Anthropologists in Arms: The Ethics of Military Anthropology (Critical Issues in Anthropology) - Softcover

Lucas Jr., George R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0759112134 ISBN 13: 9780759112131

Publisher: AltaMira Press, 2009

Synopsis

Anthropologists in Arms traces the troubled history of social scientists' collaboration with national military, security, and intelligence organizations and analyzes the moral and ethical debates provoked by the rise of _military anthropology_particularly the practice of embedding anthropologists with combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

About this title

About the Author:

George R. Lucas, Jr. is professor of philosophy at the United States Naval Academy and Class of 1984 Distinguished Chair of Ethics in the Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership.

Review:

Anthropologists in Arms tackles an issue that couldn't be more timely. Even more so, it shines an informative light on the complex ethical and policy issues that surround military anthropology with both balance and good sense. (P. W. Singer, director, 21st Century Defense Initiative, The Brookings Institution; author of Wired for War)

Anthropologists in Arms is a clear-eyed, searching analysis of the complex ethical issues involved in anthropology's engagement with the military. A fascinating and accessible book, it is a signal achievement that is sure to raise the level of discussion within the discipline and become essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of anthropology. (Robert A. Rubinstein, professor of anthropology and international relations, Maxwell School of Syracuse University)

Anthropologists in Arms is a tremendous contribution to the emerging professional debate concerning the morality as well as the academic propriety of scientists and scholars working closely with the military in modern warfare. Set against the background of discord over the American invasion of Iraq, Guantanamo, and continuing war in Afghanistan, this is a must read not only for anthropologists, but also for other scientists, academics, and professional military officers. (Jeffrey McCausland, Colonel, US Army (retired); Senior Fellow, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs; former dean, Army War College)

Only on the rarest occasions can members of one learned profession criticize the practices of another. In this exquisitely careful and thoughtful book, philosopher Lucas examines the controversial connections between anthropologists and the military. His account of the moral problems is as insightful as his conclusions are balanced. (John Lachs, Vanderbilt University)

George Lucas is internationally recognized as one of the top scholars in the field of military ethics. His groundbreaking work on establishing the criteria for a just peace set the terms of the debate. With Anthropologists in Arms, Lucas applies hisethical expertise in a new arena, plunging into the relatively little-known world of military anthropology. He exposes the growing use of anthropologists by the U.S. government and military to help both policy makers and troops on the ground understand and more effectively interact with unfamiliar cultures and native populations in conflict regions. This raises a host of fascinating issues, relating not only to potential violations of professional values, but also more universal concerns about the appropriate roles and responsibilities of scholars and citizens. What is your obligation if you believe a particular military effort is unjustified, but you have specialized knowledge and skills that could prevent the situation on the ground from deterioratingeven further or help limit the scope of the damage (including the suffering of innocents)? Not shying away from controversy, Lucas addresses vital questions of conflicting moral duties, backing his conclusions with sound philosophical reasoning and carefu (Sharon French, professor of philosophy; director, Inamouri International Center for Ethics, Case Western Reserve University)

Anthropologists in Arms opens a new branch of the scholarly debates surrounding the 'engagement' of anthropologists in the military and national security sectors. Controversy has swirled around the ethical, professional, and political issues involved in the employment and deployment of anthropologists in the global war on terror, especially in regard to programs that embed social scientists with combat units as cultural intelligence advisors. However, the range of types of engagement, and thus the ethical and professional issues they raise, is not well-understood or evaluated. Lucas reviews critically the relevant history and debates in anthropology, and his collegial recommendations from a colleague in philosophy to anthropological professionals are of the utmost, urgent relevance. Engaging and pitch-perfect, Anthropologists in Arms is a thoughtful, sincere, and balanced treatment of past and present debates and a very important addition to the current literature. (Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban, Rhode Island College; author of Ethics and Anthropology)

George Lucas is internationally recognized as one of the top scholars in the field of military ethics. His groundbreaking work on establishing the criteria for a just peace set the terms of the debate. With Anthropologists in Arms, Lucas applies his ethical expertise in a new arena, plunging into the relatively little-known world of military anthropology. He exposes the growing use of anthropologists by the U.S. government and military to help both policy makers and troops on the ground understand and more effectively interact with unfamiliar cultures and native populations in conflict regions. This raises a host of fascinating issues, relating not only to potential violations of professional values, but also more universal concerns about the appropriate roles and responsibilities of scholars and citizens. What is your obligation if you believe a particular military effort is unjustified, but you have specialized knowledge and skills that could prevent the situation on the ground from deteriorating even further or help limit the scope of the damage (including the suffering of innocents)? Not shying away from controversy, Lucas addresses vital questions of conflicting moral duties, backing his conclusions with sound philosophical reasoning and careful research. He then offers practical solutions to guide future policy. This is an important book that should be read and discussed not only by anthropologists and other academics but widely within government, the military, and NGO communities. (Sharon French, professor of philosophy; director, Inamouri International Center for Ethics, Case Western Reserve University)

George Lucas... dares to step into this politically radioactive territory to explain some of the reasons why so many academics are up in arms. (Juliana Geran Pilon, 2009 International Journal Of Intelligence Ethics)

This closely and elegantly reasoned work should be read by (and will disturb the opinions of) many anthropologists and even a few philosophers.... Highly Recommended. (CHOICE, July 2010)

In this process he helps to widen the universe of discussion by encouraging us collectively to scrutinize the basic assumptions underlying our sense of our moral responsibilities: as anthropologists, social scientists, citizens, and as human beings. For this work, Lucas should be commended. (Collaborative Anthropologies)

About this edition

• Publisher: AltaMira Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0759112134
• ISBN 13: 9780759112131
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 246