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Ethics in Anthropological Ethics in Anthropological FieldworkFieldwork

Case StudiesCase Studies

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CASE 1CASE 1 TERRY KELLY (PSEUDONYM) RECEIVED A NIMH TERRY KELLY (PSEUDONYM) RECEIVED A NIMH

GRANT FOR RESEARCH IN THE WESTERN GRANT FOR RESEARCH IN THE WESTERN TROPICS. AS PART OF HER PERSONAL GEAR, TROPICS. AS PART OF HER PERSONAL GEAR, SHE TOOK ALONG A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SHE TOOK ALONG A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MEDICATION WHICH HER PHYSICIAN HAD MEDICATION WHICH HER PHYSICIAN HAD PRESCRIBED FOR USE, SHOULD SHE FIND PRESCRIBED FOR USE, SHOULD SHE FIND HERSELF IN A MALARIA REGION. AFTER HERSELF IN A MALARIA REGION. AFTER SETTLING INTO A VILLAGE, KELLY BECAME SETTLING INTO A VILLAGE, KELLY BECAME AWARE THAT MANY OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE WERE AWARE THAT MANY OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE WERE QUITE ILL WITH MALARIA.QUITE ILL WITH MALARIA.

KELLY’S DILEMMA: SINCE SHE HAD A LARGE KELLY’S DILEMMA: SINCE SHE HAD A LARGE SUPPLY OF MEDICATION, MORE THAN SHE SUPPLY OF MEDICATION, MORE THAN SHE NEEDED FOR HER PERSONAL USE, SHOULD SHE NEEDED FOR HER PERSONAL USE, SHOULD SHE DISTRIBUTE THE SURPLUS TO HER HOSTS?DISTRIBUTE THE SURPLUS TO HER HOSTS?

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CASE 2CASE 2 JERRY VAUGHN (PSEUDONYM) CONTRACTED WITH A FEDERAL JERRY VAUGHN (PSEUDONYM) CONTRACTED WITH A FEDERAL

AGENCY TO CONDUCT A SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF AGENCY TO CONDUCT A SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF PROPOSED CHANGES IN AN INDIGENOUS REGION OF NORTH PROPOSED CHANGES IN AN INDIGENOUS REGION OF NORTH AMERICA. THE CONTRACT CONTAINED NO STIPULATIONS AMERICA. THE CONTRACT CONTAINED NO STIPULATIONS REGARDING OWNERSHIP OF DATA. IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE REGARDING OWNERSHIP OF DATA. IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE CULTURE, VAUGHN ENGAGED IN POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE CULTURE, VAUGHN ENGAGED IN PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION, KEPT DETAILED FIELD NOTES, PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION, KEPT DETAILED FIELD NOTES, CONDUCTED IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS, AND TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS OF CONDUCTED IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS, AND TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS OF PEOPLE WORKING, AND ENGAGING IN EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES. PEOPLE WORKING, AND ENGAGING IN EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES.

VAUGHN WAS PAID 75% OF HIS CONTRACTED SALARY BEFORE VAUGHN WAS PAID 75% OF HIS CONTRACTED SALARY BEFORE THE FIELDWORK. VAUGHN THEN WROTE A DETAILED REPORT OF THE FIELDWORK. VAUGHN THEN WROTE A DETAILED REPORT OF POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS IF THE PLANS WERE IMPLEMENTED POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS IF THE PLANS WERE IMPLEMENTED AND CONCLUDED THAT THE CULTURE WOULD BE TOTALLY AND CONCLUDED THAT THE CULTURE WOULD BE TOTALLY ALTERED. THE AGENCY DIRECTOR INSTRUCTED VAUGHN TO ALTERED. THE AGENCY DIRECTOR INSTRUCTED VAUGHN TO TURN OVER HIS ENTIRE RESEARCH RECORD SO IT COULD SOLICIT TURN OVER HIS ENTIRE RESEARCH RECORD SO IT COULD SOLICIT ANOTHER OPINION ON THE MATTER. UNLESS HE TURNED OVER ANOTHER OPINION ON THE MATTER. UNLESS HE TURNED OVER HIS RECORD, NO FUTHER PAYMENT WOULD BE MADE TO HIM.HIS RECORD, NO FUTHER PAYMENT WOULD BE MADE TO HIM.

