Yanomamö – Book States Anthropologists Caused Epidemic

Over the last several months, a book called Darkness in El Dorado by Patrick Tierney argues that anthropologists were responsible for an epidemic that killed many Yanomamö in the Amazon basin of Venezuela and Brazil in the 1960's. One of the anthropologists, James Neel, died recently. The other, Napoleon Chagnon, is the author of two popular ethnographies on the group, Yanomamö and Yanomamö: The Last Days of Eden. The controversy strikes directly at issues of ethics in the field research. The following articles track the controversy from the first pre-publication leaks, through the special sessions held at the American Anthropological Association meetings in November.

1. Amazon Geneticist 'Killed Hundreds'
   BBC News
2. Book Seeks to Indict Anthropologists Who Studied Brazil Indians
   New York Times
3. Macho Anthropology
   Salon
4. American Anthropological Association Statement on Allegations made in the Book Darkness in El Dorado
   and Questions and Answers Regarding the
5. Darkness in El Dorado Controversy
   American Anthropological Association FAQ
6. Jungle Fever – Did two U.S. scientists start a genocidal epidemic in the Amazon, or was The New Yorker duped?
   Slate
7. Anthropology and the Yanomami
   NPR
8. Statement regarding the book Darkness in El Dorado
   University of Michigan
9. Book Leads Anthropologists to Look Inward
   New York Times
10. Statement by Academy President Bruce Alberts Regarding Darkness in El Dorado
    National Academy of Science
11. John Leo on the Attacks on Anthropologist Chagnon
    US News
12. Is Anthropology Evil by Judith Shulevitz
    Slate
13. Jungle Fever
    by Marshall Sahlins [Review of Darkness in El Dorado by Patrick Tierney] Washington Post
14. Dr. Chagnon Comments
    University of California at Santa Barbara UCSB
15. Center for Evolutionary Psychology
    site on Darkness in El Dorado allegations