Anthropology at Home

Perspectives and Ethical Dilemmas

Abstract

In this paper, I explore the different perspectives of anthropology at home and the ethical dilemmas associated with it. The dichotomy between anthropologists working at home and those working abroad based on who is an insider or an outsider is examined. I argue that in fieldwork situations anthropologists, working at home or abroad, are likely to have different strands of identification which makes it difficult to determine whether one is an insider or an outsider. Some ethical issues that apply to all anthropologists but are more demanding when working at home are highlighted. It is concluded that given multiple identities emergent ethics based on moral negotiation is ideal for all fieldwork settings.