Action Anthropology

It was coined by Sol Tax in 1958 through his paper ‘Values in Action’.
According to him an action anthropologist is to study the process of change in the

society and help the people to tide over the adverse effects of change and guide planning in
such a way that the people do better in the processes of change.
In 1951, the term action anthropology was coined by Sol Tax at the American
Anthropological Association meeting in Chicago. According to Sol Tax, action anthropology
is similar to clinical method of study. Like a clinician continuously improves his diagnosis with
tentative remedies, action anthropologists do not conceptualise the community as simply
observing what would happen “naturally”; action anthropologists are willing to make things
happen, or to help them along or to be at least catalysts. Therefore, action anthropologists are
interested in solving anthropological problems, but perused in the context of action; hence, a
sub-discipline called action anthropology (1975). In principle, it implies that there is no one
pill for every ill. Every ill requires subjective treatment in the specific local conditions.
Action anthropology has been applied to solve practical problems of human welfare in
a variety of situations. According to Holmberg (1970), the situation demands a strategy for
local solution through collective action. Therefore, the action anthropologists are expected to
bring decision-making bodies of the community to a level of competence to redress local
problems. The approach by action anthropologists is to seek participatory solutions. Here, local
knowledge inspires the community to reflect and act. This knowledge as a tool can only be
understood and implied as a fieldworker. Therefore, action anthropology cannot be practiced
without fieldwork. In the current context of scale and speed of social change, fieldwork entails
challenge of time tenacity and trust of the community members.
The action anthropologist does not apply ‘science’ to solve a local problem. She or he
in fact coordinates two critical goals:
1) Desires to help a group of people to solve a problem, and

2) Wants to learn something in the process. Action anthropologists therefore are
interested for welfare while keeping the culture intact with the community. In fact,
such priorities are given because of two important reasons: Firstly, any tribal
community like most cultural minorities, value their way of life and resent any
external threat. Secondly, often the state leads development activities that are
introduced among tribal communities with an effort to change their lifestyle
towards modernity. But the result of such a ‘top down approach’ has often failed
and instead of positive outcomes, it may result into several irreversible negative
consequences. The failure of ‘top down approach’ is primarily due to a lack of
understanding of local conditions. This may be the result of overemphasis on their
reinforcement of limited knowledge of the experts. As an outcome, the development
intervention overlooks the larger context. In the beginning of the Fox program, there
was a dilemma of introduction of some good practices. But later it was decided not
to introduce it as it may be an outsider’s or expert’s choice. And this choice may
not be best suited for the actors in the local situation. Therefore, the best decision
can be made by the community; and it is not for the experts to decide what would
be good for people. Anthropologists have been critical of the top-down approach.
Action anthropology is based on the following commitments:
 giving equal priority to learning and to helping;

 engaging as equals people in the study communities,
 acknowledging their right to self-determination,
 accepting that people have a “right to make mistakes”;
 acknowledging the ways in which power affects research relationships,
 being collaborative rather than directive in choosing research foci;
 seeing the anthropologists’ role as providing scientifically informed advice,
 learning about the community and its context through long-term field research.
Scope
 Action anthropology is a branch of anthropology that extends its hand to help a group
of people to solve a problem and learns something in the process.
 An action anthropologist is and must be a theoretical anthropologist not only in
background but also in practice. In their professional role they can point out the factual
consequences of alternative modes of action, or recommended the best technical means
for bringing about an end previously value determined.
 The action anthropologist disclaims pure science because of his method called clinical
perhaps experimental, in the sense that a physician continually improves his diagnosis
with tentative remedies.
 When an applied anthropologist feels the urge for a course of prolonged action to solve
a problem, action anthropology is initiated.
 The action anthropology recognizes its own responsibility in solving human problems.
Therefore, it sticks on the problems until they are solved. After solving problems, action
anthropologists may generate new theories and findings, acceptable to the general
anthropology.
Applied and action anthropology revolves around seeking probable solutions to

a social problem. The difference between applied and action anthropology lies in the degree
and form of involvement. In applied anthropology, the anthropologist may provide solutions
to a local problem, but they seldom solve the problem while being part of the community. In
other words, action anthropologists facilitate (work with the) community to seek solutions,
while in applied anthropology, community may be provided (work for) with alternate solutions.
According to Paddington (1970:138-39) the fundamental distinction exists in the

