SECTION NEWS February 2011 |

Anthropology and Environment Section S ECTION NEWS Terre Satterfield, Contributing Editor

Recognizing that the association’s sections represent the rich diversity of the discipline’s subfields, AN includes Section News, State of the Section Report which provides news of specific relevance to members of each section (eg, summaries of section business meetings, section meeting presentations, section awards). Members are encouraged to make full use of other AN editorial sections to report items By Paige West (A&E President) of more general interest (eg, meeting dates, death notices, commentaries). Contact information for section contributing editors A&E had a great 2010 meeting in New Orleans. Many is available in individual columns and on the AAA website. of our sponsored panels took up questions of circula- tion, flow and movement, the overall theme of the meet- in the Cane (1960) examined the connections of local ings. We sponsored panels on the circulation of ecoto- American Ethnological histories to global processes of capitalism. Moreover, pian imaginaries, water, energy, environmental knowledge Society Oscar Lewis’ La Vida (1966) inaugurated the culture and morals, climate science and knowledge, and conser- of poverty literature. Steward et al’s and Lewis’ studies vation capital. We also sponsored panels on hybrid land- Caitrin Lynch, Contributing Editor received intense anti-imperialist critiques from Puerto scapes, the relationship between environmental toxins Rican anthropologists (Valdés-Pizzini 2001). and neoliberal policy, the anthropological analysis of light, Join Us in Puerto Rico! Spring 2011 AES/ The anthropology of Puerto Rico has expanded consid- how transnational extractive industries work, contem- SUNTA Conference erably since the 1970s. Carlos Buitrago (1973), Rafael porary research on disaster, human-animal interactions, Thanks to AES’s Sharryn Kasmir (Hofstra U) and SUNTA’s Ramírez (1973), Helen Safa (1974) and Eduardo Seda the anthropology of stuff, settlement patterns, the rela- Lisa Maya Knauer (U Massachusetts—Dartmouth) we (1980) initiated important critical analyses of Puerto Rican tionship between animals, actor networks, and conserva- have much to look forward to at our upcoming spring society, followed by Manuel Valdés-Pizzini’s studies on tion. Additionally, we co-sponsored an exceptional panel conference: New Forms of Difference/New Forms of political economy (1985), Jorge Duany’s on migration on the environment, technology and humanitarianism Connection. Cosponsored by SUNTA, the conference (1990, 2002), and Carmen A Pérez-Herranz’s on gender in Iraq. Finally, we sponsored a poster session with seven will take place April 14–17, 2011, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (1990). In the last decade, a new generation of Puerto posters, a farming tour of New Orleans and a roundtable The submission deadline has passed, but we are accepting Rican anthropologists, through work on history and on the Gulf oil spill. We wish to thank Ben Columbi, our preregistration until April 1 and there will be onsite regis- power, gated communities, race, gender, environment, program chair, for this year’s work and for having served as tration. For the CFP, registration, hotel and travel infor- religion, social justice and modernity, have maintained a our program chair for the past four years. Sadly, Ben will be mation, see www.aesonline.org. The conference will be a vibrant critical stance. Added to these are new studies by stepping down this year but the entire section hopes that wonderful chance to get together with colleagues and to North American anthropologists that examine militarism, he knows how much we appreciate his hard work. get to know Puerto Rico (we have tours and other events neoliberal education and environmental health. In addi- A&E gave out five awards this year. Colin T West won planned for this purpose), and the Presidential Address tion, important studies of the Puerto Rican diaspora reflect the junior scholar award for his 2009 paper “Domestic by AES President Jane Collins (U Wisconsin) will be enti- the fact that most Puerto Ricans live outside Puerto Rico. Transitions, Desiccation, Agricultural Intensification, and tled “Connection and Difference in Global Circuits: New Critiques of Philippe Bourgois’ In Search of Respect (1995) Livelihood Diversification among Rural Households on the Configurations of Labor and Inequality.” We thank Ismael reflect the larger reality that Puerto Ricans have taken the Central Plateau, Burkina Faso” (American Anthropologist García-Colón for the following guest column about the lead in academic representation of the islands’ and the dias- 11[3]: 275–88). place of Puerto Rico in our discipline. The sources Ismael pora’s realities (see especially Torres 1998). Tensions still The Rappaport panel, a panel in honor of anthropolo- cites are available on the conference webpage at www. permeate the relationships between North American and gist Roy A Rappaport, was once again successful. Graduate aesonline.org or they can be requested from Ismael via Puerto Rican anthropologies. students Austin Zeiderman, Sean Downey, Sarah Besky, email. A nation on the move for some and a colony for others, Megan Ybarra and Georgina Drew were selected to Puerto Rico still struggles with the legacy of its use as a present papers at the panel. Sarah Besky won this year’s Puerto Rico in the Making of Anthropology social laboratory for testing policies in times of economic Rappaport prize for her paper “Garden Variety Kinship: By Ismael García-Colón (C Staten Island, CUNY) crisis. Looking beyond the confines of tourist attrac- Shifting Moral Economies and Relationships of Care on tions, ubiquitously visible are the effects of neoliberal Darjeeling Tea Plantations.” As a Spanish-speaking US territory (since 1898), Puerto policies with massive layoffs of government employees, Fifteen proposals were submitted for the Small Grants Rico may understandably confuse outside observers: Is it public-private corporate partnerships, a student move- Awards for Collaborative Problem Solving this year. Two American, Latin American or Caribbean? Puerto Rico’s ment fighting against privatization of higher education and proposals were chosen to receive $2,000 each. They were low profile in anthropology doesn’t help provide us with a Republican governor praised by the Obama administra- Karl Hoerig for his proposal “Coordinating Efforts to ready answers. Has Puerto Rico always been marginal to tion. As you gather for the AES meeting, the ever-changing Perpetuate Western Apache Environmental Knowledge” North American anthropology? dynamics of empire and modernity in the oldest colony in (US) and Kristin VanderMolen for her proposal “Of US domination signaled the arrival of North American the world (Trías Monge 1999) invite you to explore. Hurricanes and Hot Peppers: Bringing Local Legends Back anthropologists in the islands. During the first half of to Cotacachi’s Children” (Ecuador). the 20th century, several anthropological studies were Contact Ismael García-Colón at [email protected]. A&E member Heather Lazrus wrote a proposal to our conducted in Puerto Rico (Duany 1987). Even Franz Boas Contact Contributing Editor Caitrin Lynch at [email protected] executive board in the summer to start on an initiative at found a brief interest in the islands (Iranzo Berrocal 2011). with ideas for future columns, comments and submissions for AAA on climate changes. Working with A&E President- Yet how centrally have US anthropologists internalized our occasional Film Notes feature. elect Glenn D Stone, Heather presented her “Proposed the lessons to be derived from Puerto Rico’s early profile Resolution for American Anthropological Association in North American anthropology? I am still amazed to Task Force on Anthropology and Global Climate Change” find little reference to US colonialism in North American at the AAA Section Assembly on Friday morning. Heather anthropology, while it addresses at a great length the and a small task force of members will continue to work British, French and Dutch cases. Listen to the AAA Podcast to push this resolution through the AAA policy process. The brief period when Puerto Rico became a precious At the A&E board meeting the board discussed a www.aaanet.org/issues/ commodity for US academia was during the mid-20th memo brought to us by student board member Dana E century. The islands became a US laboratory for develop- AAA-Podcast-Series.cfm Powell. The memo outlined several excellent suggestions ment policies. In this context, Julian Steward et al’s The from student members on how to make AAA meetings a People of Puerto Rico (1956) and Sidney Mintz’s Worker more positive experience for them. While we will not be

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able to enact all their proposals, we will begin to organize the professional interests of American anthropologists, with our board meeting, followed by our midday business yearly roundtables focused on student-generated profes- including the dissemination of anthropological knowl- meeting, and finally our evening reception, distinguished sionalization-related topics. Next year we will have our edge and its use to solve human problems.” lecture and presentation of awards. first one, which will be organized around issues of career The EB has urged the AAA membership to submit Major points from the board and business meetings choices and possible career trajectories for environmental remarks and suggestions for rewording of the state- included the following: AfAA membership remains rela- anthropologists. ment so that it may accurately reflect the member- tively steady at 343 members as of September 2010. We We welcomed two new A&E board members, Katja ship’s sense of mission. A straightforward suggestion for would like to expand further the membership and simul- Neves in a senior seat and Justin M Nolan in a junior seat. revision came from Michael Schiffer, who proposed to taneously attract more graduate students. We have a new We also said goodbye to senior board member Lisa Gezon substitute the following wording for the passage above: treasurer, Susan Pietrzyk (Binghamton U), who replaces and junior board member Laura Ogden. We thank them “Preamble. Anthropology’s subdisciplines—archaeology, Mwenda Ntatangwi, our president-elect. They, along with for all of the work they have done over the past two years. cultural anthropology, linguistics, and biological anthro- the rest of the board, agreed to pursue launching an This coming year we will hold elections for a new presi- pology—and their many specialties give anthropologists endowment for the Skinner book awards, as well as the dent-elect as well as a junior seat, senior seat, and student unique access to the entire human experience on this graduate and undergraduate student paper awards. While representative. Nominations are currently open for these planet. Employing concepts and methods of both the the AfAA budget is healthy, the relatively new awards will positions and can be sent to [email protected]. sciences and humanities, anthropologists produce rich need continued funding to maintain and possibly expand In late January the board announced deadlines for the knowledge about the behavior, biology, and culture of what the AfAA offers in recognition of excellent Africanist 2011 Rappaport award, the small grants competition, past and present societies and of our primate relatives. scholarship. AfAA board members would like to have and the Julian Steward Book Award. We alternate years Anthropologists also share their knowledge with the award winners organize and present on AfAA-sponsored between the presentation of the book award and the junior public and apply that knowledge in solving current prob- panels in future AAA meetings. David Turkon, program scholar award. Details are available on our website. lems in any society.” editor, announced that the 2010 Annual Meeting included Finally, please remember to contribute website mate- Moreover, the EB has issued a new statement defining the first-ever AfAA poster session. See below for ways to rial and photos to Sean Downey ([email protected]. anthropology, which begins, “Anthropology is the study keep this trend going. edu), webmaster for our website (www.eanth.org); and of humans, past and present. To understand the full remember to submit ideas, research news and section- sweep and complexity of cultures across all of human related commentary to Terre Satterfield (satterfd@inter- history, anthropology draws and builds upon knowl- change.ubc.ca) for our monthly column. edge from the social and biological sciences as well as Please send your articles to A&E Contributing Editor Terre the humanities and physical sciences” (www.aaanet.org/ Satterfield ([email protected]). about/WhatisAnthropology.cfm). The AD Executive Committee is sympathetic to the need for any organization to periodically assess and revise its mission statement, and we urge anyone with concerns about the statement to contact the EB with suggestions. Archeology Division Above all, we urge you to stay with AAA during this E Christian Wells, Contributing Editor period of discussion so that you can help to make sure that archaeology continues to be represented.

