Short Abstract:

This panel aims to unpick how anthropologists achieve or fail to have integrity in a world in crisis. Are the anthropologists duty-bound to greater moral coherence, or free to fail at the first hurdle? Do our institutions support or obstruct the aim of wholeness?

Long Abstract:

Amidst crises in climate and environment as well as in humane treatment of many Others, anthropologists have to map increasingly complex critical junctions that humans are negotiating. But we should also be compelled to map the directions that anthropologists themselves have chosen to traverse the perfidious period of anthropocentric late capitalism.

Our panel invites anthropologists to reflect on the tricky and knotty paths to scholarly and personal integrity, and the failure in achieving this, brought about by the entanglements of individual and/or institutional circumstances, commitments and beliefs. The conversations brought to the panel may take their starting point from more general discussions of what academic integrity is or should be, leading to discussions on contemporary issues, such as the environmental impact of academic travel or personal consumer choices. They may scrutinise the level at which academic institutions and actions facilitate or obstruct integrity; or consider cases and contexts in which anthropologists lose, lack or achieve integrity. The focus may be on specific empirical cases that help comprehend the lapses of human scientists in recognising being part of humankind and life, in their professional or personal capacity. Furthermore, the contributions could address compromises that are forced on us when in the field, or the meaning of integrity in conflicting situations. Finally, we encourage the authors to discuss the direction of travel on these treacherous paths, and whether we need a rethink of values because or despite of our academic roles, and where this would or should lead us.