Front and Back Covers, Volume 40, Number 1. February 2024

Front and back cover caption, volume 40 issue 1

EYE IN THE SKY: ANTHROPOLOGY IN THE DRONE ERA

A civilian contractor launches a V-BAT surveillance and reconnaissance drone from the USS Rushmore in the Philippine Sea. Manufactured by the California-based startup Shield AI, the V-BAT takes off vertically and operates autonomously without operator guidance or GPS (global positioning system). Its ‘swarming’ capability allows for potential combat use.

Drones have had a profound impact in theatres of war for decades, causing lethal outcomes for combatants and non-combatants alike. The US-led ‘war on terror’ in regions like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen has seen drone strikes causing tens of thousands of deaths, including many civilians. Beyond the direct, destructive impact, American drone pilots report significant mental health issues like anxiety, depression and PTSD due to the nature of remote-controlled warfare.

Recent conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have seen an expansion in the types of drones used, ranging from inexpensive commercial drones with explosives to advanced armed drones. While traditionally operated remotely, there is an increasing shift towards autonomous functioning.

This escalation in drone warfare technology, particularly the development of lethal autonomous weapon systems, has led to warnings of a global AI arms race involving powers like the US, China and Russia. The concept of ‘sensor-to-shooter’ machine learning infrastructures by military planners underscores the ethical, moral and sociopolitical dilemmas in a world increasingly leaning towards algorithmic warfare.

In this issue, Roberto González argues that anthropologists need to illuminate how drone warfare impacts societies, the effects on both operators and targeted populations and the broader sociopolitical implications of autonomous weapons. This critical, publicly oriented anthropological perspective is essential to navigating the complex interplay of technology, ethics and human values in modern warfare, offering a deeper understanding of the societal impacts of these rapidly evolving military technologies.

UNRAVELLING ‘REAL’ KINSHIP

This thought-provoking Illustration shows the contrast between the idealized concept of unilineal descent and the intricate realities of kinship in everyday life. The left side of the image displays a simplified, stylized, unilineal family tree. With its clear, vertical lines, this depiction symbolizes kinship as a straightforward, linear progression. It embodies an idealized perspective on lineage, where relationships are traced through a single ancestral line, mirroring classical kinship theory.

Conversely, the right side of the image presents a more complex and interwoven family tree. This part challenges the simplistic notions of unilineal descent, revealing kinship's rich, multifaceted nature. Here, the interconnected lines represent a spectrum of relationships extending beyond mere descent, encompassing marriage, adoption, communal ties and other social bonds. These aspects are frequently marginalized in conventional kinship models but, as anthropologists know, they are essential to understanding the full scope of human connections.

Sabina Cveček's insightful analysis in this issue shows how archaeologists’ interpretation of unilineal kinship systems tend to be incomplete. Her work underscores the disparity between theoretical models and the nuanced realities of kinship, prompting a call for a more dynamic interpretation of kinship as a socially constructed and evolving network. This illustration invites introspection on the diversity and complexity of kinship and advocates a more inclusive and holistic approach to studying human relationships.

Cveček argues that the dichotomy between idealized models and actual kinship dynamics is a recurring theme in anthropological literature. Anthropology remains crucial in understanding the depths and dimensions of kinship systems, even in today's era of scientific advancements like ancient DNA analysis.