Response to the Controversy over the AD Executive Committee Meeting Revision of the AAA Long-Range Plan The AD Executive Committee met on November 18, By Ben A Nelson (Arizona State U), on behalf of the Archeology 2010. Due to the urgency of the issues discussed in the Division Executive Committee previous entry in this column, information on the meeting has been posted to the AD website, www.aaanet.org/ We believe that the AAA Executive Board (EB) acted with sections/ad/index.html, as well as the AAA blog, http:// the intent to include, not exclude, scientific approaches blog.aaanet.org. We encourage you to stay informed by when it accepted the now-controversial wording in a visiting the website and blog and by asking your colleagues preface to the Long-Range Plan, a document that essen- and students to join us as we continue to demonstrate the tially addresses public outreach. Four archaeologists and relevance of archaeology to today’s global challenges. a biological anthropologist who are current or outgoing To learn more about the Archeology Division, visit 2010 AfAA Distinguished Lecturer J Lorand Matory AAA board members make it clear that the EB only our website at www.aaanet.org/sections/ad/index.html. (Duke U). Photo courtesy Jennifer Coffman intended to signal inclusion of the range of approaches Send news, notices and comments to E Christian Wells, that characterize the discipline (www.aaanet.org/about/ [email protected]. Richard Werbner (U Manchester) announced that the Governance/Long_range_plan.cfm): “Section 1. The Journal of Southern African Studies would like to attract purposes of the Association shall be to advance public Send news, notices and comments to E Christian Wells at more articles from anthropologists and is open to the understanding of humankind in all its aspects. This [email protected]. incorporation of visual material. This is an opportunity includes, but is not limited to, archaeological, biological, for US-based anthropologists to become more involved social, cultural, economic, political, historical, medical, with Africanists in Europe and Africa. While the journal is visual, and linguistic anthropological research. The focused on the southern region of Africa, articles focusing Association also commits itself to further the profes- Association for Africanist on neighbors, extensions and other connections are also sional interests of anthropologists, including the dissem- Anthropology welcome. For more information, please contact Richard at ination of anthropological knowledge, expertise, and [email protected]. interpretation.” Jennifer E Coffman, Contributing Editor In the evening, the AfAA reception once again grooved It is important to note that the AAA Statement of to the soothing beats of Gene Perry’s music. Following food Purpose (www.aaanet.org/about/Governance/Satement- AfAA in NOLA and conversation, J Lorand Matory (Duke U) delivered of-Purpose.cfm) still defines anthropology as a social By Jennifer E Coffman (James Madison U) and Yolanda the 2010 AfAA Distinguished Lecture, entitled “Sacred science: “The purposes of the Association shall be to Covington-Ward (U Pittsburgh) Double Consciousness: The Signs of Citizenship and advance anthropology as the science that studies human- of Spirit Possession in the Afro-Atlantic World.” AfAA kind in all its aspects, through archeological, biolog- As usual, the AAA Annual Meeting found the AfAA busy. President Maria Cattell then presented the 2010 awards: ical, ethnological, and linguistic research; and to further We started early in the morning Friday, November 19, the Skinner book award to Trevor Marchand (U London)

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for The Masons of Djenné, the graduate student paper pointed out, we have chosen to acknowledge our legacy [email protected]). award to David Platzer (Johns Hopkins U), and the under- from its inception, despite the name change. graduate student award to Narisa Silver (UC San Diego). Speaking of legacy, once again, the Legacy Award was a huge success. This year Faye Harrison and Ira Harrison, Submission Information for 2011 Meetings two long-term ABA members who have helped to shape Association for Feminist David Turkon (Ithaca C, AfAA Program Editor) anthropology theoretically and methodologically with Anthropology their breadth of research and dedication to training young The time has come to think about submissions for the scholars, were honored. After the award ceremony, the fun Damla Isik and Jessica Smith Rolston, 2011 AAA Annual Meeting in Montreal. As always, we continued and we had a wonderful dinner and soulful night Contributing Editors encourage anyone submitting a paper, poster or session of dancing. A special thanks to DJ Kalfani Ture for spin- dealing with Africa to do so through AfAA. The deadline ning beats while we did the salsa, the meringue, two-step, Politics of Absence: Women in Search of the for general submissions is April 15. However, the dead- and electric slide. Disappeared in Kashmir line for invited sessions is March 15. This earlier dead- Along with Harrison and Harrison, Alisha Winn, assis- By Ather Zia (UC Irvine) line gives us extra time to negotiate cosponsorship with tant professor of anthropology (Fayetteville State U), was other sections, which is important because it enables us bestowed the Vera Greene Publication Award. Winn Since 1989 Indian administered Kashmir (hereafter to turn our allotted two invited slots into four cospon- stated that her “project was aimed at enabling youth to referred to as Kashmir) has been embroiled in an armed sored ones listed in the program. As always, submissions build relationships with their elders, and learn about militancy for independence from India. More than 70,000 that are clearly written, timely, relevant and that speak to their history and culture from individuals from their people have been killed and 8,000 to 10,000 Kashmiri men, the theme of the meetings are given priority. The theme own neighborhoods by documenting elders’ lives in the both militant combatants and noncombatants, have disap- for 2011 is “Traces, Tidemarks and Legacies.” Please visit African American community through interviews and peared as a result of the Indian counterinsurgency policies. the AAA website (and follow the meeting column in the collection of artifacts for a museum exhibit.” Winn In the absence of men, Kashmiri women have assumed the AN) for a full discussion of the theme. Consider also that was the project director for the “Remembering St Pete task of caring for families and have organized to search for AfAA is allotted one invited poster session per year, and Oral History Project” at the Carter G Woodson African those who have disappeared in the custody of the Indian we are excited about further expanding AfAA participa- American Museum in St Petersburg, FL, which involved army. My ethnographic research pivots around under- tion through this medium. A poster session is an excellent African American youth (ages 14–18) and elders over the standing what propels these women into civic activism opportunity to share your work! Finally, since AAA wants age of 65. and what social and cultural factors sustain their political to encourage venues with audience participation, accepted If you have not gotten your copy of Decolonizing struggle and the meaning it holds for gender relations. roundtables are automatically given invited status on Anthropology, what are you waiting for? Make sure you These women, mainly Muslim mothers and wives the program. If you have any questions, contact AfAA visit AAA’s website and order the reprint. (called half-widows) of the disappeared men, have become Program Editor David Turkon at [email protected]. Lastly, as we leap into our 41st year, make sure you submit tireless human rights activists, a form of gendered civic your proposals to the following call for nominations. engagement unprecedented in a conservative Muslim- To learn more about AfAA and our annual awards, please visit The John L Gwaltney Native Anthropology Scholarship. dominated society. The women activists mobilize demon- our website at www.aaanet.org/sections/afaa/index.html. Send This award was launched in 1999 to honor the life and strations, pursue court cases and collect documentation. photos and column ideas to Jennifer Coffman, James Madison intellectual legacy of Gwaltney (1928–88) whose interests They meet government officials and police, and they scour University, MSC 5731, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807; coffmaje@ included a strong focus on black life in industrial cities. The prisons and morgues to locate their missing kin. Most jmu.edu. scholarship will be awarded to assist emerging scholars women are members of the Association of the Parents to further their research. We encourage proposals from of the Disappeared Persons (APDP). Parveena Ahangar, the four subfields and applied practice of anthropology. a 46-year-old mother, cofounded this organization with a Applicants must be members of ABA. Preference will be human rights lawyer-activist in 1994 after her teenage son Association of Black given to scholars of anthropology but consideration will be went missing while in the Indian army’s custody. Anthropologists given to those in other disciplines. The winners will receive Activist Kashmiri women engage in events including a certificate and a cash award ($600 post-graduate and sit-ins, vigils, protests and meetings to express their polit- Bianca C Williams and karen g williams, $400 for an ABD student). The deadline for nominations ical demands. They seek an independent commission to Contributing Editors and applications is May 1, 2011. For details on the process, investigate the disappearances and demand an end to all please contact Scholarship Selection Committee co-chairs kinds of human rights violations. Indian and international Celebrating 40 Years and Growing Stronger Melanie EL Bush ([email protected]) and David Simmons human rights organizations have established ties with By karen g williams (CUNY—Graduate Institute) ([email protected]). the women activists, guiding them in legal matters and The Vera Green Publication Award offers a unique providing forums to convey their demands for information This year’s AAA Annual Meeting was amazing. ABA cele- opportunity for a junior scholar or an ABD student to and investigation of their missing relatives’ cases. brated its 40-year anniversary with an array of outstanding share her or his work through publication in Transforming While these women are at the forefront of human rights panels, roundtables and workshops, while surrounded by Anthropology, the journal of the ABA. Established in activism, their engagement is also a site of power imbal- delicious food and marvelous music in NOLA. Sincere 2007, the award is offered in honor of Vera Mae Green ance and sexual and human rights abuse. The activists thanks go to the program committee for preparing a (1928–82, PhD 1969, U Arizona) who was a pioneer in are often labeled as anti-national by Indian government dynamic line-up and job well done for all the scholars who the fields of public and Caribbean anthropology. Her and face death threats or worse. In the early 1990s pioneer participated this year. research and activism focused on poverty and interna- activist Haleema Begum and her child were shot dead If you did not make it to the ABA business meeting, you tional human rights, and she contributed significantly to by unidentified gunmen. Some local observers link her might be wondering how we came up with the 40-year interethnic studies, black family studies and the under- assassination to her persistent search for her missing son. marker, particularly since there is uncertainty around standing of aging and migration. As an advocate for diver- Sexual abuse at the hands of Indian military also often when ABA should officially mark its beginnings. Here is sity in anthropology, Green actively encouraged African goes unreported. a short time line: Americans and other people of color to pursue careers in A majority of the disappeared persons are often the • 1970 A small group formed the Caucus of Black anthropology. sole breadwinners of their families. Their disappearance Anthropologists The deadline for submission is May 1, 2011. For more leaves the family desperate and marginalized. The dire • 1975 The name was changed to the Association of information on how to submit, please contact Committee situation of half-widows is exacerbated since they are often Black Anthropologists Chair Aimee Cox ([email protected]). unemployed and rarely remarry. Most of them are fully • 1986 ABA became a section of AAA committed to finding the whereabouts of their husbands So while some people might argue that ABA is only 24 Contributions to this column can be sent to karen g williams or waiting for their return. Studies show that most of the years old, as Kimberly Simmons, former ABA president, ([email protected]) or Bianca C Williams (bianca. women live in a state of disturbed bereavement. Almost

