Ethical Issues In Anthropology

It is impossible to argue about all the issues that concern us today, especially from an anthropological standpoint. There are infinite amount of issues affecting different cultures, ethnic groups, and countries each day. In the United States alone, we face various challenges regarding race, immigration, culture, and so on. Although we cannot analyze each existing issue, Anthropology does allow us to look at some of today’s more controversial issues through different lens. Anthropology is the study of humankind and how we’ve changed, or adapted, since the beginning of our existence. Just as no two people are the same, no two cultures are the same. Though it isn’t a wide subject matter, it is a very deep one. Anthropologists have studied humans for years, and
We have beheld everything from slavery to affirmative action. More recently, we’ve seen police brutality against minorities and intense resentment against immigrants. Racism is an issue that many have ignored because, for the most part, it has disappeared. The problem is, it hasn’t disappeared completely. The more recent terrorist attacks seen across the world, as well as the ones from September 11th, 2001, have visibly increased security concerns, but it hasn’t stopped there. Discrimination has widely increased since then too. There have even been attacks on members of other communities such as the Sikhs, simply because of the Muslim similarity of turbans and long beards. Not only that, but at American airports we have seen countless Middle Eastern, or Hispanic travelers detained and questioned merely because of their appearance. I can attest from personal experience for whenever my family and I travel from Mexico back into the United States. We always get “randomly” chosen for a sloppy, sometimes aggressive, baggage inspection, while every other Caucasian looking person just passes right by with a, “Have a nice stay, or welcome back!” from security