1 Archaeologies of Political Ecology – Genealogies, Problems, and Orientations

The theoretical and methodological toolkits developed under political ecology have become increasingly relevant in current discussions of environmental impacts, sustainability, and inequality. We developed this volume to identify the unique perspectives that archaeologists offer to the field of political ecology. The archaeology of political ecology is founded on a long and diverse history focused on issues relating to environments, the human–nature relationship, ontology, property, power, and inequality. We outline this history to demonstrate that political ecology and archaeology inform one another through shared interests and research foci. More importantly, we highlight how the two fields can and do benefit through their partnership. Ultimately this volume serves as an invitation for interdisciplinary research that aims to better elucidate the complexities and nuances of human–environmental interaction.