Anthropology and the Engaged Observer. A Review of (eds.) V. Sanford & A. Angel-Ajani's <em>Engaged Observer: Anthropology, Advocacy, and Activism</em> (New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 2006)

  • Angelina Snodgrass Godoy University of Washington—Seattle
Keywords advocacy, activism, antropology, justice, power
Keywords advocacy, activism, antropology, justice, power

Abstract

Engaged Observer focuses on the discipline of anthropology, and I am not an anthropologist. Yet the book spoke to me in many ways, and I learned greatly from reading it. As in many edited volumes, the book’s strengths lie in the diversity of its contributions. Most are thoughtful, thought-provoking pieces of scholarship that directly explore questions raised in the foreword and introduction: What is the role of advocacy in research? To whom do the anthropologist’s primary commitments lie? What is the role of truth, and justice, and power, in scholarly work? Drawing on research conducted around the globe among settings where human rights are endemically violated, the contributions to this volume are powerful examples of compassionate scholarship by leading anthropologists.

Author Biography

Angelina Snodgrass Godoy, University of Washington—Seattle
Angelina Snodgrass Godoy obtuvo su doctorado en sociología la Universidad de California, Berkeley, y es profesora en la Universidad de Washington, en Seattle, donde ofrece cursos sobre derechos humanos, teoría social, y otros tópicos relacionados con violencia, democracia y justicia. Su primer libro, Popular Injustice: Violence, Community, and Law in Latin America (Stanford University Press, 2006) estudia la proliferación de formas punitivas de control social, incluyendo los linchamientos, en América Latina, especialmente Guatemala. Actualmente trabaja en un proyecto de investigación sobre los tratados de libre comercio y sus efectos sobre la salud y los derechos humanos, particularmente las leyes de propiedad intelectual y el acceso a las medicinas.
Published
2007-08-01
Section
Reviews: Scientific & Academic Interventions