OFFER YOUR INPUT: The Commission for the Ethical Treatment of Human Remains Seeks Feedback
(Copied from the American Anthropological Association Website) In establishing the Commission for the Ethical Treatment of Human Remains in 2022, the American Anthropological Association responded to an urgent call across the field of anthropology for institutional and professional accountability related to Ancestral remains in education and research collections, with special attention to standards and guidelines concerning the respectful care for all Ancestral remains (including osteological, soft tissue, and genetic materials, as well as samples of hair and blood), and funerary objects and belongings. This specifically includes, but is not limited to, African Americans and Native Americans who are housed in research collections at museums and academic institutions.
In June 2024, the Commission released a report based on an extensive review and analysis of current ethics policies, an interdisciplinary literature review, consultation with biological anthropologists, geneticists, and bioarchaeologists, and listening sessions with descendant communities nationally and internationally.
This survey is designed to elicit feedback on the recommendations found at the end of the report from The Commission for the Ethical Treatment of Human Remains.