Conflict

Abstract

Abstract Chapter 7 discusses conflict and the wicked implications that this has for those affected by it. It emphasises the dilemma of the need to address post-war reconstruction versus the need to support people in other ways, particularly those displaced by conflict. The chapter discusses how archaeologists are well placed to deal with heritage related to conflict because of their deep-time perspective and the social emphasis that their work entails. The chapter defines types of conflict and how heritage organizations have engaged with its implications. The work of scholars who have addressed conflict as a wicked problem is discussed along with examples of ways that conflict sites have been recognized as heritage sites. Examples are presented of small wins whereby archaeological or heritage projects have helpfully engaged with the repercussions of conflicts in a variety of ways. The closing example concerns refugees and how archaeologists have engaged with these communities to support their well-being.