Exorcizing Misleading Terms from Ethnobotany

Not too many years ago, a scientific paper could use terms such as “witch doctor,” or “primitive people” without drawing fire for being vague, insensitive, prejudice, or misleading. In their day, these terms were socially correct in academic circles so few gave them much thought. Such terms were accepted until their flaws were pointed out and they were replaced by more accurate statements. As “witch doctor” was exorcized as being a negative stereotype and ill-defined word, so too should a range of other terms that persist within the conversations and writings of ethnobotany.