When do no harm becomes harm done: Re-centering ethics in anthropology

Abstract

As we continue to define anthropology for the 21st century, I argue that ethics—what we mean by ethics, how we invoke ethics, and how we demonstrate our ethics—should be at the center of our conversation. Through this presidential address, I offer a challenge to center an ethics of care in our work that derives not from the Common Rule or broad policies of US institutions, but rather is derived from our responsibility for the impact of our actions, whether intentional or unintentional, and is situated in the moral narratives of the communities that we serve.