Scheper-Hughes, Nancy (1944-)

Quotes
“Cultural relativism, read as moral relativism, is no longer appropriate to the world in which we live (The Primacy of the Ethical: Propositions for a Militant Anthropology,1995, p.409)”

“Anthropology, if it is to be worth anything at all must be ethically grounded (The Primacy of the Ethical: Propositions for a Militant Anthropology, 1995, p.409).”

 “The world, the objects of our study, and consequently, the uses of anthropology have changed considerably (The Primacy of the Ethical: Propositions for a Militant Anthropology, 1995, p.409)”

“If we cannot begin to think about social institutions and practices in moral or ethical terms, then anthropology strikes me as quite weak and useless (The Primacy of the Ethical: Propositions for a Militant Anthropology, 1995, p.410).” "The idea of an anthropology without borders, althought it has a progressive ring to it, ignores the reality of the very real borders that confront and oppress 'our' anthropological subjects and encroach on our liberty as well (The Primacy of the Ethical: Propsitions for a Militant Anthropology, 1995, p.410)" Biography and History Nancy Scheper-Hughes was born in 1944 in Brooklyn, New York. Her mother was first-generation Czech-American and her father was of German Lutheran descent. She attended a Catholic high school and then Queens College before joining the Peace Corps in Brazil in the early 1960s. Upon returning to the United States Scheper-Hughes participated in the Catholic Worker Movement and in Civil Rights organizations. She completed her undergraduate and doctorate degrees at the University of California at Berkeley under the teachings of anthropologist, Hortense Powdermaker. Following the completion of her degrees, she taught at Southern Methodist University, and was later asked to return to Berkeley, where she has remained ever since 1982 and continues to teach anthropology. She is currently Chancellor’s Professor of Medical Anthropology and the cofounder and director of Organs Watch, an organization related to the issues of organ trafficking. Scheper-Hughes is considered a prominent figure in medical anthropology and is well known for her work in this field. In the course of her career, she has edited or authored at least 10 books and more than 160 scholarly articles. Along with these achievements, she has taught in Paris, Manchester, and Cape Town and is a frequent keynote speaker at institutions and conferences across the globe.

Scheper-Hughes investigation on controversial topics as well as her provocative writing style has significantly impacted the contemporary field of Medical anthropology. Work Her first book, Saints, Scholars and Schizophrenics: Mental Illness in Rural Ireland (1979), studied the mental health of Irish bachelor farmers. It won the Margaret Mead Award in 1980 and established her ability to engage her readers and provoke controversy. Her successive book, Death Without Weeping: The Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil (1993), referred to the maternal thinking and infant mortality in Brazil. She is also well known for her most recent work, in which she focuses upon health inequalities, social embodiment, the commodification of human bodies, as well as the trafficking of human organs in global markets.

She is also known for her article The Primacy of the Ethical: Propositions for a Militant Anthropology (1995). Within this work she emphasizes the need for ethically grounded research. Some other topics she has examined throughout the span of her career include, AIDS/HIV in Brazil and Cuba, transitional violence and justice in Brazillian shantytowns, the rise in police-supported death squads and apartheid in South Africa. These pieces of applied work have led her to develop what she labels, ‘militant’ anthropology, in which she relates politics to the discipline of anthropology and focuses upon the struggle for social justice in the late modern world.

Her work has led to the popularization of the terms, “mindful body (with Margaret Lock)”, “political economy of the emotions ”, “life boat ethics”, “neo-cannibalism 2001”, “sexual citizenship”, the “genocidal continuum” and anthropology “with its feet on the ground ”. In addition, she also discussed the significance of reflexivity as well as ethical ethnography as challenges emerged in regards to anthropologists increasingly working in communities that were able to read and critique their work.

Influences
Nancy Scheper-Hughes draws upon social, cultural, biological, and linguistic anthropology in order to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence the field of medical anthropology. Within Ireland, her work has both aided and inspired Professor Sean O’Suilleabhain of the Irish Folklore Commission as well as Professor Dermot Walsh of the Medico-Social Research Board. Her impact upon Sean O’Suilleabhain relates to the linguistics field in anthropology as his main focus was upon Celtic Literature.

