Applied Anthropology in Canada: Understanding Aboriginal Issues

Anthropologists are often reluctant to present their work relating to matters of a broad social context to the wider public even though many have much to say about a range of contemporary issues. In this second edition of a classic work in the field, Edward J. Hedican takes stock of Anthroplogy's research on current indigenous affairs and offers an up-to-date assessment of Aboriginal issues in Canada from the perspective of applied Anthropology.

In his central thesis, Hedican underlines Anthropology's opportunity to make a significant impact on the way Aboriginal issues are studied, perceived, and interpreted in Canada. He contends that anthropologists must quit lingering on the periphery of debates concerning land claims and race relations and become more actively committed to the public good. His study ranges over such challenging topics as advocacy roles in Aboriginal studies, the ethics of applied research, policy issues in community development, the political context of the self-government debate, and the dilemma of Aboriginal status and identity in Canada.

Applied Anthropology in Canada is an impassioned call for a revitalized Anthropology—one more directly attuned to the practical problems faced by First Nations peoples. Hedican's focus on Aboriginal issues gives his work a strong contemporary relevance that bridges the gap between scholarly and public spheres.

Since many of us still picture anthropologists as people in khaki-coloured safari clothes peering at fossils or scribbling notes on kinship theory, it is fair to say that public perception of anthropology lags a little behind the times. In fact anthropologists have much to say about a range of contemporary issues but are themselves often reluctant to present their research in a wider social context. In this book Edward Hedican takes stock of anthropology's research on current indigenous affairs and offers an up-to-date assessment of aboriginal issues in Canada from the perspective of applied anthropology.

In his central thesis Hedican underlines the opportunity of anthropology to make a significant impact on the way aboriginal issues are studied, perceived, and interpreted in Canada. He contends that anthropologists must quit lingering on the periphery of debates concerning land claims and race relations, and become more actively committed to the public good. His study ranges over such challenging topics as advocacy roles in aboriginal studies, the ethics of applied research, policy issues in community development, the political context of the self-government debate, and the dilemma of aboriginal status and identity in Canada.

This book is an impassioned call for a revitalized anthropology — one more directly attuned to the practical problems faced by First Nations peoples. Hedican's focus on aboriginal issues gives his work a strong contemporary relevance that bridges the scholarly and the public spheres.

Booknews

Broad topics include anthropology and aboriginal studies; research strategies; the controversial side of applied anthropology; anthropological perspectives on aboriginal policy issues; development in aboriginal communities; the political context; the ethno-politics of aboriginal status and identity; and challenges to applied anthropology. Paper edition (unseen), $18.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

EDWARD J. HEDICAN is a professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the Unversity of Guelph.