Article
French
ID: <
10.4000/jda.1916>
·
DOI: <
10.4000/jda.1916>
Abstract
Given the recent interest in the environment and sustainable development, environmental anthropology is likely to expand. The aim of this article is to discuss how anthropology can contribute to environmental management (both methodologically and conceptually), and to warn against some pitfalls linked to it. Among the most important dangers are the essentialisation of culture, and its evaluation in terms of criteria which are external to it (ethnocentric value judgements), often made under the pretence of cultural relativism. This article also reviews some problems linked to interdisciplinary collaboration, which is common in environmental projects. It concludes by reminding anthropologists of the importance of having an ethical and critical consciousness vis-à-vis their own work and that of others.