Epilogue: Some Reflections on Community Archaeology and Heritage

Abstract

This paper considers trends and themes in community archaeology and heritage over the past decade and reflects on the points raised by the chapters in this volume. It looks at the tensions between community-focused work as praxis and as a source of scholarly capital and the problems of generating and employing theoretical perspectives on a concept as broad as inclusive as ‘communities’. By considering the operation of ‘theory’ at different levels of abstraction, it suggests that generative approaches to the field of community archaeology and heritage lie in strengthening and amplifying collaborative discourses, drawing lessons from analogous fields within the cultural and non-profit sectors.