Anthropology Section News—Survey Request

AAFS Disclaimer

AAFS is neither conducting nor endorsing this research/survey, but rather assisting the AAFS Student Affiliate in the recruitment of participants. Any questions regarding the participation request should be directed to the recruiter below.  

I am a graduate student at California State University, Chico, and am conducting a survey as part of my MA thesis research. I am interested in your opinion regarding the role of activism in forensic anthropology.
 
My research will explore the attitudes surrounding the place, practicality, and feasibility of the integration of activism into the field of forensic anthropology. It also aims to examine the comfort of forensic anthropologists in performing activist work and evaluate the conceptualizations of activism within the field. Data collected from this research will be used to provide both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the current climate surrounding activism in the field of forensic anthropology. This research will provide insights into the trajectory of activism within the field of forensic anthropology and propose solutions from forensic anthropology practitioners, academics, and students.  
 
If you would like to participate in this study and are over the age of 18 years, please complete this 15- to 30-minute survey (click here)! There is also an option at the end of the survey to participate in an interview or respond to an essay-style questionnaire. There are no anticipated risks to study participants. 
 
While this study is primarily exploratory, I will be exploring some relationships between attitudes toward activism and multiple variables. The quantitative data will be used to answer three research questions:  

1. Is the conceptualization of Activism consistent across the field? If there is variation, is there a pattern by which this variation occurs?  
2. Is the conceptualization of Activism influenced by the context in which the forensic anthropologist practices? The phenomenological and/or pedagogical era during which they received their highest degree? Their age or extent of experience professionally practicing in the field?  
3. How comfortable are active forensic anthropologists with integrating activism into their practice? It is expected that there will be the strongest relationship between the context in which one practices and attitudes surrounding activism.  

I expect that there will be a moderate to strong relationship between attitudes surrounding activism and the other variables, including the level of experience in the field and the phenomenological and/or pedagogical era during which one was educated.    

Thank you in advance for your time and participation — it is very appreciated! If you would like to contact me, my information is as follows:

Sadie Friend, BS
Anthropology Section Student Affiliate
email: sfriend1@csuchico.edu
phone: 434-907-1066

The survey was approved by California State University, Chico's Institutional Review Board (IRB-2023-48).