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half of the female patients receiving psychiatric treatment develop legal protection for threatened cultures. suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, which experts We must bear in mind that in contributing to discourse Association for Latina and believe is due to the sudden assumption of male respon- about an ethics code revision our energies should be Latino Anthropologists sibilities, psychological trauma, reported and unreported focused on articulating concerns broadly so as to encom- sexual violence, and the overall stressful environment. pass multiple related issues and make it easier to imple- Luis FB Plascencia and Anahí Viladrich, My preliminary research suggests that the dominance ment revisions. Ethical codes of conduct are routinely Contributing Editors of women in leading the human rights activism in Kashmir worded to provide breadth and flexibility in interpretation. amid other factors can also be brought about by men Collecting comments and concerns from AIA members, Celebrating Las Posadas in the Heartland: refraining from such efforts to avoid exacerbating the both specific and general in nature, will help us identify not Creating Home in New Destinations security discrimination they face at the hands of the Indian only the range of concerns of indigenous anthropologists By Aidé Acosta (U Illinois Urbana—Champaign) army since they are identified with the militant combat- but will also ideally reflect consideration of issues rele- ants. Also most men have fulltime jobs that prevent them vant to our own communities and those with whom we Local residents of the trailer park community Prairieville from committing to the activities and responsibilities of work. In processing this feedback we can identify common in east-central Illinois gathered on a cold evening in the movement. Although these factors can add to pushing threads to present to the Ethics Review Task Force. December 2007 at the home of Olivia to initiate the women to the forefront, they are not adequate to ensure a Acknowledging that ethical codes such as AAA’s are, at celebrations of Las Posadas. Participants were handed longstanding participation that the women have displayed their core, primarily instruments of Western philosophy white candles to place on the center of a paper cup; in the last two decades despite no success in achieving that may be incommensurable with indigenous knowl- meanwhile, a young girl and a boy were dressed in their goals. The centrality of affect and emotion in this edge and belief systems, we may also wish to entertain costumes to resemble Joseph and Mary. The two chil- kin-based activism is crucial in understanding why these and promote discussion of alternative and indigenous- dren were chosen to lead the procession that would end women participate in this movement first and foremost. derived approaches to ethical issues. Ethical practice refig- at Prairieville’s community center known as La Escuelita. My research explores the affective dimension of this ured from such perspectives might provide new routes to The children portraying Jose and Maria lead the proces- activism, how it sustains the movement, influences the collaboration and mutually beneficial relations that emerge sion as participants walked carefully down the icy road gender dynamics and the transformative and productive from dialog between anthropologists and the individuals in the harsh winter night. With wax dripping down their possibilities it has for the women in a zone of conflict. or communities being studied. These approaches need gloves they shivered as they tried to maintain the lit not replace the AAA Code of Ethics, but would comple- candle while singing chants about the journey through Ather Zia is from Kashmir and a PhD student in the ment it by providing common moral and ethical ground Bethlehem. anthropology department at the University of California– between anthropologists and indigenous peoples from In Latin America and for US Latinos, Christmas is Irvine. Her background is in journalism. Send communications which collaborative and consultative relationships may celebrated with festivities that last weeks prior to and and contributions to Damla Isik at [email protected] and Jessica grow. after Christmas Day. Las Posadas are a nine-day reli- Smith Rolston at [email protected]. Although anthropological practice in recent decades gious observance that begins December 16. This cele- has grown to be considerably more public, applied and bration includes a procession that commemorates the engaged (see the recent stimulating Current Anthropology travesties endured by Joseph and Mary in their search supplement, edited by Low and Merry), it is worth contem- for shelter (posada). As cultural practice, the proces- Association of Indigenous plating what such enhanced collaboration with these audi- sion often stops at three locations before being granted Anthropologists ences and communities means for contemporary ethical posada; in Prairieville the celebration is modified to one practice. I suggest that it means, at least in part, that AAA’s final destination to limit the time spent in the harsh Valerie Lambert, Contributing Editor code should more explicitly acknowledge and reflect this winter night. The short procession culminated in front sea change in practice by underscoring the responsibility of La Escuelita with a chant pidiendo posada (asking for Ethics and Diversity anthropologists have to advocate social justice, critique lodging). On being granted permission to enter, partic- By Edward A Jolie (Mercyhurst C) forms of power that produce or maintain inequality, and ipants begin the celebrations. The small room in the give back to the communities being studied. trailer that serves as the community center for work- A primary reason for establishing the AIA section was At the recent AAA Annual Meeting in New Orleans shops, meetings and educational programming is deco- to enhance the voice and visibility of indigenous anthro- the AAA Task Force for Comprehensive Ethics Review rated to reflect the festivities. The ceiling is adorned pologists to the broader AAA membership while also hosted a roundtable discussion to solicit input from the with Christmas garlands, ornaments and lights as paper providing an outlet for discussion of concerns specifi- various sections and committees regarding the needs and snowflakes come down the ceiling. The organizers also cally relevant to Native American peoples and, more concerns of AAA’s diverse membership. This does not decorated the space with a Christmas tree next to a broadly, indigenous peoples throughout the world. With mean that by the time you read this that the deadline has nativity scene (nacimiento) surrounded by red poinset- the AAA’s Code of Ethics currently undergoing compre- passed for sharing our concerns. Rather, we must continue tias, the Mexican origin plants known as Noche Buena hensive review (http://blog.aaanet.org/ethics-task-force), to organize our thoughts and articulate well-reasoned that translates to “Christmas Eve.” After several chants now is the perfect time to reflect on how to best develop positions on the particular issues that the AIA and its and praying a rosary, the celebration concluded with anthropological practice that serves the needs of diverse constituency would like conveyed to the Task Force and traditional Mexican dishes including pozole, tamales, indigenous communities. Executive Board. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me and atole as well as the traditional ponche navideño—a We are interested in hearing from you about issues and other AIA officers with general and specific concerns hot cider made of various fruits, including sugar cane, that should be addressed, but we have generated some that you think should be addressed. We look forward to guavas and tejocote, known as Mexican hawthorne. The topics of our own. At the national level, for example, hearing from you and to many productive discussions in food was provided by various volunteers rotating their AIA President Valerie Lambert suggested proposing the future. contributions, and in this way representing various states more explicit wording, either in a revised code or reso- in Mexico they have migrated from, including Puebla, lution, that expresses AAA’s active support and defense Edward A Jolie is the outgoing AIA student board member. Tlaxcala and Guerrero. of American Indian tribal sovereignty. Looking interna- He may be contacted at [email protected]. Contact AIA While Posadas and similar celebrations, such as the tionally, increased attention is being brought to endan- Contributing Editor Valerie Lambert ([email protected]. December 12 celebration of La Virgen de Guadalupe, gered cultures, many of which are indigenous popula- edu) with questions or ideas about the column. are common in cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles tions. In the most current issues of Practicing Anthropology or other historical gateway migrant destinations, in east- and International Journal on Minority and Group Rights, central Illinois they are also representative of the recent David Lempert issues a call to develop a Red Book for Want to see the RACE Project? changing demographics in new destinations. As Latino Endangered Cultures that can help monitor and protect Find the tour schedule at migrants settle in these new geographies, they are also human cultural and linguistic diversity by systematizing www.understandingrace.org/about/tour.html creating a sense of home through diasporic practices. In anthropological knowledge of cultures and using it to Prairieville, the festivity was organized first by a collective

