This collection, stemming from the 2nd University of Chester Archaeology Student Conference 'Archaeo-Engage: Engaging Communities in Archaeology' (April 2017), provides original perspectives on public archaeology’s current practices and future potentials focusing on art/archaeological media, strategies and subjects.

The Material Cultures in Public Engagement volume seeks to document and explore the significant change in the relationship of Museums with collections of the Ancient World and their audiences. The volume establishes a new approach to the study of public archaeology as a discipline and application within Museums, by bringing together the voices and experiences of museum professionals (curators, conservators and researchers) and public engagement professionals. Chapters in this volume present clear case-studies of the variety and diversity of public engagement projects conducted currently within European Museums and beyond. While the majority of case studies presented in the volume’s chapters stem from European Museum programmes, plenty of reference is made on parallel strategies and successful public engagement programmes outside Europe (e.g. recently implemented projects by the Pointe-à-Callière Museum, Montreal, the Dallas and Cleveland Museums of Art, or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, to name but a few). Case studies within the volume provide important insights as to why public engagement programmes have developed in different ways between Europe and the Americas, as well as whether these differences may stem from different curatorial practices. Finally, a number of studies included in this volume point out that methodologies and practices of public engagement applied currently by Museums in or outside Europe, are rarely the subject of theoretical and methodological scrutiny, unlike other fields of study of the Ancient World or other social sciences. In summary, chapters within the book promise to contribute to the advancement of public engagement with the Ancient World, as well as to the advancement of public archaeology itself as a practice.

The definition of “public archaeology” has expanded in recent years to include archaeologists’ collaborations with and within communities and activities in support of education, civic renewal, peacebuilding, and social justice. Barbara Little and Paul Shackel, long-term leaders in the growth of a civically-engaged, relevant archaeology, outline a future trajectory for the field in this concise, thoughtful volume. Drawing from the archaeological study of race and labor, among other examples, the authors explore this crucial opportunity and responsibility, then point the way for the discipline to contribute to the contemporary public good.

Making Heritage Together presents a case study of public archaeology by focusing on the collaborative creation of knowledge about the past with a rural community in central Crete. It is based on a long-term archaeological ethnography project that engaged this village community in collectively researching, preserving and managing their cultural heritage. This volume presents the theoretical and local contexts for the project, explains the methodology and the project outcomes, and reviews in detail some of the public archaeology actions with the community as examples of collaborative, research-based heritage management. What the authors emphasize in this book is the value of local context in designing and implementing public archaeology projects, and the necessity of establishing methods to understand, collaborate and interact with culturally specific groups and publics. They argue for the implementation of archaeological ethnographic research as a method of creating instances and spaces for collaborative knowledge production. The volume contributes to a greater understanding of how rural communities can be successfully engaged in the management of their own heritage. It will be relevant to archaeologists and other heritage professionals who aim to maximise the inclusivity and impact of small projects with minimal resources and achieve sustainable processes of collaboration with local stakeholders.

This volume examines the various facets of public archaeology practice globally, and the factors which are currently affecting it, together with the question of how different publics and communities engage with their archaeological heritage.

Many archaeologists learn by trial and error while developing public programs and events and are mostly unaware that others in the profession are undergoing the same challenges. Archaeologists seldom receive professional development on K-12 pedagogy, public engagement, program design, or assessment. For many in the field, public outreach is often an under-funded and under-resourced extension of an already overwhelming workload; yet this work is incredibly important. In A Practitioner's Guide to Public Archaeology: Intentional Programming for Effective Outreach, more than thirty public archaeology practitioners will help you reduce the guesswork and stress behind program planning in this engaging and reader-friendly handbook. A complement to the growing library of public archaeology publications, the authors exclusively focus on key components of planning, implementing, and assessing public archaeology programming. Learn how to connect with your audience; build an accessibility mindset; create intentional goals and outcomes; identify resources, collaborators, and other logistical needs; and conduct assessments to better understand your impact. Discover ideas and techniques for all ages programming, like public excavations, site tours, festivals, and lectures; K-12 presentations and events, including formal and nonformal educational programs that occur inside and outside of a classroom; and community-based heritage management programs that include those designed for recurring participation by active, trained volunteers. Throughout the book, curated case study excerpts provide a diversity of perspectives and offer practical insights. The book concludes with a collection of logistics templates and real-world examples to help you streamline your program preparation. Drawing from decades of experience, you’ll discover guidance on navigating challenges, celebrating successes, and lessons learned. Whether you are new to public archaeology or a seasoned expert, this book offers valuable insights for all practitioners.

Little and Shackel use case studies from different regions across the world to challenge archaeologists to create an ethical public archaeology that is concerned not just with the management of cultural resources, but with social justice and civic responsibility.