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Conclusion: The Anthropology of Dissection and Autopsy

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The Bioarchaeology of Dissection and Autopsy in the United States

Part of the book series: Bioarchaeology and Social Theory ((BST))

Abstract

There is a rich literature on the social history of the intersection of anatomy and economics, race, and class politics. In the last two decades, bioarchaeologists have made significant contributions to this topic, mobilizing the data to address a variety of historical and anthropological questions. In this concluding chapter I highlight two themes that can be observed throughout the contributions to the volume: dissection and autopsy as a transformative act and the relationship between dissection and structural inequality. Using the latter as a foundation, the final part of the chapter considers the ethical implications that bioarchaeologists must consider.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See the discussion by Nancy Scheper-Hughes (2011) on the modern commodification of the dead body.

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  1. Department of Anthropology, State University of New York at New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY, 12561, USA

    Kenneth C. Nystrom

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    Kenneth C. Nystrom

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Nystrom, K.C. (2017). Conclusion: The Anthropology of Dissection and Autopsy. In: Nystrom, K. (eds) The Bioarchaeology of Dissection and Autopsy in the United States. Bioarchaeology and Social Theory. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26836-1_16

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