In the mid 2000’s a U.S. military program, reminiscent of the Vietnam pacification program CORDS, was conceptualized. The program, named the Human Terrain System (HTS), was designed to aid the United States military in conducting counterinsurgency efforts with the help of social scientists. Many anthropologists were hired as part of the HTS program in order to bridge the cultural gap between American soldiers and the inhabitants of the Middle Eastern countries that the United States was occupying. The program raised many controversies among social scientists, as many believed the program’s goals and methods to be unethical. Although the stated goals of the HTS program seem noble on a surface level, upon closer examination it becomes apparent that the HTS violates several of the ethical guidelines set forth by the American Anthropological Association.
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One of the core principles established by the AAA is that of “Do No Harm.” Given that anthropology is a science dealing with quite possibly the most complex creatures on the planet (humans), it is imperative for researchers to seek to do as little damage to their research subjects as possible. Researchers must be cognizant of their work’s impact at all times. Anthropology is also often viewed as a “peacekeeping” effort – cultural understanding is essential to minimizing conflict between different peoples. In contradiction, the HTS uses its enlisted social scientists to share cultural knowledge of the Middle Eastern cultures with the military in order to more efficiently carry out counterinsurgency efforts. This manipulation of culture effectively “weaponizes” anthropology, going against the very essence of what the science hopes to
One of the core principles established by the AAA is that of “Do No Harm.” Given that anthropology is a science dealing with quite possibly the most complex creatures on the planet (humans), it is imperative for researchers to seek to do as little damage to their research subjects as possible. Researchers must be cognizant of their work’s impact at all times. Anthropology is also often viewed as a “peacekeeping” effort – cultural understanding is essential to minimizing conflict between different peoples. In contradiction, the HTS uses its enlisted social scientists to share cultural knowledge of the Middle Eastern cultures with the military in order to more efficiently carry out counterinsurgency efforts. This manipulation of culture effectively “weaponizes” anthropology, going against the very essence of what the science hopes to