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of immigrant women along with local community advo- violence, whether by withdrawing public security or by cates to celebrate this traditional cultural and religious profiting from public insecurity. Association for Queer practice, and also share with the local regional commu- The 1992 Peace Accords, signed by representatives Anthropology nity their own diasporic lives by inviting non-Latinos to of the Salvadoran government and commanders of the join them. For immigrant participants, events such as Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) David L R Houston, Contributing Editor Las Posadas are not only reflective of a traditional prac- guerrilla organization, ended El Salvador’s 12-year war tice from their places of origin that generates a nostalgia and called for a reform of the country’s institutions of Can Things Get Better? Bullying and the for the homeland, but central to building community, not order. The reform has not, however, correlated with an Circulation of Knowledge just locally but as a broader collective sense as Mexican end to public insecurity; entrenched in the aftermath of Last month, I reported briefly on the recent rash of and Latino immigrants. Thus, Las Posadas materialized war is a politics of fear with unclear perpetrators such LGBTQ suicides, asking for our collective input on into an event that celebrated this cultural practice while as racketeers. A state-sponsored politics of fear operated how we might share our own work in the formation of demonstrating to the larger community their own sense in the prewar and wartime eras, when dead bodies were a public discussion. While we’re unlikely to solve the of belonging in the Heartland. publicly displayed to purposefully instill fear in the popu- larger issue, we might, through this sharing process, In the current anti-immigrant context with polices such lation. In the postwar era, the politics of fear has taken the be able to expand on themes and ideas that could help as HR-4437 that promote dehumanizing discourses about form of death threats, crucial to the economy of violence reduce its intensity. immigrants as perpetual foreigners, cultural practices constituted by extortion. Although my focus is the acute An interesting link appeared on a discussion list where such as Las Posadas assert their settlement in the process proliferation of extortion, my research indicates that the I work about a “Queer Teach-In” (for details see www. of making home in these new locations. At the same time, nationwide postwar economy of violence also includes socialtextjournal.org/periscope/queer-suicide-a-teach- in the context of the US, posadas serve as a metaphor for drug trafficking and the outsourcing of homicides via in). This was one of many deeply felt responses to this the immigrant experience. As diasporic practices, cultural youth gangs. issue, demonstrating not only a measure of resolve and religious rituals organized by immigrants are not only The private security industry fills the demand for but also underscoring one of the many ways in which a medium that permits them to maintain connections protection that extortion—along with impunity—engen- knowledge about this problem circulates. to their backgrounds and histories but are also political ders. While increasing militarization has character- Among the many questions raised in the teach-in was sites of culture in the current anti-immigrant context. ized the public securitization of the postwar era, there this one: Are we stereotyping queer youth in the bullying Immigrants are invoking practice as a way of telling their exists simultaneously a private security industry whose question? In other words, does a headline shouting “gay own stories as migrants in response to being treated as employees surpass the number of police force personnel. youth commits suicide” instill a preconceived notion of marked cultural, classed, gendered and racial actors in The flourishing of this industry, along with the ineffi- what a “gay youth” is? I would ask, following on one of the new geographies. ciency of police and armed forces, would seem to suggest comments from the AQA list discussion, whether or not the existence of a weak state or a condition of increasing this instillation inadvertently pushes real difference into Contact Luis FB Plascencia at [email protected] or statelessness. However, the privatization and deregulation the background, cleverly hiding the seemingly infinite Anahí Viladrich at [email protected]. of the country’s public sectors, enacted with the neolib- variety of our experiences and differences behind a not- eral restructuring that occurred in the late 1990s, has so-thin veneer of contrived definitions. Do we want our enabled Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) state “difference” to stand out? Or is assimilation into the main- actors to become shareholders or owners of a number of stream a more desirable outcome? Association for Political private security businesses. Rather than having retreated, Clearly, visual presentation—how we perceive differ- and Legal Anthropology the state has thus reproduced itself in the private domain, ence—is a huge part of how alterity pushes itself out there, emerging as a shadow state amid the lack of transparency gets noticed and, in some cases, winds up leaving the Mona Bhan and Noelle Molé, Contributing in the private security industry. “presenter” in a bad way. Outward appearances have a dual Editors Interestingly, various state actors, like racketeers, benefit edge. On the one hand, because they highlight difference, from the persistence of public insecurity and impunity. as the collection of subtle visual and other clues accrues Organized Crime and the Shadow State in The inefficiency of public security and the simultaneous in the mind, it at some point leads to a conclusion, well- Postwar El Salvador vested interests of state actors in the private security placed or otherwise. On the other hand, clear expression By Ainhoa Montoya (U Manchester) industry suggest that state actors and racketeers behave of difference is one of the vital ways that we as LGBTQ in essentially the same ways; the distinction between persons got to where we are today. The free expression of After El Salvador’s 2009 presidential elections, extortion them lies in the (il)legitimacy of their acts and where they difference is an essential part of our lives. If that expression, became a widespread form of crime in Santiago Nonualco, lie along the boundaries of the (il)licit. The intimate rela- that celebration of difference, becomes a means by which a municipio in the central La Paz region. Santiagueños tionship between state actors and private security-related things can get better, then so much the better. But if that discreetly told me about phone calls to their landlines services can be traced back to the country’s 20th-century same expression can be turned into a club through which from men requesting specific sums of money and threat- symbiosis of the military and economic elite. In my other agendas are executed, we are, to borrow a term, “goin’ ening to assassinate them or their relatives if a payment research I therefore focus on processes of statecraft in nowhere mighty fast.” was not received. Rumors suggested various possible rack- El Salvador so as to shed light on how state actors might Consider how easily the decision was made to alter eteers, including local police officers, gang members and enable, and benefit from, violence. This is not to suggest the exhibit mounted by the Smithsonian in the National transnational criminal networks, and motives ranging that violence is necessarily a defining element of El Portrait Gallery in response to complaints by a small from pecuniary extraction to political confrontation and Salvador’s postwar governmentality, as it was before the number of powerful individuals. Whether or not the personal disputes. Once confined to families who owned war. To understand how and why violence has persisted Wojnarowicz video segment was perceived as anti-Chris- businesses, since 2009 extortion has affected Santiagueños in the postwar era, explanations must be sought in the tian or antigay, these actions underscore the extent to of all classes. People’s fears, stemming from death threats structural effects stemming from the confluence of the which nearly any object or experience is a matter of inter- and exacerbated by the country’s daily homicide count, country’s war legacies and its process of neoliberalization. pretation. Here we see an expression of difference—the have made extortion highly profitable. In my research I now famous 11 seconds with a crucifix crawling with query how and why violence in the form of death threats Important Announcement ants—being touted as a cultural icon on both sides of and daily homicides, although taking on new expressions The APLA Graduate Student Paper Prize deadline this the fence. One agenda has it that this is somehow anti- after the civil war of the 1980s, has persisted in demo- year is June 15, 2011. Please see the APLA website for something, borderline obscene, and in a publicly funded cratic El Salvador. Extortion, I suggest, has contributed to details about submissions. institution begs the question of where and how such the constitution of an economy of violence and cannot funding comes from. The other agenda holds that this be separated from its complementary facet, the private Please send ideas for future columns to the contributing editors, visual presentation both highlights and mourns difference security industry. Evidence suggests that the Salvadoran Mona Bhan at [email protected] and Noelle Molé at through loss, the devastation of AIDS in the past three state plays a role in the country’s flourishing economy of [email protected]. decades and its effect on our collective sensibility. It raises

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many troubling questions, not the least of which is how our There have been disappointments, too. Despite our anthropology to its legitimate historic place as “the science political leaders derive sufficient (or any) understanding of efforts and Section Assembly (SA) support, we did not of human differences and similarities” and along the way an issue as complex as identity, one that they themselves persuade the AAA Executive Board to restore across-the- reclaim our moral center. Thank you for the opportunity may not live. board retiree membership dues. For now, the ASA execu- to serve ASA. Consider the recent appearance of the “Things Get tive committee will see what comes of the EB’s review of Tony ([email protected]) now graduates Better” project, initiated by Dan Savage, which quickly the whole dues structure, prompted in part by our 2009 as an ordinary member of the ASA board to accompany went viral and provided a platform for multiple modes of retiree-dues resolution. President Herbert Lewis ([email protected]); President- expression. Even among our own cohort, the resulting divi- Speaking of the SA, as a first-time section president I was Elect Paula Rubel ([email protected]); Treasurer Margo sions are more than a little alarming. Can we really suggest Smith ([email protected]); and Secretary and Editor to younger people that things do get better when these Paul Doughty ([email protected]). sorts of clashes appear in quick succession? Bullying doesn’t stop when we grow up, and bullying is For questions and answers get in touch with ASA President not the exclusive domain of a couple of singular, possibly Herb Lewis ([email protected]), past President Tony Paredes misguided individuals. Workplace aggression and Black ([email protected]), new President-Elect Friday mob scenes are just as much about bullying as Paula Rubel ([email protected]), Treasurer Margo Smith webcasting college sex romps. What the Wojnarowicz ([email protected]) or Secretary/Contributing Editor Paul video and the “Things Get Better” viralizing demonstrate Doughty ([email protected]). quite plainly is that the process of culture itself is a bully pulpit.

