Cultural anthropology is the study of living people, their societies, and their culture. Anthropological research projects aim to compose an ethnography that explores the cultural patterns of specific – usually marginalized – social groups. This is achieved by using the mechanism of participant observation during ethnographic fieldwork over the course of a year or more. Researchers observe their subjects in their natural settings. They participate in activities, build relationships, listen to stories about their informants’ lives in casual settings or during formal interviews. All experiences are carefully recorded in field notes, typically taken daily.
In 2000, Claire E. Sterk published a book detailing her study of the “lower echelons of the prostitution world” (p. 2): the women who traded sex for money or drugs in public settings during the AIDS crisis. She directly observed prostitutes on the streets, in hotels, and in various other locations known for their prostitution activity. After developing a relationship with women and obtaining their informed consent, Sterk conducted in-depth, life-history interviews in private settings such as the women’s residences or restaurants. One of the challenges she faced was initially locating and gaining access to her subjects. Sterk gathered information from law enforcement officials, healthcare providers, taxi drivers, and bartenders to compose “an ethnographic map of street prostitution” and observed “the overall flow of action” (p. 4). She spent several weeks merely strolling and greeting pimps and prostitutes so they would get used to her appearance. There were cases when low-level respondents specifically sought her company to boost their social status and delayed Sterk’s access to the neighborhood. People treated her with distrust, suspicious that she was either an undercover police officer or attempting to gain employment. Sterk needed to be screened by pimps and owners of crack houses to speak to women without fear of repercussion.
Ethics ensure that researchers remain professional and uphold their moral responsibility. Firstly, the most basic tenet of ethics is “do no harm” – they must not reveal sensitive information that might endanger their subjects, such as revealing anti-government sentiment or extramarital affairs in publications. Information gathered during research may also be exploited for nefarious purposes such as propaganda or violence, which is why anthropologists generally do not accept military contracts. Secondly, anthropologists must remain honest about their work. They need to explain the purpose of their presence and let people decide if they want to participate, usually by signing a written consent form. Thirdly, information should be gathered by building reciprocal relationships based on genuine human interaction rather than financial motivations. Reciprocity is also a way for anthropologists to “give back” to their subjects for allowing them to use their lives and thoughts to build a professional career. Finally, sometimes researchers may feel motivated to change or interfere in their subjects’ lives. This is born out of empathy, and therefore not prohibited by any professional code of ethics. Anthropologists have as much right to help people as any other human being as long as they do not inadvertently harm them.
Sterk ran into a few potentially ethically comprising situations during her research. Upon publication, Sterk protected the identities of her interviewees by replacing their real names with pseudonyms. When asked to “engage in illegal activities such as holding drugs or money…stolen from a customer” (p. 8), she refused and explained she was there as a researcher. When the “pressures became too severe” (p.8), she simply left the scene. Furthermore, Sterk built reciprocal relationships with her interviewees by providing assistance and moral support. She gave rides, provided childcare, bought groceries, educated them about the AIDS crisis, and “listened for hours to stories…unrelated to my initial research questions” (p. 7) to gain her subjects’ trust. Overall, Sterk adhered to ethical guidelines by refusing to engage in illegal activities and building a genuine human rapport with her interviewees.
Reference
Sterk, C. E. (2000). Tricking and tripping: Fieldwork on prostitution in the era of AIDS. Social Change Press.