Ngoc Nguyen

ANT 10000-13

Dr. Steve J. Dasovich

30 January 2014

Article 47: Army Enlists Anthropology in War Zone

Question 2: Why do many anthropologists object to using anthropologists in military operations?

Many anthropologists object to using anthropologists in military operations because, in

their perspective, using anthropologists in war zone is unethical. In the anthropologists

associations Code of Ethic, anthropologists are defined to not do any harm to the subjects that

they research. The collaboration between anthropologists and military operation violates this

fundamental principle of the association.

Question 4: Is it ethical for professional anthropologists to work in combat operations?

Nowadays, the application of high level technology can be found in almost every aspect of

life, and national security is one of the most focused aspects. People toward the world without war.

However, sometimes, conflicts between countries cannot be solved, and war is inevitable to

practice justice. Therefore, reducing the destructions of war should be taken to be the most

important commission of the countries that are in the war, and enlisting anthropologists to use the
anthropology technique can be one of the best solutions. With the anthropologists knowledge

about people and cultures, they can help to devise a better strategy, such as understanding their

people, cultures, and countries might find out their conflicts to help solving and to lead to the peace

agreement between countries, so that the military operations do not have to use the army, except

for compulsive cases. In the way of using this safer weapon, the governments can protect many

of their soldieries from risking their lives and can save a lot of money putting in war to use in other

aspects. The anthropologists knowledge also gives them the power of using words and soft taking

to convince and pursue people. Once people understand each other, they do not have to kill many

of them, indeed it might create the harmony between countries and reduce the number of victims

in war. Every study is for purposes, and it is the thing that should be done if using the study to

serve good purposes. Anthropologists study anthropology to understand human and every aspect

that relates to human beings. Therefore, it is ethical for professional anthropologists to work in

combat operations when they can help reduce the destruction of war.