Abstract
This special issue gathers together a selection of short articles reflecting on the historical construction of inequality and race in the histories of archaeology. The articles also suggest ways in which the discipline might grapple with the—often obvious, sometimes subtle—consequences of that historical process. Solicited via an open call for papers in the summer of 2020 (one made with the aim of speedy publication), the breadth of the topics discussed in the articles reflect how inequality and race have become more prominent research themes within the histories of archaeology in the previous five-to-ten years. At the same time, the pieces show how research can—and should—be connected to attempts to promote social justice and an end to racial discrimination within archaeological practice, the archaeological profession, and the wider worlds with which the discipline interacts. Published at a time when a pandemic has not only swept the world, but also exposed such inequalities further, the special issue represents a positive intervention in what continues to be a contentious issue.
Highlights
This special issue gathers together a selection of short articles reflecting on the historical construction of inequality and race in the histories of archaeology
Solicited via an open call for papers in the summer of 2020, the breadth of the topics discussed in the articles reflect how inequality and race have become more prominent research themes within the histories of archaeology in the previous five-to-ten years
What has allowed for this and other situations of inequality to exist and what, in the future, might be done to prevent such widescale precarity and discrimination from continuing to happen? The articles in this special issue reflect on these questions and should be of interest to anyone concerned with archaeology’s future—or of the way in which archaeology’s futures have previously been conceptualised
Summary
This special issue gathers together a selection of short articles reflecting on the historical construction of inequality and race in the histories of archaeology. Solicited via an open call for papers in the summer of 2020 (one made with the aim of speedy publication), the breadth of the topics discussed in the articles reflect how inequality and race have become more prominent research themes within the histories of archaeology in the previous five-to-ten years. Beyond any other (connected) vectors of inequality—such as gender, health, or income— archaeology’s racial inequality is stark, and representative of a discipline whose history and research interests have been driven by a small and homogenous group of individuals, often in tandem with colonial exploitation. What has allowed for this and other situations of inequality to exist and what, in the future, might be done to prevent such widescale precarity and discrimination from continuing to happen? The articles in this special issue reflect on these questions and should be of interest to anyone concerned with archaeology’s future—or of the way in which archaeology’s futures have previously been conceptualised
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