Join us. AQA wants you! Visit www.solga.org—news, mentors, Biological Anthropology discussion list and more. Please send any comments, suggestions, Section ideas for new columns or just say “hi” to David Houston at [email protected]. Tony Paredes passes the gavel to Herb Lewis. Photo Virginia Vitzthum, Contributing Editor courtesy Paul Doughty 2010 BAS Student Prize Winner surprised to see just how much they do. Having recently Congratulations to Allison Foley (Indiana U— Association of Senior served on the AAA EB, I knew the SA is a significant Bloomington) for her award-winning paper, delivered at Anthropologists force in AAA governance. Yet I still thought of the section the recent 2010 AAA Annual Meeting in New Orleans. system as a somewhat recent addition to AAA, despite The award includes a $250 cash prize and publication of Paul Doughty, Contributing Editor being nearly 30 years old. From the inside, it is clear that the her abstract below. SA is an arena for many worthwhile debates. It may reflect Honorable Mentions for excellent work were awarded ASA enjoyed an excellent 2010 session in New Orleans— the expanding bureaucracy of AAA, but a certain amount to Allison Cantor (U Nevada—Las Vegas), “Maternal Diet interesting papers, strong attendance and a business of bureaucracy is necessary as any organization grows and in Rural Costa Rica: Identifying Cultural Norms and luncheon. We plan to repeat this pattern in Montreal and becomes more complex. Changing Trends with Implications for the Developmental to that end ASA Program Chair Alice Kehoe welcomes Along with that bureaucratization, I’ve been personally Origins of Obesity-Related Disorders”; Carolyn Jost your ideas. Please watch our website at www.aaanet.org/ disturbed by the trend toward corporatization that I see in Robinson (Purdue U, co-authored with Melissa Remis), sections/asa/index.cfm for plans and details. At the busi- anthropology today. I took to heart President Eisenhower’s “Synergistic Human-Wildlife Relationships in a Protected ness meeting our new president, Herb Lewis, carefully farewell address warning of the dangers of “the military- Area: Ecological and Political Entanglements”; and Mary accepted the historic gavel photo from Tony Paredes who industrial complex.” AAA seems laudably ever-alert to the Elizabeth Timm (U Nevada—Las Vegas, co-authored with reviews his term as president and disciplinary concerns “military” side of the equation: witness the AAA response Debra Martin and Jamie Vilos), “Fishing and Farming in below. An interesting history of our official gavel is found to HTS. But, with its various partnerships and sponsor- the Desert: An Analysis of Sacro-iliac Enthuses in a Bronze on our website. ships, AAA sometimes seems to be slipping into the thrall Age (c 2200–2000 BC) Population.” of the industrial side—which nowadays resides as much Good-bye and Fare Well in apps on your cell phone as in smokestacks along the Disability and Disease in the Ancient Midwest: A Paleopathological Analysis of By J Anthony Paredes skyline; witness AAA collaboration in EPIC. Let me own up to my greatest failing as ASA president. I the Morton Site, IL It’s been an invigorating two years as president. Thanks should have made a much bigger stink about the proposed By Allison Foley to the efforts of many, ASA has done a lot: (1) tidying up changes to the AAA long-range plan deleting such words as our bylaws; (2) makeover of our website (www.aaanet. “science,” “ethnological” and “human problems,” approved While infectious disease and trauma are perhaps more org/sections/asa/index.cfm); (3) establishing a discus- by the AAA Executive Board in November 2010. It turned striking in their abruptness, congenital disorders affect, sion list ([email protected]); (4) compiling a (near- my stomach. My only excuse is that the SA did not learn and at times define, an individual’s lifelong health and complete) list of past officers over our 20-year history; (5) of this impending debacle until October 2010. I fired off a social status. The paleopathological study of congenital superb annual meeting sessions; (6) nurturing ties to the quick comment to the SA but assumed that there would be disorders allows bioarchaeologists to understand the diver- Association of Indigenous Anthropologists and National plenty of opportunity for open, spirited debate among the sity and scope of these disorders in archaeological popula- Association of Student Anthropologists; (7) securing a membership at large. How wrong I was. There is cause for tions and can perhaps even hint at issues of biological heri- publisher (University of Alabama Press) for the Kehoe hope. Some years ago after a similar fiasco in the Society tability and social identity. The Morton Site, located within and Doughty edited collection of ASA papers, Expanding for Applied Anthropology, we restored that organiza- the Central Illinois River Valley, sits approximately 260 km Anthropology, 1945–1980: A Generation Reflects; (8) tion’s original statement of purpose, crafted by the likes of northeast of the Mississippian site of Cahokia. Excavated delicious luncheon business meetings; (9) dramatically Margaret Mead. in the early 1930s by the University of Chicago, the expanded membership to more than 200 members. A final hopeful note: I’ve just finished reading two bril- Morton’s 19 mortuary mounds date from the Red Ochre ASA also received a substantial gift from Philip Singer to liant, erudite but blunt essays by our new president Herb period (1200–400 BC) through to the terminus of the support the collaborative project, The Final Participation Lewis (see our website and archive) documenting the Mississippian period (1300 AD) and therefore provides an Observation: Cultural Anthropologists Confront Their dissembling, dismembered degeneration, dissolution, and excellent backdrop for bioarchaeological analysis. Skeletal Mortality. It will produce several 60–90 minute video- dissipation of anthropology (my words, not his) during the remains from the site, curated by Indiana University– recorded interviews to be donated to AAA. Contact past 45 years. Despite it all, Herb ends with an optimistic Bloomington, exhibit a variety of disabilities and congen- [email protected] for more information. tone. Perhaps with Herb’s leadership ASA can help restore ital disorders ranging from hemimelia to torticollis to

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brachydactyly. Many of these pathologies would not only tunity horizons and aligning with historic and current ties?” Her findings are both deeply significant and trou- have impacted the individuals’ overall health and lifestyle, community interests). … Before becoming an assis- bling: While this charter school environment does in but would also have been perceptible to the community at tant professor at the University of Arizona in 1989, she fact support minoritized students in achieving through large. Interestingly, the archaeological record indicates that held positions as an educational liaison and elementary a nuanced motivation regime, by leaving the majori- mortuary treatment was relatively egalitarian throughout school teacher … as bilingual curriculum specialist and tarian structures unquestioned and in tact, it produces the site, implying that physical disability did not confer an coordinator … as Regional Coordinator for the National students who are educated to pursue personal advance- observable negative social status. This paper will present Indian Bilingual Center, and as an Education Program ment but not social change. paleopathological diagnoses of congenital disorders within Specialist for the Arizona Department of Education’s the prehistoric Morton population and address the rela- Indian Education Unit. This experience outside the Contact Contributing Editor Steve Bialostok at [email protected]. tionship between social identity, mortuary treatment and academy likely has contributed to her desire to have overall health within the population. the anthropology of education matter more in the shaping of formal educational policy and practice, a core AAAS in the Nation’s Capital theme of her leadership during her presidency of CAE Council for Museum The 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Association (in 2009), her editorship of Anthropology & Education Anthropology for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will be held on Quarterly (2001–06), and focus of several of the courses February 17–21. The theme is “Science Without Borders,” she teaches (eg, Ethnography & Language Policy and Margaret Bruchac, Contributing Editor and there are many sessions of interest to biological International Perspectives on Indigenous Language anthropologists, a few of which are listed below. For addi- Planning & Policy). [Terri’s] two books are among ten Incoming CMA Officers and Other News tional information, please see www.aaas.org/meetings; books and monographs that she has (co)authored or Election results were announced at the AAA Annual the program can be accessed at http://aaas.confex.com/ (co)edited. It is worth emphasizing the “co” here. In only Meeting in New Orleans and incoming officers—Vice- aaas/2011/webprogram. two of these ten is Terri a solo author or editor; most President-Elect Howard Morphy and board members Sessions include “Anthropology and Global Health: of the time she coauthors with Native American and Trudy Nicks and Jennifer Kramer—were welcomed to Genes, Biology, and Culture” (session 2800); “Humans other scholars and emphasizes the importance of such a the fold. Outgoing board members Candace Greene, Dan Without Borders: Evolutionary Processes at Work in strategy as a corrective to the idea that what she relates Swan, and Kimberly Christen were thanked for their Humans and Their Relatives” (session 2587); “Fishing for is mainly “her” story to tell. In both A Place to Be Navajo service. Solutions: Community Institutions for Effective Resource and To Remain an Indian, Terri demonstrates skill at CMA was well-represented at the meeting, with Management” (session 3116); “Hunter-Gatherers and relating complex and unfamiliar points (unfamiliar to five sponsored panels. An executive panel titled “After Language Change” (session 2509); “Epigenetic Processes the undergraduates and graduate students in Nebraska the Return: Digital Repatriation and the Circulation of in Development: Gene-Environment Interplay” (session that I have used these books with). In each she demon- Indigenous Knowledge” was chaired by Kimberly Christen 2587); “Using Quantitative Content Analysis to Assess strates a commitment to promoting Native American (Washington State U). Four additional sessions focused the Likelihood of Terrorist Violence” (session 2712); self-governance and self-determination in the context of on “Circulating Objects and Histories.” Daniel Swan (Sam “Evolutionary Personalized Medicine” (session 2446); John this initially externally instrument we call school. Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History) chaired P. McGovern Award Lecture in the Behavioral Sciences: “Applying New Theories to Old Things: Museum Research Linda M. Bartoshuk, “We Live in Different Taste Worlds— Dissertation Award Winners Today.” Jennifer Shannon (U Colorado) and Christina Kreps How Do We Know and What Does It Mean?” The winners of the annual award to recognize the author of (U Denver) chaired “Museum Ethnography in Theory an outstanding dissertation recently completed in the field and Practice.” Rosemary Joyce (UC Berkeley) and Susan Please send news to [email protected]. of anthropology and education were Rucheeta Kulkarni Gillespie (U Florida) chaired “Things in Motion: Object (first prize) for Motivated to Overcome: An Ethnographic Histories, Biographies, and Itineraries,” a session cospon- Study of a College Preparatory Charter School for sored with the Archeology Division. Bryce Peake and Low-Income Youth; Jennifer Adair (finalist) for Teaching Eugenia Kisin chaired “Circulating the Intangible through Council on Anthropology Children of Immigrant: A Multi-Sited Ethnographic Study the Tangible: Toward a New Conceptualization of Material and Education of Preschool Teachers in Five US Cites; and Kristin Phillips Culture Ethnography and Museum Anthropology,” a (honorable mention) for Building the Nation from the session cosponsored with the National Association of Steve Bialostok, Contributing Editor Hinterlands: Poverty, Participation, and Education in Rural Student Anthropologists. Tanzania. CMA president Alex Barker reported on a busy and George and Louise Spindler Award In their nominating dissertation chair Teresa McCarty productive year. Treasurer Gwyn Isaac noted that CMA for Distinguished Scholarly Contributions to (Arizona State U) and committee member Lea Hubbard is financially strong, with a balanced budget. Thanks are the Field of Educational Anthropology (UC San Diego) wrote: due, in part, to former Museum Anthropology editor Jason During the AAA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Teresa Baird Jackson, who encouraged the digitization of back McCarty, the Alice Wiley Snell Professor of Education In our combined years as faculty members, this is issues, a choice that has contributed to a considerable Policy Studies and professor of applied linguistics in the one of the most beautifully written and theoretically increase in assets from digital downloads through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ School of Social compelling dissertations we have had the opportunity current arrangement with Wiley-Blackwell. CMA has seen Transformation at Arizona State University, was honored to supervise. … Dr. Kulkarni’s dissertation … exam- a 9% increase in paid memberships, which will increase with the annual Spindler Award. In his nominating letter ines an increasingly popular schooling option: a college the number of sessions that CMA can sponsor at the to the Spindler Award Committee, Edmund Hamann (U preparatory charter school serving highly motivated, AAA Annual Meeting. Morgan Perkins and the bylaws Nebraska) wrote: low income, ethnic minority urban youth. And yet, as committee are crafting revisions to help CMA operate prominent as this type of school reform has become, more smoothly and electronically; planned revisions will Terri is a top-notch scholar, a passionate voice for little is known about how students’ aspirations, identi- be sent to members prior to the next round of elections. social justice, a devoted leader within the Council on ties, and future trajectories are shaped by their partici- The journal Museum Anthropology has undergone Anthropology and Education, and an important mentor pation in such schools. … Working with a school that is a brilliant makeover under co-editors Chip Colwell- to many in my generation of educational anthropology. part of the larger charter school movement but unique Chanthaphonh and Steve Nash, and the fall 2010 expanded … Terri has made a name for herself studying the educa- in its admissions criteria (low-income, first generation, issue on NAGPRA, titled “Looking Back, Looking Forward: tion of Native Americans, particularly the Navajo, but college-bound) and the fact that it is not located in the NAGPRA after Two Decades,” has been well-received. not as the dispassionate, external observer that char- urban neighborhoods it serves, Dr. Kulkarni began The editors published 251 pages this year and have been acterizes too much of traditional anthropology, but with this research question: “How do students’ experi- turning around articles in an average of 61 days from rather as one engaged in trying to make it better (under- ences at University Academy (a pseudonym) affect their submission to publication. The fall 2011 issue will focus standing “better” as both broadening students’ oppor- life aspirations and academic, ethnic, and class identi- on exhibitions and Indigenous involvement in museums.

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CMA Communications Veteto, Milan Shrestha, Eric Jones, Kristine Skarbo, Brian reasons: (1) students are confused; (2) while the plan is CMA members can take advantage of several electronic Campbell, Neeraj Vedwan, and Ben Orlove. Perhaps most couched in terms of sustainability of the association, the venues for posting and receiving news. Daniel C Swan moving was the video clip summarizing Robert Rhoades’ wording is divisive and self-defeating to the goal of an inte- maintains the CMA website, containing basic data and contributions that was shown by James Veteto followed by grated, multi-field anthropology; (3) the plan and subse- contact information, at http://museumanthropology.org. a stirring presentation by Virginia Nazarea called “Potato quent press releases perpetuate the false dichotomy of In addition, Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh and Stephen E Eyes: Positivism Meets Poetry in Food Systems Research” science and “humanism”; (4) science is critical in devel- Nash, editors of Museum Anthropology, maintain a blog showing how Robert put people first through his “farmer oping well-founded advocacy and public policy work. at http://museumanthropology.blogspot.com. This is the back to farmer” methodology that really had the goal News of the changes coming to the association’s long-range prime location for breaking news, calls for positions and of improving the quality of life of the people he worked plan was announced at the EAS business meeting during fellowships in museum anthropology, and timely commen- with—on their own terms. As Nazarea stated, “ethno- the 2010 AAA Annual Meeting in New Orleans. The EAS tary. CMA President Alec Barker is also investigating the graphic practice is rarely disinterested and that interpreta- membership present at the meeting unanimously voted to possibility of creating a discussion list for CMA members. tion and text are always deployed with a sentiment, if not charge the EAS executive board to join forces with other a purpose.” Many of the presentations noted the impor- sections to protest and request a revision of the LRP. NAGPRA at 20 Conference tance of Rhoades’ 1982 article and the impact it had on “Students are confused,” Mason Ireland, a senior anthro- Over the past two decades, national repatriation legislation, participatory methods and particular geographical proj- pology student at Boise State University and president of in the form of the Native American Graves Protection and ects such as the SANREM CSRP, Sugar Creek USA, the the Anthropology Club, told me about the LRP, “this is Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the National Museum “Rocky Docs” of the CGIAR International Potato Center in weak and does not ring true. Without science being the of the American Indian Act, has caused dramatic shifts in Peru, Himalayan and Ozark mountain studies, watershed priority, the validity of the discipline will be reduced in understandings of cultural patrimony and relations among ecology abroad and in Georgia, and even climate change. the eyes of other academics and the general populace. We Native Americans and museums. In November 2010, crit- The double panel ended with a get-together hosted by Ted are supposed to be scientists, not practitioners of cultural ical assessments of the legislation and changing relations Gragson in Robert’s honor. studies. We’re not historians, either.” Why AAA would were discussed at “NAGPRA at 20: Conversations about want to go in the direction of the new LRP confuses this the Past, Present, and Future of NAGPRA,” a two-day SfAA Annual Meeting: Traditional Foods and other students. Mason continued, “more and more public symposium organized by the National NAGPRA Summit science is being done by minorities, by women. It’s not Program and the George Washington University Museum The 71st Annual Meeting of the Society for Applied solely the domain of white males. Science is not part of a Studies Program and Department of Anthropology. Panel Anthropology (March 29–April 2) will be sponsoring political conspiracy. It is oriented toward the betterment of discussions illuminated the challenges and successes of many events that will be of interest to C&A members. human knowledge.” consultation and collaboration, and encouraged dialogue Session topics include climate change, food security, Not sustainable, but divisive. The wording of the LRP around creating a shared vision for the future. CMA farming in a changing world and the conditions of farm is divisive because anthropologists who take a scientific board member Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh (Curator of work. One event that may be of interest to C&A members is approach are left feeling marginalized. The divisive nature Anthropology and NAGPRA Officer, Denver Museum a two-day Traditional Foods Summit, planned for Tuesday of the plan will reduce the sustainability of the associa- of Nature & Science) served as a member of the planning and Wednesday, March 29–30. The Traditional Foods tion because many people will walk. Anthropologists committee and chaired two sessions, and CMA secretary Summit is a joint effort arranged by the SfAA along with who are more scientifically oriented have questioned Margaret Bruchac (U Connecticut) spoke at one of the the leaders of a number of tribes in the Northwest. The the intentions of AAA for years, and many anthropolo- sessions. For more information, see www.nps.gov/history/ event will include paper sessions, films, as well as opportu- gists are not members, particularly archaeologists and nagpra/TRAINING/NAGPRA_at_20.html. nities for dialog between researchers and tribal leaders and biological anthropologists. Those who are AAA members community members. The SfAA claims, “The Traditional have encouraged our colleagues to join the association. Contact CMA Secretary Margaret Bruchac (U Connecticut— Foods Summit will be a stimulating and instructional Dropping the term science from the AAA long-range plan Avery Point) at [email protected]. experience for anyone interested in the role of food and makes the association less appealing for those nonmem- food production in a multi-cultural society.” bers who are scientifically oriented. In addition, those The summit will be held onsite at the SfAA meeting who are members are likely to take their membership and will be open to all individuals who have registered to fees elsewhere if the discipline continues on this explic- Culture and Agriculture attend the SfAA Annual Meeting. For those interested in itly non-scientific trajectory. The current mission state- Susanna Donaldson and Joan Mencher, only