This completely revised second edition of Contemporary Archaeology in Theory challenges the traditional boundaries between prehistoric and historical archaeologies, as well as those between time, space, things, and people. Essays by a distinguished group of archaeologists outline the emergence of a socially conscious archaeology by addressing the material mediation of contemporary social problems such as colonialism, industrialism, racialization, and globalization. Contemporary Archaeology in Theory: The New Pragmatism investigates the gradual incorporation of questions of identity, meaning, agency, and practice alongside those of system, process, and structure. This new edition is an essential reader for students and a thought-provoking assessment of the field for all archaeologists, indigenous peoples, and the concerned lay public.