Weaponizing Anthrolopogy

Abstract

David H. Price's Weaponizing Anthropology (2011) presents a critical argument about the historical and contemporary co-optation of anthropology by military and imperialist forces. He contends that anthropology, originally rooted in colonial subjugation, has been repeatedly repurposed for militaristic ends despite professional ethical codes aimed at safeguarding academic integrity. Price warns that current U.S. military initiatives—such as funding graduate students to study 'strategic areas' or deploying 'human terrain teams'—undermine the discipline's ethical foundations and threaten intellectual freedom. His analysis is grounded in historical evidence, drawing parallels between past and present militarization of anthropology. While Price’s arguments are compelling, the book’s structure—comprising previously published articles—lacks cohesion, making it feel disjointed at times.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)