Delmos Jones and the End of Neutrality

Abstract

Delmos Jones identified with the political marginality and socioeconomic struggles of his subjects and sought ways to direct anthropological research toward the dismantling of oppression and inequality. Jones was dissatisfied with the way theoretical paradigms, praxis, and outcomes in anthropological research were supportive of, or neutral to, oppressive ends. In the place of these practices and outcomes, he envisioned a praxis strongly committed to the goals of justice and equality for oppressed populations. This chapter explores Jones’s quest for an anthropology of equality and social justice through his discussions on the ethics of basic research and his theoretical contributions to native anthropology.