How Decolonization Ideology Is Upending the Anthropology Field

Deference to Native American cultural norms and a leftward shift in the intellectual currents of anthropology are hindering scientific research into America’s past, warns a new report from the Goldwater Institute.

Elizabeth Weiss, professor emeritus of anthropology at San Jose State University, argues that the field has been plagued by overbroad interpretations of the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA.) Designed in part to deter grave-robbing, the act required the repatriation of human remains and sacred objects connected to federally recognized tribes, granting some leeway to tribal practices. Many repatriated items are reburied, which essentially destroys the item and prevents further scientific investigation.