attending the summit, the SfAA will allow individual ment is explicitly oriented “to advance anthropology as Contributing Editors registration for the two-day event. See the SfAA website the science that studies humankind in all its aspects.” The for more information. basis of the new LRP is “to promote the production, circu- lation, and application of anthropological research find- News from the 109th Annual Meeting Our column welcomes all materials of interest to C&A members. ings.” These are quite different statements, even though By Richard Moore (Ohio State U) Please direct inquiries and ideas to Susanna Donaldson the AAA executive board would like to have us believe at [email protected] or Joan Mencher at that they are compatible. The basis of science is skep- The 2010 AAA Annual Meeting was quite successful for [email protected]. ticism. The basis of the new LRP is promotion. Many C&A. We sponsored five wonderful paper sessions on a anthropologists publish in visible science journals and variety of topics that reflect our broadening focus on agri- receive grants from the National Science Foundation. The culture, fisheries, food and the environment. Our annual AAA LRP will make it that much harder for us to compete business meeting was well attended, as was the joint recep- Evolutionary Anthropology with fields that are explicitly oriented to science. tion with the Society for the Anthropology of Food and Society A false dichotomy. Recent press releases from AAA Nutrition that followed. emphasize pluralism and say that the field “draws on A highlight of the 2010 AAA Annual Meeting for our John P Ziker, Contributing Editor the theories and methods of both the humanities and section was the Robert Rhoades memorial double panel sciences,” thus reproducing a false dichotomy. Humanism titled “The Heights and Depths of Putting People First: A Long-Range Plan Is a Big Mistake is a philosophical point of view centered on human inter- Tribute to the Work of Robert Rhoades.” As many know, Removal of the concept of science from the recently ests and values. Scientific and evolutionary anthropolo- Robert Rhoades was one of the founders of our section, approved AAA Long-Range Plan (LRP) has created a gists have human welfare and social reform in mind as an which started with the Anthropological Study Group on great deal of consternation among EAS members, along ultimate benefit of their scholarship, following the philo- Agrarian Systems at the 1976 AAA Annual Meeting. In with members of other sections for which science is a sophical traditions of humanism. Evolutionary anthropol- order, presentations were made by James Veteto, Richard key component. The plan needs fundamental revision. ogists emphasize individual dignity, value and self-realiza- Moore, Virginia Nazarea, Todd Crane, Shiloh Moates, Hari This contributing editor believes that the LRP, as it is tion through reason, just as do other humanists. A scien- Gurung, Steve Zolvinski, Tad Brown, Carla Roncoli, James currently drafted, is poorly conceived for a number of tific and evolutionary humanism appreciates individual

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differences, the unity of the body and the mind, human Submissions that reflect GAD’s mission of promoting journalist might agitate against the dangerous misman- continuity across populations and with other life forms, cross-field and interdisciplinary anthropology, the teaching agement of toxic waste in Egypt’s countryside, saying that and natural, instead of supernatural, explanations. of anthropology, and the history of anthropology will have bodies are creations of God and the state is not only crimi- Many EAS members are involved with indigenous advo- the greatest likelihood of obtaining GAD sponsorship. As nally negligent but also committing a grave sin by hurting cacy and policy. One of the more interesting sessions at the you prepare your submissions, please keep the following its citizens’ bodies with toxic byproducts that result in November AAA Annual Meeting in New Orleans was deadlines in mind: organ failure. Or, I met several male rural dialysis patients the roundtable discussion on the role of science and evolu- Regular online submissions will open on March 1. refusing offers from their wives to give them their kidneys, tionary anthropology in advocacy and public policy work. Submissions requesting invited status for all sections out of fear for what might happen to them and the chil- More on this session in next month’s column. will be due March 15. Applications will be online and will dren they might leave behind, by saying that their bodies go directly to the program chairs for review. Decisions by belonged to God. Contributions to this column are welcome and may be sent to sections must be made by April 4. John Ziker ([email protected]). The deadline for all other submissions is April 15. MES: One of the most interesting aspects of Our Bodies Decisions will be made by May 31. Belong to God is its integration of medical anthropology To submit proposals, or if you have any questions, please and Islamic legal thought and ethics. What contribution contact GAD’s 2011 Section Program Chair, Hilary Kahn, do you hope your project will make? General Anthropology at [email protected]. Division SH: One contribution I hope to make is to re-conceptu- Please submit news, items of interest and ideas for future AN alize bioethics. Particularly in the US and in the growing Luke Eric Lassiter, Contributing Editor columns to Luke Eric Lassiter ([email protected]). field of international or global health, bioethics is generally understood narrowly, as a universalist context-free field. It GAD Distinguished Lecture was also quickly institutionalized in the field of biomedi- This year’s GAD Distinguished Lecture was delivered cine, so it lost its critical edge. In Egypt, Muslim patients by Karen Strier. Strier’s Middle East Section and doctors approach ethics generally in terms of Islam. So work in Brazil with muriqui Yasmin Moll, Contributing Editor understanding the ways in which regular people approach monkeys is well known, and bioethical questions requires knowing something about more recently she has been Islamic legal thought and ethics, or fiqh. involved in projects that bring Interview with Sherine Hamdy The book is about Muslim ethics in the context of together primatologists and Sherine Hamdy (Brown U) is author of Our Bodies Belong Egypt’s Islamic revival, the failures of the health system, the local community where to God: Bioethics, Islam and Organ Transplants in Egypt the constitution and authorization of scientific knowl- her research site is located. (University of California Press, 2011). In this interview, edge, political etiologies of disease, the heart-wrenching Past GAD President Emily Hamdy discusses her new book. life-and-death decisions people have to make about which Schultz—who organized this resources should go to whom within families, and the year’s lecture—points out that Middle East Section: Can you explain the title? steadfastness and hope that they maintain through their “this is a wonderful illustra- religious faith. tion, to my mind, of prima- The book explores contestations around Karen Strier presents Sherine Hamdy: tology’s links to the kind of the 2010 GAD medical and religious authority in Egypt through the lens MES: The first chapter is about Egypt’s “Crisis of critical general anthropology Distinguished Lecture. of a national debate over the ethics of organ transplanta- Authority.” Could you elaborate on this crisis? that is taking shape in the 21st Photo courtesy Jenny Cool tion. The title of the book—“our bodies belong to God”— century.” comes from a statement uttered by the famous Egyptian SH: In Egypt, as elsewhere, there is often talk of crises. I By tradition, the GAD president selects the distin- television shaykh Muhammad al-Sha‘rawi, who stated it as think the crisis of medical authority (actual and perceived) guished lecture for each AAA Annual Meeting. Some a position against organ donation. has been precipitated by the state’s withdrawal of health of the more recent GAD Distinguished Lectures have services coupled by an increased medicalization of larger included Karen Strier (2010); Tim Ingold (2009); Claire social issues and the privatization of health care. And the Smith (2008); distinguished panel rather than a lecture, crisis in religious authority has to do with the state’s ambi- focusing on how administrators handle international tions in co-opting religious authority on the one hand programs at their institutions (2007); William Durham and repressing activists who are mobilizing their rights (2006); Margaret Lock (2004–05); Lila Abu-Lughod (2003); in terms of Islamist political agendas on the other. I posit Rayna Rapp (2002); Adam Kuper (2001); Chris Stringer that one of the reasons why organ transplantation has (2000); Jean Clottes (1999); Stanley Tambiah (1998); Sherry remained unresolved as a bioethical dilemma in Egypt for Ortner (1997); Milford Wolpoff (1996); and Laura Nader more than 30 years is the fact that the mechanisms that are (1995). Thanks to General Anthropology editor Pat Rice supposed to resolve this question are in crises of authority. for providing this list. You can find physicians on both sides of the debate Richard Lee has agreed to deliver the 2011 Distinguished arguing about organ transplantation, and you can find reli- Lecture. gious scholars using the same language and same sources coming to different interpretations on whether one can GAD Invited Sessions for the 2011 AAA donate, receive, buy or sell an organ. Of course, in order to Annual Meeting in Montreal Sherine Hamdy interviewing a patient at Maghreby view this state as a crisis you have to have normalized the GAD invites submissions of sessions, individual papers Caravan. Photo courtesy Al Noor Society notion that there should be a singular, codified approach and posters to be considered for inclusion in the 2011 to law, ethics, religion or medicine. And how could only Program of the AAA Annual Meeting in Montreal. The one approach be universalized when the practice involved theme of the Montreal meeting is “Traces, Tidemarks The book demonstrates how the idea of the body is so personal, so complex, and is always changing? The and Legacies.” Sessions that would like to be considered belonging to God was uttered by religious scholars, patients, problem with looking for a single resolution or response for executive status are expected to relate to the theme in doctors, and family members to various meanings in the to this protracted debate is that people’s ethical deci- some way; other sessions are encouraged to relate to the context of organ donation. For example, a mother might sions depend on so many shifting factors, such as efficacy, theme, but this is not necessary. Meeting guidelines and state that because God gave her two kidneys, it is from safety, affordability, family members’ willingness to donate, rules for participation were published in the December God’s generosity and compassion that she can sacrifice one access, risks, cause of disease, or availability and efficacy of 2010 Anthropology News and are on the AAA website. of them to save her son in end-stage kidney disease. Or, a alternative remedies.