refusal of the action anthropologist to draw up a “blueprint” for action, instead letting the
community decide what should be done. This strategy of the action anthropologist can be
termed participatory. Action anthropologists can also be considered as “nondirective
counselling for a community” (Peattie 1968:303). In this definition ‘nondirective’ is referred
to a situation where the community decision is preferred over that of the anthropologist.
Applied anthropology differs from action anthropology in adhering to the means-ends scheme
of planning. According to Sol Tax (1960:168), applied anthropology applies a body of
scientific knowledge as empirical propositions. This knowledge in the form of solutions is
developed by theoretical anthropologists and awaiting application to particular situations when
they are asked to do so by management, government, administrator, or organisation. Sol Tax
addressed the difference between action anthropology and applied anthropology in the
following ways:
1) As an action anthropologist, they should become part of the lives of people

of another culture.
2) An action anthropologist learns the world of the studied or host culture without
asking, and
3) They must be a theoretical anthropologist, not in background but in practice. Last

but not the least, an action anthropologist cannot have any master; he or she works as a member
of the local community.
Development anthropology: Anthropologists working in development field
Development anthropology refers to the role played by the anthropologists in the field
of executing development projects. The role anthropologists play in facilitating economic
growth, designing and implementation of specific policies and plans whether at the level of the
state, donor agencies or indigenous social movements. These can have either positive or
negative or both on the people who experience them. Development is a series of events and
actions, as well as a particular discourse or ideological construct.
Anthropologists are now employed in growing numbers by development agencies,

organisations and private consultancy firms. A discussion of applied anthropology does not
therefore simply raise questions of what a professional anthropologist might do. The type of
work which professional anthropologists are asked to undertake can vary considerably. They
may include applied research to produce supporting data for planned interventions;
contributions to the appraisal and evaluation planning of development projects; or attempting
to build local participation into the project. Assignments can vary from a short consultancy job
lasting a few weeks, to a placement on a project for several years as one of the full-time staff.
Some of the important positions that anthropologists are occupying in development

agencies are:
1. Social Development Advisors (SDA).

2. Consultants
3. Research officers
4. Counsellors
5. Advocacy role
Apart from the strict routine duties of anthropologists in development agencies, they
are increasingly becoming a mediator between the developers and those to be ‘developed.’
Anthropologists are trained sceptics: they tend to argue that situations and ideas are usually
more complicated than is immediately apparent; they believe that no fact or detail is too trivial
to be considered; they may prefer quality to quantity; they are rarely ready to offer conclusions
or advice in terms of straightforward course of action.
Anthropologists are well equipped to monitor the process of project implementation,

which in effect is the task of monitoring social change. To do this, a combination of national
and expatriate anthropologists, with both men and women involved, will be able to draw on
their different skills and perspectives in order to present different, though mutually reinforcing,
analyses of events.
Anthropologists are involved in project design, appraisal and evaluation by national

and international NGOs and aid agencies. Since the second world war the notion of the project
has become central to mainstream development activity, whether centred on large scale
infrastructural work such as building of a dam or bridge or softer areas such as health or
education provision. Projects tend to pass through a series of staged activities, often known as
the project cycle.

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It was coined by Sol Tax in 1958 through his paper ‘Values in Action’.

According to him an action anthropologist is to study the process of change in the

1) Desires to help a group of people to solve a problem, and

Action anthropology is based on the following commitments:

 giving equal priority to learning and to helping;

Applied and action anthropology revolves around seeking probable solutions to

According to Paddington (1970:138-39) the fundamental distinction exists in the

1) As an action anthropologist, they should become part of the lives of people

3) They must be a theoretical anthropologist, not in background but in practice. Last

Development anthropology: Anthropologists working in development field

Anthropologists are now employed in growing numbers by development agencies,

Some of the important positions that anthropologists are occupying in development

1. Social Development Advisors (SDA).

Anthropologists are well equipped to monitor the process of project implementation,

Anthropologists are involved in project design, appraisal and evaluation by national

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