The American Anthropological Association just drafted a statement against the US military’s Human Terrain System project. The HTS hires anthropologists to consult with military ground units to better understand the foreign cultures where they are stationed. So they can dispose of them more efficiently.
While I am being slightly tongue-in-cheek, I agree with the AAA’s position that mixing professional anthropologists into combat operations is not congruent with the profession’s core values. It also endangers field anthropologists who, you know, happen to not be spies. People like me.
Check out the AAA’s new blog to learn more about the HTS project.