Moreover, post-structuralist thinker, Michel Foucault  played a key role in terms of influencing her work. Essentially, Foucault’s study of power relations as being politically charged hegemonic systems relates to Scheper-Hughes acknowledgement of social power dynamics that exists within the field of anthropology. As such, post-structuralist notions are a reoccurring theme within her work as she discusses the use of moral relativism as well as the dangers of non-reflexivity. Similarly, this relates to the crisis of representation, in which new ways of engaging with global communities surfaced.

Furthermore, another influential factor for Scheper-Hughes was the Cold War. The end of this war brought about new ways of re-envisioning anthropology within the Western World. Anthropology was suddenly exposed to issues revolving around international economies and the increase of globalization. This provided an opportunity for political discourse. As such, modern thinkers began to connect anthropology to the political world. This was the case for Nancy Scheper-Hughes, and is apparent as she advocates for activism before research. Similarly, she herself has come to influence the contemporary world of anthropology by disengaging with the use of classical ethnography and through the application of post-structuralist concepts within her work.

Analysis
Given her influence by post-structuralist concepts, Nancy Scheper-Hughes research interests are related to the political and structural organization of violence, premature death and suffering. One of the central themes found amongst Scheper-Hughes work is how violence becomes a marking tool against the bodies of the vulnerable, poor and disenfranchised.

Her analyses are examined from a radical existentialist perspective. In order to capture a better sense of the inequalities and disparities between different groups she analyzed and participated in situations where she found herself in social and economic extremes (Brazil, South Africa). Furthermore, she was heavily involved and often took an engaged activist approach within her work. This was done in order to gain insight on the social dynamics of areas in which violent economic agendas prevailed.

Also, much of her work focuses upon the anthropological aspect of the human body. This is related to how different cultures examine illness, deformity, and physical incapacity. She often ties in medical culture to the economic disparities of people. She further distinguishes the scientific from the social. Ultimately, she examines how certain western concepts are experienced on the borders and peripheries of the late modern world.

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Critique Scheper-Hughes’ book Saints, Scholars and Schizophrenics: Mental Illness in Rural Ireland (1979) was criticized for its negative portrayal of the disintegration of rural Irish family life due to the collapse of the Agrarian economy. Many readers, especially in Ireland took offense. Due to this outrage, in the 20th anniversary edition of the book she provided an update on the transitions the community was experiencing at the time of her original analysis.

<p class="MsoNormal">Her subsequent book Death without Weeping: The Violence of Everyday life in Brazil (1993) had many critics as well. Both residents and non-residents of Brazil condemned her depiction of poor Brazilian mothers taking child death with emotional ease as well as her description of mothers ‘collaborating’ and ‘hastening’ the deaths of infants. Other criticisms relate to her work describing organ transplants. B. E. Hippen, and J. S. Taylor criticize her understanding of organ donation as ‘sacrificial violence’ as well as her ‘mischaracterization’ of the pro-market position.

<p class="MsoNormal">She also offers her own criticisms in that she reflects upon cultural relativism within the anthropological discourse. She goes further as to mention that cultural relativism, referred to as moral relativism is not always the most productive way to progress within the field of anthropology. This is due to the fact that it prevents personal discussion and liaison. Rather, anthropology should be ethically grounded. Likewise, she suggests that taking a stance of neutrality is counterproductive as an anthropologist. Especially in times of conflict. Scheper-Hughes believes that it is necessary to cause an uproar of sorts in regards to social injustice, in order to produce change.

<p class="MsoNormal">Similarly, individuals pertaining to various anthropological university departments have critiqued  some of her arguments. Adam Kupper discusses her belief that anthropologist should be morally and politically engaged in their informants’ struggles. He goes on to suggest that activism before research handicaps her understanding in regards to the details of local circumstances. Additionally, the term “ethically grounded” has been criticized as being too vague. It allows for too much interpretation and is rather subjective. Likewise, Tim O’meara questioned her attack on objectivity. He claims that she is mystifying social relations and disregarding the democratic nature of scientific objectivity. In fact, Aihwa Ong has gone as far as calling her politically righteous and accusing her position as disregarding broader, cross-cultural global context. Others have refered to her generalization of the terms objectivity, morality, and power. They emphasize her lack of consideration in regards to how other cultures may interpret such terminology. In fact, critics have gone as far as saying that this is reminiscent of a type of anthropological hegemony.