About the Case Studies:

The case studies below are based on scenarios suggested by members of the AABA. Ethics Committee Fellows used these scenarios to create case studies in the format of the RICE Guide (Whiteford & Trotter 2008). The RICE Guide is a problem-solving guide for determining the courses of action that could be taken by an anthropologist faced with an ethical quandary.

Reference for RICE Guide: Whiteford, LM and Trotter, RT (2008). Ethics for Anthropological Research and Practice. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press. (p.113)

Important Note: These case studies are not official statements or endorsements by either the AABA generally or the AABA Ethics Committee specifically on how similar situations should be handled. Instead, they are meant as exercises in critical thinking about ethical issues that might arise in fieldwork or in professional life.

We hope that these case studies will be of use to AABA members seeking a tool to address ethics concerns or as educational resources for ethics or professional development courses.

Do you want to propose a case study topic or scenario for further development?  Please contact the Ethics Committee with your suggestions.

Case Study 1

Case Study 2