Any examples of ethnographer interference?

Question

I'm trying to write a paper about objectivity in anthropology and interference by the ethnographers. What I'm getting at is that we shouldn't be interfering in other cultures rituals or beliefs. For example, someone is doing their fieldwork and objects to the way that the culture treats their children, they don't have the right to interfere, because how do we know whats best for them. Anyways, does anyone know of some good anthropological articles that I can use in my research? Either for or against interference, or even some key words to use in search engines would be helpful. Thanks!

Answer 1

I personally do not agree that an anthropologist should not interfere. The classical position of neutral observer is not taken for granted anymore. Yet I agree that there is a very thin line between being judgemental about someone else's culture and taking a humanistic position. The situations are often very complex and it is not easy to be on either side.

You can perhaps read,

Ruth Behar's

Vulnerable observer, where if I rememeber correctly she describes how an obsever is vulnerable and no longer can distance himself from the concerns of his subjects.

Answer 2

An ethnographer can spread diseases due to his own antibodies and the lack of antibodies in his subjects.

Answer 3

there is a classic story of an ethnographer in the PNG highlands, who knew some of his subjects were going to murder members of another family, i think they were accused of witchcraft against someone.  anyway, this ethnographer decided not tointervene and sat by why these people were macheted to death a few houses down.  it brings up the classis question of cultural positivism.  should you remain impassive?  however, by being there in the first place, by providing an audience, the ethnographer is always affecting the situation.  noone knows really anthropologically speaking whether this man did the right thing or not.

have a look at this article on the ethnographer's dilemma

Answer 4

Try

http://orangemcm.wordpress.com/tag/ethno...

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/m...

http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0161-95...

Good luck :)