VAUGHN’S DILEMMA: SHOULD HE TURN OVER THE INTERVIEW VAUGHN’S DILEMMA: SHOULD HE TURN OVER THE INTERVIEW MATERIALS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND FIELD NOTES, WHICH MATERIALS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND FIELD NOTES, WHICH CONTAINED SENSITIVE AND PERSONAL INFORMATION, OR SHOULD CONTAINED SENSITIVE AND PERSONAL INFORMATION, OR SHOULD HE TURN OVER ONLY PART OF HIS RECORD, OR SHOULD HE HE TURN OVER ONLY PART OF HIS RECORD, OR SHOULD HE REFUSE TO TURN ANYTHING OVER TO THE AGENCY?REFUSE TO TURN ANYTHING OVER TO THE AGENCY?

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CASE 3CASE 3 MARY THOMPSON (PSEUDONYM) WAS CONDUCTING FEILDWORK MARY THOMPSON (PSEUDONYM) WAS CONDUCTING FEILDWORK

IN A SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY. HER HOUSE WAS LOCATED IN A SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY. HER HOUSE WAS LOCATED ON THE EDGE OF THE VILLAGE PLAZA ALLOWING HER TO READILY ON THE EDGE OF THE VILLAGE PLAZA ALLOWING HER TO READILY OBSERVE DAILY ACTIVITIES.OBSERVE DAILY ACTIVITIES.

ONE NIGHT, THOMPSON WAS DISTRACTED BY A LOUD ONE NIGHT, THOMPSON WAS DISTRACTED BY A LOUD ARGUMENT OUTSIDE HER HOUSE. JUST AS SHE STEPPED FROM ARGUMENT OUTSIDE HER HOUSE. JUST AS SHE STEPPED FROM HER DOORWAY, SHE SAW A MAN RAISE HIS MACHETE AND HER DOORWAY, SHE SAW A MAN RAISE HIS MACHETE AND DELIVER A DEADLY BLOW TO ANOTHER MAN IN THE GROUP. DELIVER A DEADLY BLOW TO ANOTHER MAN IN THE GROUP. STUNNED SILENCE FELL OVER THE MEN AS THEY WATCHED THEIR STUNNED SILENCE FELL OVER THE MEN AS THEY WATCHED THEIR COMPANION BLEED TO DEATH. PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COMPANION BLEED TO DEATH. PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE CRIED AND WAILED OVER THE DEATH. THE NEXT DAY, VILLAGE CRIED AND WAILED OVER THE DEATH. THE NEXT DAY, THE FAMILY BURIED THE DEAD MAN. THE FAMILY ALLOWED THE THE FAMILY BURIED THE DEAD MAN. THE FAMILY ALLOWED THE MAN WHO DEALT THE DEADLY BLOW TO MAKE A DEATH PAYMENT. MAN WHO DEALT THE DEADLY BLOW TO MAKE A DEATH PAYMENT. TWO DAYS LATER, THREE POLICEMEN CAME TO THE VILLAGE, IN TWO DAYS LATER, THREE POLICEMEN CAME TO THE VILLAGE, IN AN EFFORT TO ARREST THE MURDERER AND TO REDUCE BLOOD AN EFFORT TO ARREST THE MURDERER AND TO REDUCE BLOOD FEUDS. THEY BEGAN QUESTIONING THE VILLAGERS. THOMPSON FEUDS. THEY BEGAN QUESTIONING THE VILLAGERS. THOMPSON HAD WRITTEN A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE KILLING IN A HAD WRITTEN A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE KILLING IN A NOTEBOOK THAT CONTAINED ALL HER FIELD NOTES.NOTEBOOK THAT CONTAINED ALL HER FIELD NOTES.

