The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between the concept of human nature and culturally dominant strategies for constructing the “Other” in European culture. This relationship results in specific challenges for the social anthropologist, particularly in connection with efforts to overcome common knowledge by unveiling and disclosing the real structure of social processes. The sphere of biopolitics has shown that citizens can be stimulated by fear to act. Yet fear has a moral dimension, and thus an engaged anthropology is now needed in order to combat social injustice more actively.
