Closing the Door on Parachutes and Parasites: Addressing Inequities in International Research

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Recent years have witnessed criticism of ‘parachute’ or ‘parasitic’ research in global health, anthropology, and cross-cultural psychology. Too often, foreign researchers make use of local infrastructure, personnel, and research subjects, with little regard to impacts on local people and research capacity. This seminar will address attempts to establish more equitable models of international collaboration. Taking a case study of anthropological research in Tanzania, students will participate in meta-research about these issues and produce materials supporting the establishment of new international research guidelines. The course is ideal for students interested in research ethics or any field that involves cross-cultural data collection.