I received this book for review the day after the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol Building . To review such a book during such a time, and in the middle of a global pandemic when the impacts of violence and privilege have become increasingly visible, has been particularly enlightening and troubling.

Unlike most academic volumes that focus on violence—specifically, subjective or overt violence—this volume focuses on exposing and contextualizing objective forms of violence (structural and symbolic) and the imposition and sustainment of associated privilege in the past, and how their legacies remain with us to this day. In general, the volume attempts to position archaeology as a witness to what are often considered silent and invisible forms of violence. Though mainly focused on historical/industrial archaeology and materialism, the volume also contributes to sociology, urban anthropology, and Indigenous studies. While the introduction attempts to define and classify forms of violence for the reader, the topics covered in the seven body chapters are diverse. They deal with issues of colonialism and the colonial context, race and structural racism, class and labor history, and general theories of violence and their relationship to the practice of archaeology. The associated case studies cover parts of the United States (Southeast, Northeast, Southwest, Midwest), Central America (El Salvador and Guatemala), and South America (Peru). The contributors are academics (graduate students, professors of all levels of experience) and professionals, and their biographies are provided at the end of the volume (minus one).

The greatest strength of this edited collection, in my opinion, is the frank Commentary by LouAnn Wurst and the subsequent Forum response by the contributors. Together, these two parts serve to highlight the paradox of archaeology. They emphasize the importance and potential of archaeology to witness the history of objective violence and challenge narratives of power. Simultaneously, they attempt to confront the reality of the discipline itself (along with its practitioners) as trapped within systems of structural and symbolic violence that it helped build via mischaracterization, simplification, and reification of complex histories. Reinhard Bernbeck's chapter also tackles this paradox. He highlights how archaeology and the broader field of heritage and museum studies are part of the problem and how they can and should be part of the solution by bringing about an understanding of the genesis of violence and its scope and demonstrating the persistence of victims. The editors and authors acknowledge the weaknesses of the volume in terms of topics and regions left uncovered and attempt to work within the paradox above. There is some redundancy in content—mainly repetitious definitions across the book—and the individual chapters do not speak to one another (limited cross-referencing), but these weaknesses are minor.

Reading this book led me to question further the violence of my archaeological research process and intersubjective encounters at home and in the field, and how I have benefitted (my privilege) from the systems in which I operate. I will admit that my initial reactions were somewhat defensive, but these reactions and the associated emotions evolved dramatically throughout my reading of the book. Because of the evolution of responses I experienced, I would recommend this book for any practicing archaeologist or heritage specialist of any experience level. Parts are a bit jargon-laden and thus may be tricky to navigate for junior-level undergraduates. Still, the topic is so important, and the critical presentation of a complex discussion is vital. This volume would be ideal for senior seminar courses dealing with archaeology and society, violence, ethics, and related topics. It leaves you asking even more questions than when you started—in a good way—and forces you to rethink the topics you choose to examine and how you go about reviewing them, and from which particular positions of privilege and lived experience.