‘In our blood’: Archaeology and ‘indigeneity’ in the British National Party’s magazine Identity

This paper presents the first diachronic analysis of the appropriation of archaeological themes in British far-right politics, focusing on the British National Party’s publication Identity from 2000 to 2009. By examining how scientific archaeological data has been manipulated to promote racist politics, this research shows how archaeological expertise can be mobilized in service of what Fortier terms ‘genetic indigenisation’ (2011: 170). The study reveals continuities between the BNP’s rhetoric and contemporary far-right groups, particularly in the manipulation of archaeological and ancient DNA research. Set against the backdrop of recent anti-immigration protests and extremist violence in the UK in 2024, this research highlights archaeology’s vulnerability to misuse and challenges assumptions about anti-expert discourse in far-right spaces. This demonstrates that academic knowledge can be selectively assembled to support contemporary nationalist agendas. This paper contributes to broader a broader understanding of far-right exploitation of heritage and argues for greater scrutiny of archaeology's role in political discourse.