The IAR is a non-profit scientific and educational corporation dedicated to the increase and spread of knowledge in the various branches of Latin American anthropology. With an original focus on the Andean region of South America, the Institute of Andean Research now extends its sphere of activities to all of South America, Central America, Mexico and the United States of America.

Its charter purposes are to stimulate, guide, direct, and conduct research work in anthropology generally, to furnish scholarships to distinguished and worthy students to carry on anthropological research, to publish the results of such research, to receive funds from donors wishing to contribute to such purposes, and to do all things - incidental or necessary to achieve such purposes (Mason 1967).