Concerned Anthropologists or Scared Anthropologists?

Two petitions; one “actual”, one in sardonic rebuttal; are making the rounds concerning anthropology and the military.

We report, you decide.

First up, Network of Concerned Anthropologists:

Pledge of Non-participation in Counterinsurgency

We, the undersigned, believe that anthropologists should not engage in research and other activities that contribute to counterinsurgency operations in Iraq or in related theaters in the “war on terror.” Furthermore, we believe that anthropologists should refrain from directly assisting the US military in combat, be it through torture, interrogation, or tactical advice.

US military and intelligence agencies and military contractors have identified “cultural knowledge,” “ethnographic intelligence,” and “human terrain mapping” as essential to US-led military intervention in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.

Consequently, these agencies have mounted a drive to recruit professional anthropologists as employees and consultants. While often presented by its proponents as work that builds a more secure world, protects US soldiers on the battlefield, or promotes cross-cultural understanding, at base it contributes instead to a brutal war of occupation which has entailed massive casualties. By so doing, such work breaches relations of openness and trust with the people anthropologists work with around the world and, directly or indirectly, enables the occupation of one country by another. In addition, much of this work is covert. Anthropological support for such an enterprise is at odds with the humane ideals of our discipline as well as professional standards.

We are not all necessarily opposed to other forms of anthropological consulting for the state, or for the military, especially when such cooperation contributes to generally accepted humanitarian objectives. A variety of views exist among us, and the ethical issues are complex. Some feel that anthropologists can effectively brief diplomats or work with peacekeeping forces without compromising professional values. However, work that is covert, work that breaches relations of openness and trust with studied populations, and work that enables the occupation of one country by another violates professional standards.

Consequently, we pledge not to undertake research or other activities in support of counterinsurgency work in Iraq or in related theaters in the “war on terror,” and we appeal to colleagues everywhere to make the same commitment.

We encourage you to download this form and to collect signatures from your department, university, or other institution. Please include signature, name, title, and institutional affiliation. Send by mail to the Network of Concerned Anthropologists, c/o Dept. of Anthropology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, MS 3G5, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.

The founding members of the Network of Concerned Anthropologists include Catherine Besteman, Andrew Bickford, Greg Feldman, Gustaaf Houtman, Roberto Gonzalez, Hugh Gusterson, Jean Jackson, Kanhong Lin, Catherine Lutz, David Price, and David Vine.

Second up, Seriously Concerned Anthropologists for a Ridiculously Enfeebled Defense:

SCARED is a group of anthropologists that says emphatically, “Please don’t blow us up!” To terrorists and insurgents fighting the forces of freedom, we say this:

We are not your enemy and we refuse to help the US in its illegal war on terror! We know you are reasonable and that if we lie on our backs and do nothing, you will see us for the helpless little people that we are and not hurt us.

We, the undersigned, believe that anthropologists should not engage in research and other activities that contribute to counterinsurgency (COIN) operations in Iraq or in related theaters in the “war on terror.” While some people say COIN reduces the need for massive bombing that results in untold civilian casualties, we say we will not get our hands dirty even if it saves lives.

US military and intelligence agencies and military contractors have identified “cultural knowledge,” “ethnographic intelligence,” and “human terrain mapping” as essential to US-led military intervention in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East. We prefer that they remain hopelessly ignorant and ineffective, thereby dragging out the war on terror and multiplying the death count. Rather than instilling cultural understanding in US military operations, we prefer that soldiers in the battlefield never learn to distinguish ordinary peaceful Arab and Muslim culture from the death cult of suicide terror and insurgency.

Today’s US military practices the cultural imperialism that privileges some native peoples (the so-called “moderates”) at the expense of others (the so-called “terrorists”). But, as anthropologists, we know that such normative evaluations are inherently subjective and we refuse to abet such cultural hegemony. Rather than impose the normative American value structures (such as “freedom” and “democracy”) on foreign peoples, it is our responsibility to allow competing normative schemes (such as “fascism” and “theocracy”) to assert their normal roles in such societies without the interference of colonialist Western powers.

Consequently, we pledge not to undertake research or other activities in support of counterinsurgency work in Iraq or in related theaters in the “war on terror,” and we appeal to colleagues everywhere to make the same commitment. We are SCARED and we know that while the American government won’t kill us, the terrorists will! In that spirit, we raise the white flag NOW and beg for our lives.

If you are a “pansy” or find such masculine hetero-normative language to be deeply offensive, we encourage you to download this form and to collect signatures from your department, university, or other institution. Please include signature, name, title, and institutional affiliation. Send by mail to the Network of Concerned Anthropologists, c/o Dept. of Anthropology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, MS 3G5, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA. Or, if you are actually serious about this stuff, and believe this garbage, you can visit their real site at the Network of Concerned Anthropologists.

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News Link:

Army Enlists Anthropology in War Zones – David Rhode, New York Times

Blog Links:

From an Anthropological Perspective – Marcus B. Griffin, Ph.D

Anthropologists and the Military’s Human Terrain System – Ethnography

Anthropologists in Iraq – and Those in America Who Attack Them – Captain’s Journal

Anthropologist Join War Against Taliban – PrairiePundit

When Anthropology Gets Ugly (Updated) – Danger Room

When Anthropologists Go to War (Against the Military) – Danger Room

The Network of Certifiable Asshats – Ace of Spades HQ

Anthropology Departments Should Not Serve Political Action Purposes – Michasel Langbert

I Am Become, … Well, Something – Riehl World Vew

The Seriously SCARED Anthropologist – PrairiePundit

Discuss:

Anthropologists in Iraq – and Those in America Who Attack Them – Small Wars Council

Quotes:

We’re looking at this from a human perspective, from a social scientist’s perspective. We’re not focused on the enemy. We’re focused on bringing governance down to the people.

—COL Martin Schweitzer, Afghanistan

—Hugh Gusterson, George Mason University

—Dr. Montgomery McFate, Human Terrain Teams

You’ll notice that all these ideas for pledges and resolutions, etc. to ban certain kinds of work by social scientists rarely, if ever, are from people with actual experience in the field. Why? Well those of us in the Business / Government / Military end of anthropology are too busy actually DOING things.

—MarkD, Ethnography.com

Can’t shrink the Gap until you can accurately map its human terrain, designing connectivity that locals can accept.

—Tom Barnett