Addressing some of the most contentious issues in the pursuit of archaeology and anthropology today, Conflict in the Archaeology of Living Traditions calls into question the traditional, and sometimes difficult, relationship between Western scholars and the contemporary cultures and peoples they study.

The book discusses various issues: the models and concepts of evolution, the selectivity of what is rated "worthwhile" for purposes of academic study, and the profound disturbance of indigenous cultures by the exhumation and reburial of human skeletons for research. The book brings together new insights from professional scientists as well as indigenous contributors, providing a worldwide range of studies dealing with these problems.