Journal article
Anthropologists and Social Impact Assessment: Negotiating the Ethical Minefield
Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology, Vol.9(3), pp.231-242
2008
Abstract
The approval of major infrastructure and industrial developments is often dependent on the results of environmental and social impact assessments (EIA and SIA, respectively). Depending on the recommendations of 'experts' undertaking the assessments, projects are approved, rejected or modified to take account of unintended negative consequences. In practice, there are pressures on consultants to come up with favourable results, and unfavourable results are often ignored. These pressures may be subtle. For example, because consultants are usually employed by somebody with an interest in seeing projects go ahead, any consultant with a reputation for being too negative is unlikely to get work. The present paper explores issues faced by anthropologists in SIA, as well as the structure of interests within which SIA is carried out, and ways in which ethical dilemmas can be negotiated. It asks whether simply opting out of the process altogether is an ethical option preferable to critical engagement.
Details
- Title
- Anthropologists and Social Impact Assessment: Negotiating the Ethical Minefield
- Authors
- Robert J Fisher (Author) - University of Sydney
- Publication details
- Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology, Vol.9(3), pp.231-242
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Date published
- 2008
- DOI
- 10.1080/14442210802251670
- ISSN
- 1444-2213
- Organisation Unit
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Research Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99448801702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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