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FWIW, here's something about anthropologists and politics:Anthropologists Pledge Not to Help Fight Islamic Terrorists
There's a huge “fight” going on about this in the anthropology world. I'll try to find some links and post them if anyone's interested.
They should just strive to good science… what they find, if unbiased, will find it's own audience and be misinterpreted as the audience sees fit. 😮
That's true, Wally, in a perfect world. But the inner circle of academia elitism says otherwise. Anthropologists aren't supposed to help the military. It's unethical…or so they say. What they don't realize is helping the military means understanding another culture so they (the military)can be smarter and more efficient in fighting the war on terror and protecting the population. The ones who step out of the circle and go to Afghanistan or Iraq are being shunned by the mainy Leftist anthropologists.But isn't anthropology about getting out there in the field and not about sitting in one's office critisizing others?Good article Why Dr. Johnny won't goto war (small PDF)and here's the counter article: (Dr Tyrrell apparently ruffled some feathers)http://www.antropologi.info/blog/anthropology/anthropology.php?title=the_dangerous_militarisation_of_anthropo&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1And here's a blog site by an anthropologist in Iraq nowhttp://marcusgriffin.com/blog/
Ahem…didn't somebody say something about anthropologists in a thread over at NJO? Who was that? Oh it doesn't really matter, he was right though wasn't he? 😉
Sorry but we need to know about cultures. We can't make peace or war effectively with out this. These guys are nuts!I had a better post but hit the wrong key! Stuff!Wally
Ahem…didn't somebody say something about anthropologists in a thread over at NJO? Who was that? Oh it doesn't really matter, he was right though wasn't he? 😉
You were right when it comes to evolution and all that other garbage. but Social anthropologists are absolutely necessary in peacekeeping operations and for COIN strategy. It would be impossiblte to get the population on your side if you don't understand or know them.Wally, they're not crazies, we just never made the effort to understand their culture. We immediately and falsely label them as the bad guys.
Wally, they're not crazies, we just never made the effort to understand their culture. We immediately and falsely label them as the bad guys.
Understood; this is a point I saw made in the essay (now lost) about why we need to study history. Just that missing this point is nuts.
Then there's thisConcerned Anthropologists ;D
From Small Wars Journal Blog:?Desperate People with Limited Skills?by LTC John Nagl
In the current issue of ?Counterpunch?, anthropologist Dr. David Price continues his assault on social scientists assisting national efforts to succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan. This time he impugns the work of anthropologists who helped write Field Manual 3-24, the Counterinsurgency Field Manual that was published by the Army and Marine Corps in December 2006 and republished by the University of Chicago Press in July 2007.
Toynbe? Toys are Arnold? Can't remember, but he was impressive 50 or so years ago. History is that – a combination of looking backward, and wondering what we learned. Anthropoligists, socialogists – both good, as was pointed out somewhere else – looking at silly humans from slightly different perspectives. I hope we last, but the our study our faults is scarey, when conducted with honesty.
Ahem…didn't somebody say something about anthropologists in a thread over at NJO? Who was that? Oh it doesn't really matter, he was right though wasn't he? 😉
Yes you were. Anthropology is a bunch of psuedo science/sociology CRAP! I thought I'd enjoy this class, but the theories are garbage. Two more weeks and it's over!Google “cultural materialism” and you'll see what I mean.And about Margaret Mead's incredible status as an anthropologist and expert studies of Pacific culture: her subjects LIED to her and she used these lies to formulate her theories.
Ahem…didn't somebody say something about anthropologists in a thread over at NJO? Who was that? Oh it doesn't really matter, he was right though wasn't he? 😉
Yes you were. Anthropology is a bunch of psuedo science/sociology CRAP! I thought I'd enjoy this class, but the theories are garbage. Two more weeks and it's over!Google “cultural materialism” and you'll see what I mean.And about Margaret Mead's incredible status as an anthropologist and expert studies of Pacific culture: her subjects LIED to her and she used these lies to formulate her theories.
[Emperor Palpatine]Young fool only at the end do you finally understand.[/Emperor Palpatine] (I had to say that). :)Yes Anthropology is a pseudo-science and most of its theories are tainted with the social agendas of the Left. History>Anthropology by a country mile.
Even geography has it over anthropology. At least geography considers and understands the impact of religion. Anthro (esp. cultural materialism) views religions as a result of something instead of the other way around. That's wrong.
Funny….i have to get a paper done by today and for it I'm reading stuff from anthropologists who describe aspects of Mende (West African) society. You mentioned what is a limitation of anthropology, that the information passed to anthropologists might be fabricated. I imagine they're aware of this and take it into account (though I don't know enough about the field to know how they deal with it).I think anthropology has its place, even if it's only for raw data rather than for interpretation. It's important to know how societies function, and anthropologists can operate as the “eyes and ears” in this role.
