Secret kinship: The ethnographer and the anthropotechnologist

Journal/Book: Trav Hum. 1997; 60: Service Des Periodiques, 12 Rue Jean de Beauvais, 75005 Paris, France. Univ France. 299-311.

Abstract: In 1979, Wisner was focusing on the fact that it was urgent to develop what he called anthropotechnology, ''... A way to adapt technology to population, which, as ergonomics, joins together different kinds of knowledge front human sciences, to help in the conception of technological systems... The scale being different, the sources are different too''. In regard to this point of view, we are here considering Anthropotechnology as a way of integrating several different human science disciplines. We must take into account the potential contribution of Anthropology and especially of ''ethnology of techniques'' aspecific French anthropological field. It can contribute to the theoretical and methodological development which Wisner proposed and which set the sociocultural aspects involved in technological transfer on the stage. Such an attitude may have a very important effect upon the conception of technological systems. Nevertheless, such a junction of different scientific fields involves an agreement on the definition of basic concepts and on a methodological framework. The paper firstly focuses on the kinship degrees existing between ergonomic and anthropological concepts. Secondly, it deals with one methodological element, the comparative approach, which is fundamental and common to ethnography and anthropotechnology. Examples are derived from the author's personnal field experience in Guinea (Sub-Saharian Africa).

Note: Article Geslin P, CNRS, Aramiihs, 31 Rue Cosmonautes, Zi Palays, F-31077 Toulouse, FRANCE

Keyword(s): anthropology; anthropotechnology; epistemology; methodology; intervention

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