretically informed and
practically grounded, Collaborating at the Trowel's Edge is a virtual guide for rethinking field schools and is an essential volume for anyone involved in North American
archaeology—professionals, students, tribal scholars, or avocationalists—as well as those working with indigenous peoples in other parts of the world. It both reflects the rapidly changing
landscape of archaeology and charts new directions to ensure the ongoing vitality of the discipline.
|
