Does anthropology have more to offer than just its texts? This book discusses different forms of engaged research practices, which it defines in terms of their constructive intervention into politics. It draws on the author’s experiences working with indigenous peoples fighting for their environment, land rights, and political sovereignty. Describing both short interventions and collaborations spanning decades, it recounts interactions with lawyers and courts, nongovernmental organizations, scientific experts, and transnational corporations. In particular, it calls for greater reflexivity in e ... More

Does anthropology have more to offer than just its texts? This book discusses different forms of engaged research practices, which it defines in terms of their constructive intervention into politics. It draws on the author’s experiences working with indigenous peoples fighting for their environment, land rights, and political sovereignty. Describing both short interventions and collaborations spanning decades, it recounts interactions with lawyers and courts, nongovernmental organizations, scientific experts, and transnational corporations. In particular, it calls for greater reflexivity in encouraging engaged anthropologists to pay greater attention to politics beyond the text. The book considers how political commitments affect research, when contributions to political change are elusive, and how the search for alternatives may influence the results. It also asks whether the research continues to matter if the intervention fails, shows how the analysis of local contexts can have global significance, examines how intervention into political conflicts can precipitate backlash, and discusses the political dilemmas of an expert witness. By focusing on the contribution of engaged anthropology toward solving problems in the world, the book articulates a new rationale for why anthropology matters.