Lift Every Voice: Ethical Imperatives in Community-Led Bioarchaeology

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Community Engaged Bioarchaeology: Centering Descendants" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This presentation focuses on redefining ethical frameworks in bioarchaeology and anthropological genetics, particularly when working with African American communities. Utilizing a “shared authority” approach, the talk argues for the community’s role as not merely subjects but active collaborators and decision-makers. Case studies from the historic New York African Burial Ground and other unidentified sites in North Carolina, and South Carolina serve to advocate for an ethical paradigm shift toward community-centric research. This shift aims to create mutual benefits: empowerment and ownership for communities over their ancestral narratives and a more nuanced understanding for researchers. The goals are twofold: to decolonize bioarchaeological practices by authentically incorporating African American perspectives and to advance restorative justice by recalibrating how knowledge is generated and shared. This community-focused approach fosters empowerment and ownership within African American communities over their past. By doing so, it creates a more ethical and equitable landscape for research, celebrating African American heritage. Finally, we call for an ethical reevaluation in academic practices, offering a blueprint for a more respectful, inclusive, and responsible future in bioarchaeological and anthropological genetic research.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Community Engaged Bioarchaeology: Centering Descendants   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 41640.0