Exploring the Past, Participating in the Present, and Promoting Positive Futures Within the UK Prison System: Archaeology and Social Capital

This paper presents key outcomes from a 2024 research project that delivered a series of archaeology workshops led by a university lecturer in an adult male prison. Findings reveal that involvement in archaeology within prison settings fosters prosocial experiences and contributes to personal growth. Active participation in discussions and hands-on archaeological tasks helped participants develop both social and personal skills. The research emphasizes the value of including individuals from marginalized criminal contexts as active agents in their own learning and development. Evaluation of the course demonstrated significant benefits for participants, including improved confidence, teamwork, and engagement, underscoring the transformative potential of archaeology-based education in criminalized contexts. The authors argue therefore that such initiatives can play a crucial role in building human and social capital and, in doing so, begin to address the broader issue of prison education.