Decoupling ‘Open’ and ‘Ethical’ Archaeologies: Rethinking Deficits and Expertise for Ethical Public Participation in Archaeology and Heritage

Abstract

In this article I caution the assertions made in the 2018 volume of NAR on the future of archaeology that archaeology is well on its way to decolonising itself and that ‘open’ archaeologies that invite public participation and utilise new digital technologies are inherently ethical. I begin by critiquing the exclusively positive connotations of archaeology, digital technologies and public participation, before drawing on critiques of the ‘simple deficit model’ within science communication, which I argue are equally applicable to public archaeology. I use the ‘simple deficit model’ and a review of shifting perspectives on legitimate heritage expertise to lay the foundation for an archaeology that is both ‘open’ and ‘ethical’. I conclude that, as in science communication, such an archaeology requires archaeologists to develop more accurate understandings of both archaeology and publics.