Tiny Graves: Mortality, Health, and Personhood in the Early Stages of Life

In recent years, the discipline of anthropology has neglected the long-standing “othering” of children and infants that found its way in past ethnographies. This recent development in the field has resulted in more inclusive and well-rounded ethnographic research and also the culmination of new theoretical questions, including that of the beginnings of personhood. This article explores personhood as it relates to one of the most precarious stages of life, most commonly referred to as the period of “infancy”, using examples from the fields of both philosophy and anthropology. More specifically, it seeks to expand on the cultural practices, ethics, and biological aspects that influence the onset of personhood and the concept of “self” in society.