Informed Consent in Anthropological Research: We Are Not Exempt¹

Abstract

The article examines the history of the informed consent idea and attempts to explain why anthropologists have not incorporated it. Arguments that have been raised to challenge the relevance and utility of informed consent guidelines to anthropological research are discussed, with the central idea conveyed that the spirit and intent of informed consent is compatible with academic and applied research in anthropology. A discussion of Consent without Forms attempts to show that the spirit of informed consent can be fulfilled without the intrusive and unnecessarily legalistic use of a signed form. Informed consent is ultimately viewed as a process that encourages greater openness and disclosure on the part of researchers, empowers voluntary participants in social research, and engenders a more collaborative relationship between researcher and researched.