ETHICS IN ANTHROPOLOGY

Ethics In Anthropology• Who believes Whom?• What is considered Right?• Who’s Right?

Ethics

• Research carried out and settings within which anthropologists work raise moral questions about uses and abuses of our knowledge

• Any ideas as to why?

Ethics

• Early on in the discipline, anthro’s documented cultures that they assumed would disappear due to illness, war, colonialism, etc…

• After colonialism ended (~1960’s), anthro’s created a code of ethics to protect groups they studied.

• Why is protection needed?

Questions of Ethics:

• 1. Who will utilize anthropologists findings and for what purpose?• 2. Who decides what research

questions are asked and not asked?• 3. Who, if anyone, will profit from

this research?

Example:

• Research on ethnic/religious minority whose values may be at odds with dominant mainstream society.

• Will government or corporate interests use anthropologist’s data to suppress that group?

AND…

• Traditional communities around the world?

• 1. Who decides what changes should/should not be introduced for communities betterment?• 2. Who defines what constitutes betterment?

Community? Government? Organizations such as WHO?• 3. What are the limits of cultural relativism

when traditional practice is considered a human rights abuse worldwide?

Today in Anthropology

• Universities require anthropologists (just like other researchers) to communicate in advance the nature and potential impact of the planned study to individuals who provide information

• They must obtain informed consent (formal recorded agreement to participate in research)

• When informed consent is not obtainable:

• Protect identity of individual, family, or community by altering names of subjects and location

• EX: Anton Blok

• Studied the Sicilian Mafia and could not obtain consent (wonder why?)…Blok did not choose to disclose the identity of anybody studied…probably a good idea…for him.

Final Tally

• Anthropologists must do everything/anything in their power to ensure their research does not harm the safety, dignity, or privacy of the people with whom they work, conduct research, or perform other professional activities.

Consider the following:• 1. Do ancient remains belong to Anthropologists?

People living in the area? The finder?

• 2. Ancient remains are worth fortunes at times. How do we protect areas from looting? Or even worse, damage to the area?

Question of reflection

• Globalization has been called a “double- edged- sword”. How does it foster growth and destruction at the same time?