Anthropology’s Ethical Dilemmas

Abstract

Anthropology has a long tradition of engagement, and every form of engagement poses dilemmas. This article discusses anthropological engagement with marginalized communities living in the midst of armed violence and examines the dilemmas posed by such engagement. Drawing on my long-term ethnographic research in the context of the ongoing Maoist insurgency and counterinsurgency in India, here I discuss anthropological positionings, ethics, and fieldwork practices in “fields under fire.” I reflect on the ethics of taking sides in a situation where my research participants were involved in a struggle for dignity and justice. Engagement in this context posed further ethical dilemmas since many of my research participants were members of an organization banned by the Indian state, and their struggle often took violent forms. While exploring the significance of undertaking a morally and politically engaged anthropology among vulnerable communities, I discuss the potential problems of identifying with and writing from the vantage point of a particular community and political practice.