Editorial

This issue of Public Archaeology presents three papers related to the complex relationship between archaeology and sustainable development, all centred on the American continent but adopting different perspectives. In the first paper, Agathe Dupeyron introduces the concepts of development and sustainability, and discusses the role that archaeology, and public archaeology in particular, can have in complementing efforts for development ventures. While potential economic, social, and environmental benefits can be harnessed, archaeology alone does not guarantee success, as argued also by P. Gould (2018). In this paper, Dupeyron analyses some of the elements that led to unsuccessful experiences, advocating for rigorous monitoring and evaluation frameworks which consider the interconnections between different impacts, often lacking in developing countries (and also in some Western countries: see Ripanti, 2019). Participatory evaluation methods, which are often utilized in the context of public archaeology and are in line with the ethos of such projects, could provide monitoring frameworks capable of adapting to the different and changing conditions of each country. Claire Novotny gives a practical example of the challenges that international cooperation can encounter, in the second paper of this issue. The author draws from her personal experience in Belize to highlight power imbalances between different stakeholders over the control of the past. While the local communities should be ‘natural’ stakeholders, Novotny’s experience shows that community archaeology initiatives can sometimes be looked at with hesitation both by those who are in charge of the management of archaeological sites and by the communities themselves, which obviously include different views. Alongside achieving scientific outcomes, the Aguacate Community Archaeology Project empowered the local community to use the site primarily for their own benefit and priorities (identified in that case with the need for a leisure space for local families to enjoy). The paper showcases the complexity of the negotiations that the team had to establish with different stakeholders. This element should be taken into account by funders of archaeology projects abroad: on one hand, the time and costs to build relationships and networks should be recognized; on the other hand, the efforts of building these networks should be supported by long-term funding projects (in contrast to the vast majority of funding streams which privilege short-term projects). Claire Novotny concludes her paper with reflections on post(?)-colonial archaeology, and the role that archaeologists can have in mediating public archaeology, Vol. 19 Nos. 1–4, February–November 2020, 1–2