2007 Cultures of Contact, Cultures of Conflict? Identity

Contemporary implications and memories of ‘colonial ’ entanglements vary wildly and remain contested in historical, political, economic, and popular understandings of the past. In Northern Ireland, present-day identities remain rooted in dichotomous understandings of the impact of British expansion in the 16th and 17th centuries. Heritage sites are invariably implicated in the construction and maintenance of the remembered histories that reify these contemporary identities. Employing case studies from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, the potential of a critical, inclusive archaeology to positively impact upon a divided society is considered, along with the ethical implications of acknowledging and challenging historical narratives. Incorporated is an analysis of how professional archaeologists make decisions about inclusivity and exclusivity, as well as a critique of the simplistic application of postcolonial theoretical approaches to analyses of the convoluted history of Anglo-Irish relations in the early modern and modern periods