THOMPSON’S DILEMMA: 1. SINCE SHE KNOWS THE POLICE WILL THOMPSON’S DILEMMA: 1. SINCE SHE KNOWS THE POLICE WILL QUESTION HER, SHOULD SHE QUICKLY TEAR OUT AND DESTROY QUESTION HER, SHOULD SHE QUICKLY TEAR OUT AND DESTROY THE PAGES IN HER NOTEBOOK WHERE THE MURDER WAS THE PAGES IN HER NOTEBOOK WHERE THE MURDER WAS RECORDED? 2. WHEN QUESTIONED BY THE POLICE, SHOULD SHE RECORDED? 2. WHEN QUESTIONED BY THE POLICE, SHOULD SHE PLEAD IGNORANCE CONCERNING THE KILLING?PLEAD IGNORANCE CONCERNING THE KILLING?

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CASE 4CASE 4 MIRA WALTON (PSEUDONYM) SPENT 2 YEARS IN MELANESIA MIRA WALTON (PSEUDONYM) SPENT 2 YEARS IN MELANESIA

CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN A RURAL VILLAGE. SHE RETURNED TO CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN A RURAL VILLAGE. SHE RETURNED TO THE U.S. AND WROTE AN ETHNOGRAPHY IN WHICH SHE DESCRIBED THE U.S. AND WROTE AN ETHNOGRAPHY IN WHICH SHE DESCRIBED VILLAGE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT IN DETAIL (BROKEN MARRIAGE VILLAGE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT IN DETAIL (BROKEN MARRIAGE CONTRACTS, ENCROACHMENT ON NEIGHBORS’ LANDS, THEFT, CONTRACTS, ENCROACHMENT ON NEIGHBORS’ LANDS, THEFT, MISMANAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, FAMILY FEUDS, MISMANAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, FAMILY FEUDS, AND BLOOD-FEUDS). TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE, AND BLOOD-FEUDS). TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE, WALTON USED PSEUDONYMS FOR THE VILLAGE AND INDIVIDUALS WALTON USED PSEUDONYMS FOR THE VILLAGE AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THE ETHNOGRAPHY.MENTIONED IN THE ETHNOGRAPHY. SHE RETURNED TO THE COMMUNITY, TAKING ALONG COPIES OF SHE RETURNED TO THE COMMUNITY, TAKING ALONG COPIES OF

THE BOOK. SINCE MANY PEOPLE WERE LITERATE, THEY READ HER THE BOOK. SINCE MANY PEOPLE WERE LITERATE, THEY READ HER BOOK. WALTON RECEIVED PERMISSION TO CONDUCT FURTHER BOOK. WALTON RECEIVED PERMISSION TO CONDUCT FURTHER RESEARCH. SHE WAS CALLED TO A VILLAGE MEETING. VILLAGE RESEARCH. SHE WAS CALLED TO A VILLAGE MEETING. VILLAGE ELDERS TOLD HER THAT SHE HAD DONE AN ACCURATE JOB OF ELDERS TOLD HER THAT SHE HAD DONE AN ACCURATE JOB OF DESCRIBING DISPUTE SETTLEMENT AND VILLAGE POLITICAL DESCRIBING DISPUTE SETTLEMENT AND VILLAGE POLITICAL STRUCTURE, BUT HAD GOTTEN THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE AND STRUCTURE, BUT HAD GOTTEN THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE AND NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE DISPUTES WRONG. NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE DISPUTES WRONG. PEOPLE AT THE MEETING INSISTED THAT IN THE NEXT BOOK SHE PEOPLE AT THE MEETING INSISTED THAT IN THE NEXT BOOK SHE SHOULD USE THE CORRECT NAMES. SHOULD USE THE CORRECT NAMES. WALTON’S DILELMMA: GIVEN THAT THE COMMUNITY EXPECTED WALTON’S DILELMMA: GIVEN THAT THE COMMUNITY EXPECTED

