ANTHROPOLOGISTS' DEBATE: CONCERN OVER FUTURE OF FOREIGN RESEARCH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000100410023-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 17, 1999
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: December 23, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

DEC 2 3 101'-5'
reaw~ AN690 ,.For Release 199
CPYRGHT
.CPYRGHT
Anthropologists' Debate: Concern
over Future of Foreign. Research
ULC Of enta
Health, the National Science Founda-
tion, and the Smithsonian Institution
were less suspect abroad than were re-
search grants from the U.S. Informa-
tion Service, the CIA, and the Defense
and State departments, and that most
anthropologists would prefer govern-
ment support from the three first-
named agencies.
In addition to being concerned about
intelligence operations, many anthro-
pologists were dissatisfied with the
State Department's Foreign Affairs Re-
CPYRGHT by Bryce Nelson
Perhaps more than the members of : ment, particularly the CIA, have posed..,,
other academic disciplines, U.S. anthro as anthropologists...."
pologists are apprehensive about being 2) "Anthropologists . . . have been
able to continue their "laboratory" full- or part-time employees of the
work. Many find an increasing number United States intelligence agencies in-,
of impediments blocking the foreign- eluding the CIA especially, either di-
area research which they feel is abso- rectly, or through grants from certain
lutely essential to their profession. . foundations with questionable sources
Last year, in the - wake of the ? of income, or as employees of private
wreck of Project Camelot, the Anthro-? research organizations. .
pological Association commissioned its 3) "Some anthropologists, particu-
executive board to explore the profes larly younger anthropologists, who have
sion's relationships with the agencies., encountered difficulties securing finane-
which sponsor foreign research. The ing for legitimate research undertak-
board received a $21,750 grant from ings, have been approached by obscure
the Wenner-Gren Foundation for An-.. foundations .... only to discover later-'
thropological Research, and appointed they were expected to provide intelli- '
Ralph L. Beals, of the University of : gence information, usually to- the
California, Los Angeles, a past presi- -? CIA...."
dent of the association, to report on the Anthropologists react to such re-
subject. quests in a variety of ways, Beals noted.
During 1966, Beals spent 8 months Some refused to give information to
preparing his report. He and Stephen T. .any representative of the U.S. Govern
Boggs, then the association's executive , mcnt. Others give information, which
secretary, interviewed anthropologists they think may improve U.S. under-
throughout
the country concerning their standing and policy. Even in such cases,.: .
foreign research experience and held Beals reported, "the overwhelming ma
extensive conversations with relevant jority of anthropologists believe they
government officials in Washington. should give no information which might Beals traveled to Latin America to,;. prove harmful either to the host coun i
gather more data. In addition, 40 other try off. to individuals in the host coun
anthropologists asked their colleagues try:'
for information on their particular areas ` Beals'. found.,:: that. researchgrants
approximately 500 anthropologists con-
tributed to the Beals report, although .1
some questioned the propriety of hav-?
ing their association inquire into such
matters:
After first presenting his findings to
the executive board, Beals discussed his
conclusions -at the annual meeting in?
Pittsburgh last month in preparation for
proposed action by the Fellows of the
association. One of the most disturbing
aspects of U.S. governmental activity
. to anthropologists is the suspected use of ?
anthropology-as a cover for intelligence
operations. On the basis of information
gained from reports from the field,
Beals said he can state "with consider
able confidence" that:.
1) "Agents -of ' the intelligence
branches of the United States.Govern-J
search Council. [The council was
created after the demise of Project
Camelot, to judge the foreign research
proposals supported by various federal
agencies (Science, 10 Sept. and 10 Dec.
1965)]. Beals said that the work of
some anthropologists had been delayed
by the review process, and that, al-
though there was no evidence of coun-
cil censorship so far, the potential of
such research censorship existed. Beals
also' said that the council would not
necessarily prevent future Camelot-type
operations.
"There are strong reasons to suspect
that private organizations offering
'systems' approaches but without com-
petent social science staffs or experi-
ence with problems of foreign area re-
search are contracting to do very large-'
scale Camelot-type studies in countries
where this is acceptable to the U.S.
Ambassador and the host country,"
Beals said. "Experienced personnel do
not exist for research on this scale.
Young, partially trained, and inexperi-..
enced people are being recruited and in,
some cases literally seduced by extrava-
gant salaries." Beals' warned his fellow
FO]Ab3b
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