Final answer:
Anthropologists must secure clearance from an IRB and the host country before beginning research. They must also follow ethical guidelines regarding subject consent, data ownership, and cultural sensitivity in practices like participant observation, ultimately aiming to benefit the studied community.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anthropologists are required to obtain clearance and to adhere to various ethical and legal standards before beginning research in a host country. Institutional review boards (IRBs) must review these research plans to ensure they respect ethical considerations particularly with regard to potential harm or stress to study subjects. Moreover, the host country or Indigenous nations may have their own research protocols, and obtaining permission is pivotal for the legitimacy and ethical integrity of the research project. The aim of long-term research is often to contribute constructively to the studied communities, for example, by addressing issues that the community identifies as important. This involves respecting, and often legally recognizing, the ownership of cultural knowledge and insights by the informants or community, encompassing ethical considerations such as transparent research intentions and the option to withdraw data post-study. Additionally, researchers practice participant observation, by which they deeply engage with the culture they are studying and may bring back and continue using learned cultural elements. This method raises questions about cultural appropriation and the dynamics of power, privilege, and the ownership of cultural knowledge. The outcomes of research, including potential publications and archival data, are subject to approval from the studied community and may involve significant control by the subject community over the secondary use of the research findings.