HER TO PUBLISH THIS NEW BOOK, SHOULD SHE (1) DEFER TO THE HER TO PUBLISH THIS NEW BOOK, SHOULD SHE (1) DEFER TO THE VILLAGERS’ INSISTANCE THAT SHE PUBLISH THE CORRECT NAME OF VILLAGERS’ INSISTANCE THAT SHE PUBLISH THE CORRECT NAME OF THE VILLAGE AND THE CORRECT NAMES OF VILLAGERS? OR (2) THE VILLAGE AND THE CORRECT NAMES OF VILLAGERS? OR (2) SHOULD SHE RELY ON THE AAA PRICIPLES OF PROFESSIONAL SHOULD SHE RELY ON THE AAA PRICIPLES OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND USE PSEUDONYMS IN THE NEW BOOK?RESPONSIBILITY AND USE PSEUDONYMS IN THE NEW BOOK?

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CASE 5CASE 5 GEORGE PHILIPS (PSEUDONYM) CONDUCTED FIELDWORK GEORGE PHILIPS (PSEUDONYM) CONDUCTED FIELDWORK

IN SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. AS IN SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. AS PHILIPS BECAME ACCEPTED IN THESE COMMUNITIES, HE PHILIPS BECAME ACCEPTED IN THESE COMMUNITIES, HE WAS FREQUENTLY INVITED INTO PEOPLES’ HOMES WHERE WAS FREQUENTLY INVITED INTO PEOPLES’ HOMES WHERE CONVERSATIONS REVEALED THAT FREQUENT ABORTIONS CONVERSATIONS REVEALED THAT FREQUENT ABORTIONS WERE BEING PERFORMED ON LOCAL WOMEN. HE LEARNED WERE BEING PERFORMED ON LOCAL WOMEN. HE LEARNED THAT THE GOVERNMENT POSITION ON POPULATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT POSITION ON POPULATION CONTROL, COUPLED WITH AN INADEQUATE ACCESS TO CONTROL, COUPLED WITH AN INADEQUATE ACCESS TO BIRTH CONTROL AND LACK OF SEX EDUCATION, WAS BIRTH CONTROL AND LACK OF SEX EDUCATION, WAS CONTRIBUTING TO THE AUTHORITIES’ DECISION TO CONTRIBUTING TO THE AUTHORITIES’ DECISION TO TERMINATE PREGNANCIES. PHILIPS LEARNED THAT SOME TERMINATE PREGNANCIES. PHILIPS LEARNED THAT SOME ABORTIONS WERE BEING PERFORMED AS LATE AS EIGHT ABORTIONS WERE BEING PERFORMED AS LATE AS EIGHT AND ONE-HALF MONTHS.AND ONE-HALF MONTHS.

PHILIPS’ DILEMMA: SHOULD PHILIPS CALL ATTENTION TO PHILIPS’ DILEMMA: SHOULD PHILIPS CALL ATTENTION TO THE PRACTICE OF FORCED ABORTION?THE PRACTICE OF FORCED ABORTION?

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BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

1919 1919 FRANZ BOASFRANZ BOAS PUBLISHED HIS PUBLISHED HIS OUTRAGE AGAINST 4 OUTRAGE AGAINST 4 ANTHROPOLOGISTS ANTHROPOLOGISTS ENGAGED IN ENGAGED IN INTELLEGENCE INTELLEGENCE GATHERING DURING GATHERING DURING WARTIMEWARTIME

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THE NATIONTHE NATION

““A person who uses science as A person who uses science as a cover for political spying, who a cover for political spying, who demeans himself to pose before demeans himself to pose before a foreign government as an a foreign government as an investigator, under this cloak, investigator, under this cloak, prostitutes science in an prostitutes science in an unpardonable way and forfeits unpardonable way and forfeits the right to be classed as a the right to be classed as a scientist.”scientist.”

