Background Articles
The Network of Concerned Anthropologists (NCA) is an independent ad hoc network of anthropologists seeking to promote an ethical anthropology. For more information, write us at concerned.anthropologists@gmail.com.
For recent media coverage about the pledge and anthropologists involved in counter-insurgency work, click here: Recent Media Coverage
Inside Higher Ed (2008). "A Pentagon Olive Branch to Academe," April 16. Access at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/04/16/minerva
David Vine (2007). "Enabling the Kill Chain," Chronicle of Higher Education, November 30, p. B9. Access at http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i14/14b00901.htm
David H. Price (2007). "Buying a Piece of
Anthropology, Part II: The CIA and Our Tortured Past." Anthropology
Today, vol. 23, no. 5. Access at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/anth/23/5
Roberto J. González (2007). "Patai and Abu Ghraib."
Anthropology Today, vol. 23, no. 5. Access at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/anth/23/5
David Rohde (2007). "Army Enlists Anthropologists in War Zones." New York Times October 5, p. A1. Access at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/05/world/asia/05afghan.html?em&ex=1191729600&en=4993ab9a6cbbf28b&ei=5087%0A.)
New York Times (2007). "Anthropologists in War Zones: Questions of Ethics." Letters to the editor, October 9-10. Access at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/opinion/lweb10anthropology.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Scott Canon (2007). "Anthropologists Debate Ethics of Working on War Effort." Kansas City Star, September 30. Access at http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/296822.html
Roberto J. González and David H. Price (2007). "When Anthropologists Become Counter-Insurgents." CounterPunch, September 28. Access at http://counterpunch.org/gonzalez09272007.html
Sharon Weinberger (2007). "When Anthropologists Go To War (Against the Military)." Danger Room-Wired Blog, September 19. Access at http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/09/when-anthropolo.html
David Glenn (2007). "Petitioners Urge Anthropologists to Stop Working with Pentagon in Iraq War." Chronicle of Higher Education News Blog, September 19. Access at http://chronicle.com/news/article/3063/petitioners-urge-anthropologists-to-stop-working-with-pentagon-in-iraq-war.)
Scott Peterson (2007). "US Army's Strategy in Afghanistan: Better Anthropology." Christian Science Monitor, September 7. Access at http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0907/p01s08-wosc.htm
Hugh Gusterson (2007). "Anthropologists and War: A Response to David Kilcullen." Anthropology Today vol. 23, no. 4. Download at Gusterson Response
Roberto J. González (2007). "Towards Mercenary Anthropology? US Counterinsurgency Field Manual 3-24 and the Military-Anthropology Complex." Anthropology Today vol. 23, no. 3. Download at Gonzalez AT
Roberto J. González (2008). "Human Terrain: Past, Present and Future Applications." Anthropology Today vol. 24, no. 1. Download at ht-at-gonzalez.pdf
David Kilcullen (2007). "Ethics, Politics, and Non-State Warfare: A Response to González." Anthropology Today vol. 23, no. 3. Access at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/anth/23/3
McFate, Montgomery (2007). "Building Bridges or Burning Heretics." Anthropology Today vol. 23, no. 3. Access at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/anth/23/3
David H. Price (2007). "Buying a Piece of Anthropology, Part I: Human Ecology and Unwitting Anthropological Research for the CIA." Anthropology Today, vol. 23, no. 3. Access at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/anth/23/3
David H. Price (2007). "Anthropology and the Wages of Secrecy." Anthropology News, March. Access at http://www.anthrosource.net/doi/abs/10.1525/an.2007.48.3.6
Roberto J. González (2007). "We Must Fight the Militarization of Anthropology." Chronicle of Higher Education, February 2. Download at gonzalez-militarization.doc.
Laura A. McNamara and Gustaaf Houtman. (2007).
"Culture, Critique and Credibility: Speaking Truth to Power during the
Long War." Anthropology Today vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 20-21. Access at
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8322.2006.00468.x
Fred Renzi (2006). “Networks: Terra Incognita and the Case for Ethnographic Intelligence.” Military Review Sept.-Oct.: 16-22. Access at http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/milreview/renzi.pdf
Gustaaf Houtman (2006). "Double or Quits." Anthropology
Today vol. 22, no. 6, pp. 1-3. Access at
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/action/showPdf?submitPDF=Full+Text+PDF+%28365+KB%29&doi=10.1111%2Fj.1467-8322.2006.00468.x
Phil Sooben (2006). "Double or Quits: A Response from the ESRC." Anthropology Today vol. 22, no. 6, p. 3. Access at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/action/showPdf?submitPDF=Full+Text+PDF+%28365+KB%29&doi=10.1111%2Fj.1467-8322.2006.00468.x
Hugh Gusterson and David Price (2005). "Spies in Our Midst." Anthropology News, September. Access at http://www.aaanet.org/press/an/infocus/prisp/gusterson.htm
Montgomery McFate (2005). “The Military Utility of Understanding Adversary Culture,” Joint Force Quarterly July: 42-48. Access at http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/jfq_pubs/1038.pdf
Montgomery McFate and Andrea Jackson (2005) "An Organizational Solution for DOD's Cultural Knowledge Needs," Military Review July-August: 18-21. Access at www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/milreview/mcfate2.pdf
David H. Price (2004). "'Like Slaves': Anthropological Notes on Occupation." CounterPunch, January 6. Access at http://www.counterpunch.org/price01062004.html
David H. Price (2002). "Lessons from Second World War Anthropology: Peripheral, Persuasive, and Ignored Contributions." Anthropology Today 18(3). Access at http://homepages.stmartin.edu/fac_staff/dprice/price-at-6-02-WWII.pdf
David H. Price (2002). "Present Dangers, Past Wars, Future Anthropologies." Anthropology Today 18(1). Access at http://homepages.stmartin.edu/fac_staff/dprice/price-at1.pdf
Franz Boas (1919). "Scientists as Spies." The Nation, October 16. Reprinted in Roberto J. González, ed. (2004) Anthropologists in the Public Sphere, pp. 23-25 . Austin: University of Texas Press. Access at http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=oHx0Mao7nnMC&oi=fnd&pg=PP15&dq=%22Gonz%C3%A1lez%22+%22Anthropologists+in+the+Public+Sphere:+Speaking+Out+on+...%22+&ots=UCB0JA566R&sig=Vip44oAqfru96AkXFFCKpzONZmA#PPA23,M1.)
Background from Related Disciplines
“Ethics Rebellion in Psychology.” Inside Higher Ed, October 12. Access at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/10/12/psych
Earlham College resolution: http://www.earlham.edu/publicaffairs/content/pressroom/archive/2007/october/psychdeptresolution.php
APA statement on psychologists’ participation in torture: http://www.apa.org/governanceresolutions/councilres0807.html