Anthropologists face ethical decisions every day, in which they must balance the often conflicting interests of their obligations with the demands placed on them. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ethical behavior as “conforming to accepted standards of conduct.” For anthropologists, the ethical risks faced in fieldwork are defined by their ethical obligations. This article will discuss, in a limited scope, both the ethical risks of fieldwork and the obligations of an anthropologist. To understand the ethical risks that exist in anthropological fieldwork, it is necessary to first understand ethical obligations. A variety of organizations dictate anthropological standards of professional conduct. According to Miller et al. “Canadian anthropologists face new ethical demands as they must now comply with the ethical policies of interdisciplinary research agencies, in addition to meeting university and anthropological standards” (p.55). However, these are not the only demands anthropologists face in their work. They must also comply with demands imposed by research funders, research participants, both individually and as a group, as well as governments, tribal leaders, and band councils. The American Anthropological Association (AAA) has created guidelines in an effort to assist anthropologists in negotiating the demands of the competing interests they face. The AAA, in its Statement on Ethics, listed seven principles of professional responsibility, the first of which, “the primary ethical obligation shared by all anthropologists is to do no harm” (p.4). The other six principles listed in the AAA Ethics Statement are: 2) Be open and honest about your work (p.5), 3) Inform yourself… middle of paper… the obligation and risk for anthropologists . Every day anthropologists face ethical decisions, in which they must balance the competing interests of the demands placed on them to choose action or inaction, which results in the least harm or no harm. Works cited by the American Anthropological Association. 2012. Statement on Ethics: Principles of Professional Responsibility. Arlington, Virginia: American Anthropological Association. Retrieved from: http://www.aaanet.org/profdev/ethics/upload/Statement-on-Ethics-Principles-of-Professional-Responsibility.pdfMerriam-Webster Dictionary. 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethicalMiller, Barbara D., & Penny Van Esterik, & John Van Esterik. 2010. Cultural Anthropology, 4th Canadian Edition. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada Inc.