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BOAS FOUNDED THE AAA, BUT WAS BOAS FOUNDED THE AAA, BUT WAS THE ONLY ANTHROPOLOGIST EVER THE ONLY ANTHROPOLOGIST EVER CENSURED BY THE AAA EXECUTIVE CENSURED BY THE AAA EXECUTIVE COUNCILCOUNCIL

THE ISSUE RE-EMERGED 50 YEARS THE ISSUE RE-EMERGED 50 YEARS LATERLATER

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PROJECT CAMELOT (1964)PROJECT CAMELOT (1964): : A TURNING POINTA TURNING POINT

CARRIED OUT BY DEPT. OF ARMYCARRIED OUT BY DEPT. OF ARMY

TO CONTAIN COUNTER-TO CONTAIN COUNTER-INSURGENCY & REVOLUTION IN INSURGENCY & REVOLUTION IN LATIN AMERICALATIN AMERICA

A CHILEAN SOCIAL SCIENTIST A CHILEAN SOCIAL SCIENTIST PROTESTEDPROTESTEDSOCIAL SCIENCES ADDRESSED ETHICAL SOCIAL SCIENCES ADDRESSED ETHICAL ISSUES, ADOPTED CODES OF ETHICSISSUES, ADOPTED CODES OF ETHICS

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CAMELOT FORCED ANTHROPOLOGY TO CAMELOT FORCED ANTHROPOLOGY TO TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT ITSELFTAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT ITSELF

THIS FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE WAS THIS FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE WAS EXPRESSED IN THE 1967 PRINCIPLES OF EXPRESSED IN THE 1967 PRINCIPLES OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITYPROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITYhttp://www.aaanet.org/stmts/ethstmnt.htm

50 YEARS LATER, BOAS WAS 50 YEARS LATER, BOAS WAS EXHONORATEDEXHONORATED

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2009 AAA Newsletter

Ethics issues continue…Vietnam War (1967-73)

Anthropologists involved in counterinsurgency

Call for a new Code in 19711984 Code revision (applied anthropology)

Clandestine research removed

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2009 AAA Approves a New Code

In 2007 Terence Turner sought to reintroduce the ban on clandestine research from the 1971 Code of EthicsIn the 2009 Code, “classified” research is not allowed, but that depends on what “classified” meansRoberto J González and Hugh Gusterson: Many argue that the AAA should not have a grievance procedure for investigating potential ethics violations, but shouldn’t there be some sort of response when actions clearly defy the association and its interpretation of ethical obligations?

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Life is Full of Hard Choices

Janet Levy: 1998 Adjudication/sanctions removed

Definition: Diversity—how to define violations?

Does not license anthropolgists—no means to sanction

Work LoadLiability

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An Educational Model

Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban

Dilemmas debated among students

An educational model shifts the responsibility for ethical conduct to the individual anthropologist

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Anthropologists & Military Engagement

Ian Harper:In other nations of the global south the government is a leading employer of anthropologists and collaboration with the government is routineRe: counterinsurgency--“When does professional expertise cease to be expertise and move into the shadowy area of collaboration?”

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Comparing Ethics Codes

Rena Lederman:Participant Observation vs. Sociology

Disguised observation & informed consent

Psychology experiments & disclosure of aims (deception & debriefing)

APA forbids deception unless justified by significant scientific, educational, or applied value

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The Ethics of Organs-Trafficking Research

Nancy Scheper-Hughes: Organs Watch ProjectHow do you ask permission to study illegal and criminal behavior? IRB exemption to document illegal traffic in human organs

Posed as donor seeker to Turkish organ traffickersInterviewed poor who sold kidneys out of need of money

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Scheper-Hughes:

“All the rules of fieldwork practice and ethics seemed inadequate”“In posing as a kidney buyer in order to understand the misery that prompts a person to bargain over the value of his kidney—I was complicit in the behavior”“Anthropologists are not detectives, and we are trained to hold anthropologist–informant relations as a sacred trust. But surely this does not mean that one has to be a bystander to international crimes against vulnerable populations”