Practising infanticide, observing narrative: Controversial texts in a field science

In recent years, social studies of science have developed a deep interest i n the conduct of science in the field. However, studies of controversial fi eld science remain relatively rare. This paper presents an analysis of a co ntroversy about the origin of primate infanticide that began in the 1970s, and discusses the ways in which controversies in the field differ from thos e in the laboratory. Particularly important here is the inability of resear chers to control the behaviour of their research subjects; to an important extent, the conduct of their research is dependent on the agency of their r esearch subjects. Finally, it also points to the role played by the science s of animal behaviour in the constructions of stories about the biological basis of human culture, a role that means that the investigation of controv ersy in these sciences is of paramount public importance.