Democratizing Heritage: Collaborative Approaches for Communities and Stakeholders

How archaeologists can apply democratic methods of community engagement to make cultural heritage projects more inclusive

Democratizing cultural heritage means making archaeological practice, artifact interpretation and care, and the preservation of historic sites more accessible, inclusive, and participatory. It involves shifting power in the creation of heritage narratives to descendant communities or stakeholders, an approach rarely emphasized in compliance-based work. This volume offers practical guidance for employing democratic methodologies at every stage of heritage projects, drawing on examples from museum, academic, cultural resource management, and government settings.

The case studies in Democratizing Heritage demonstrate how collaborative approaches work in practice. They include partnerships between the Iowa state archaeologist’s office and Tribal leaders to document sites and increase public understanding of Indigenous history, a project to protect ancient caves in the Central Valley of Oaxaca that aligned local development plans with national institutions, and efforts led by local residents to preserve and interpret the Malcolm X House. Collectively, these cases emphasize that cultural heritage should be shared by everyone and show that democratizing heritage production is a practical possibility.