The Ethnographer's Role in the Public

While the article about James Mooney's ethnography of the Ghost Dance was mainly concerned with the way he privileged the concept of the "real" Indian, I felt it was also an excellent example of the problem ethnographers can encounter when undertaking work for a government agency. Mooney conducted his ethnography under the auspices of the Bureau of American Ethnology and he had to be conscious of how his knowledge would be used. We read that this was a time of hostility between Sioux and American (i.e Wounded knee massacre), so Mooney's information would undoubtedly be used for military purpose. In fact, Powell advocated that the Bureau should produce "results that would be of practical value in the administration of Indian affairs." This raises the question of whether or not it is appropriate to conduct an ethnography for a government body and what were Mooney's responsibilities as an ethnographer.