TY - JOUR A1 - Näser, C JF - Journal of Social Archaeology PB - SAGE Publications VL - 19 SP - 379 N2 - There is a dearth of studies on intercultural dynamics in Southwest Asian and North African archaeology, not least since conventional narratives assert that present-day majority Muslim communities in these regions are not interested in the pre-Islamic past. In this paper I argue that, despite seemingly overcoming such positions, collaborative projects may actually exacerbate them through perceiving local communities as deficient, in need of being taught and re-united with ?their? heritage. Using data from two current projects in Sudan, I explore actual motivations of local publics to engage with the archaeologically approachable past and the interests they voice vis-à-vis archaeological heritage. I suggest that emphasizing these dimensions effects a shift in how nonarchaeological partners in collaborative projects are conceptualized. This opens new ground for engagement, as changing perceptions impact on interactions and, in consequence, power relations between protagonists. ID - discovery10079819 UR - https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1469605319867194 Y1 - 2019/10/01/ KW - Community engagement KW - collaborative archaeology KW - visitor survey KW - majority Muslim societies KW - pre-Islamic past KW - Sudan KW - Egypt KW - Nile valley N1 - This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher?s terms and conditions. IS - 3 EP - 402 TI - Exploring attitudes towards the archaeological past: Two case studies from majority Muslim communities in the Nile valley AV - public ER -