Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast One hundreds years of Australian anthropology: what have we learned?
Oct 28, 2025
Dr. Michael Edwards, a Lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Sydney and organizer of the anthropology department's centenary, dives into the complex history of the discipline. He discusses anthropology's colonial roots and the ethical dilemmas arising from early research practices. Insightful topics include the legacy of Ralph Pittington's exposé on abuses and the impact of the Vietnam War on reevaluating ethics in the field. The conversation highlights modern responsibilities regarding Indigenous data sovereignty and the ongoing evolution of cultural understanding.
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Colonial Roots Shaped Anthropology
- Anthropology emerged within a colonial context that both enabled and shaped the discipline's methods and priorities.
- Curiosity drove ethnographic work, but it was entangled with power relations that aided conquest and control.
Pittington's Scandalous Exposure
- Ralph Pittington exposed slavery and abuse on cattle stations in a 1932 newspaper interview, creating major controversy.
- The Sydney department protected government relations and discouraged similar public criticisms afterwards.
The 'Savage Slot' Framed Research Value
- Early anthropology often focused on the "savage slot," valuing supposedly untouched societies for comparative insight.
- That focus served metropolitan self-understanding more than Indigenous wellbeing or political critique.