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If you would like to feature a new work in AN, please email as a growth field with expanding opportunities for entry- anyone can define one’s own race and ethnicity, but the [email protected]. level master’s practitioners in clinical and community ambiguous option of “Other” must precede self-identifi- practice. There is also a growing need for doctoral faculty cation. As faulty as forcing someone to select “Other” may with a professional master’s degree in occupational therapy be, having the option to even determine one’s own race and and a doctorate in a cognate discipline such as anthro- ethnicity was not possible in recent history, especially in National Association pology. the state of Virginia. for the Practice of The practice of collecting vital statistics in the US as a The First Two Years: 2009–10 policy harkens back to the tradition of recording births, Anthropology The NAPA-OT Field School’s trajectory has been a marriages and deaths in Anglican parishes. Over time, Eva Friedlander and Tara Eaton, Contributing continual process of problem-solving through joint activ- census practices were incorporated into colonial legisla- Editors ities to provide opportunities for the next generation of ture with an additional precedent: maintaining race statis- practitioners in both professions. The field school began tics. By the 20th century, post-Reconstruction Virginia What’s Special about the NAPA-OT Field by offering a six-week program in Antigua, Guatemala, in was increasingly concerned with who was considered to School? summer 2009 and again in 2010, building on a formal part- be “pure white.” By Gelya Frank (U Southern California and NAPA-OT Field nership with Common Hope (www.commonhope.com), The 1912–46 head registrar of the Virginia Bureau School) an NGO registered in Minnesota and Guatemala that of Vital Statistics, Walter Ashby Plecker, was a leading sponsors education of low-income children and provides member of the white supremacist and eugenicist orga- It may be surprising to learn that the NAPA-Occupational their families with health care and social services. It serves nization the Anglo-Saxon Clubs of America. By 1924, Therapy (OT) Field School in Antigua, Guatemala, crafted about 8,000 individuals in the numerous villages around Plecker, the Bureau and the Anglo-Saxon Clubs effec- in 2007–09, is the first and only field school ever estab- Antigua. tively lobbied for and passed the state’s, and thus far the lished within the American Anthropological Association, The field school ended its first year with impressive nation’s, first Racial Integrity Act. The act was a piece setting a precedent for future projects. Its unique institu- ratings and a growing reputation in its core constituen- of legislature that empowered the state’s Bureau of Vital tional platform in AAA, a free-standing professional orga- cies of applied anthropology and occupational therapy. Statistics to legally determine each Virginia citizen’s race; nization, and its self-sustaining tuition-based model open In 2010, enrollment doubled (from 14 to 29 students) and even more disturbing is that through the act, the bureau possibilities not found in field schools more convention- faculty size increased (from eight to 12 faculty, plus two asserted it was scientifically proven that people were only ally organized through university departments or granting guest faculty). The upcoming four-week program (July 18– “white” or “colored,” the latter being an absolute racialized agencies. The model makes it possible for teams of diverse August 12, 2011) will be a simpler, flatter program with an other based around the logic that if one was not “white” professionals to come together and do applied work with anticipated 14 students focused on human rights, health then they had to have been “racially intermixed.” Census students in a previously unimaginable range of interna- as a human right, social justice and the emerging practice takers, midwives, doctors, schools and even undertakers tional settings. area of occupational justice. Students will take a minimum were all expected to account for a person’s race, to ensure of 12 hours Spanish language in one-to-one tutorials. each Virginian’s imposed racial identity was consistent on Program Building as Reflexive Praxis Home stays increase language fluency and understanding record from birth until death. The NAPA-OT Field School aims to build programs of Guatemalan culture. Information and applications can When Plecker felt that Virginia’s racial enforcement responsive to specific faculty and community concerns, be found at www.napaotguatemala.org. net failed to identify someone’s race, he would personally skills, objectives and resources. The NAPA-OT Field contact suspected dissidents. One example is a letter dated School mission focuses on social justice and human rights AAA as the Field School Platform August 15, 1924, to a Mr Hartless in Rockbridge County. in partnership with international NGO, governmental and To participate in the field school, faculty members must Based on records, Plecker questioned the “racial integrity” community entities. The Antigua-based pilot field school sign a volunteer agreement with AAA and also main- of Hartless’ newborn son. The accusation was that within resulted from collaboration with representatives of occu- tain current membership in AAA and NAPA. In return a neighboring county there was a family with the same pational therapy, a practice profession that has drawn they receive reimbursement for travel and in-country last name who had been registered as a “mixture of Indian, significantly on the social sciences including anthropology living expenses. The field school accounted for 22 NAPA white, and probably negro,” and that this provided enough to build a new academic discipline, occupational science. memberships in 2009 and 43 in 2010. Future sites under reason for suspicion that Hartless and his family were Occupational science studies the relationship between development, such as in Brazil, will allow for partnerships likely not white. Plecker continues in the letter requesting engagement in meaningful, purposeful activities (ie, occu- with other professions and disciplines. Deputy Executive that further information is required before a registration pations) and the health and well-being of individuals and Director Elaine Lynch has commented that the senior of birth will be issued to their child, a tactic he exercised communities. administration of AAA was pleased to help establish often. Occupational therapy, founded in 1917, works to improve the field school: “We think it is a valuable service to the Virginia Indian communities were frequent targets or ameliorate the functioning and social participation membership.” of the bureau, especially since American Indian iden- of people with chronic illnesses, disabilities and other tity did not fit into the biracial world of Plecker; thus, the marginalizing conditions. Both anthropology and occupa- To submit contributions to this column, please contact only explanation was that Virginia Indians simply did not tional therapy are “synoptic,” using Julie Thompson Klein’s Contributing Editors Eva Friedlander ([email protected]) exist. Birth record altering and forcible racial labeling are term (Crossing Boundaries: Knowledge, Disciplinarities, and and Tara Eaton ([email protected]). part of the reason for the current lack of federal recogni- Interdisciplinarities). Both understand human experience tion among Virginia Indian tribes. For decades, Virginia broadly, interrelating biophysical, social and aesthetic or Indians struggled to maintain their identity, in some cases spiritual dimensions of being. A politically focused move- trying to negotiate a “white” identity instead of a “colored” ment in occupational therapy is concerned with occupa- National Association of identity. On November 17, 1924, Judge Henry S Holt of tional justice working internationally with such margin- Student Anthropologists the Rockbridge Circuit Court declared that a woman alized individuals and groups as people with chronic named Altha Sorrell, who was listed as “colored” due to illnesses and disabilities, increasing numbers of homeless Keri A Canada, Contributing Editor her Virginia Indian ancestry, was to be relabeled “white” older adults in developing nations undergoing the demo- because he felt that “the racial integrity law left one more graphic transition, indigenous communities and children Examination of Vital Statistics and “Racial deeply entangled than Alice in Wonderland.” This motion affected by war trauma. Integrity” in Early 20th-Century Virginia was particularly controversial because it was the first chal- The founding faculty concurred that mixed groups of By Ryan Hechler and Charles Sharifi lenge to the Racial Integrity Act in the Virginia court anthropology and occupational therapy students would system. To counter the likes of Holt, Plecker released a list benefit from learning and practicing together in non-hier- As US citizens participated in the 2010 United States of family surnames, grouped by counties, belonging only to archically organized practice settings. Not least, the US Census and stamped forms with their racial identity, can it those citizens who possessed, according to Plecker, abso- Bureau of Labor Statistics identified occupational therapy be assumed that all populations were represented? Today lute “colored backgrounds.”

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Through contacts with other state registrars and gover- Membership a “hired gun, an academic mercenary” and is quite critical nors, the Racial Integrity Act spread to other states to The recent discussions online and elsewhere about the of the US educational system for failing to help students prevent the, in the words of Plecker, “downward spiral that long-range planning statement underscore the impor- learn: “I live well on the desperation, misery, and incompe- ends in the black Gulf of Mongrelization.” The US Supreme tance of ensuring that the full range of anthropological tence that your educational system has created.” Court ended much of the Racial Integrity Act in 1967 with approaches are well represented within the association. He also states, “I have completed countless online Loving v Virginia and Virginia repealed it completely in One of the many fascinating things that emerged from our courses. Students provide me with passwords and user 1975. While the development of the modern-day federal own detailed discussion list conversations was the ways in names so I can access key documents and online exams. In census has come quite far from what it used to be at the which anthropology is both more rich and more useful for some instances, I have even contributed to weekly online state-level in Virginia, there is still much altering that needs its diverse foundations. To that end, I would urge everyone discussions with other students in the class.” to be done to ensure adequate representations of popula- to express their support for the diversity of anthropology I think that if we view student cheating in isolation, we’re tions go far beyond an “Other.” within the association through membership in sections missing the point. It is rather part of a general cultural that promote the kinds of anthropology you want to see in malaise. The causes emanate from the values we share as a Ryan Hechler ([email protected]) and Charles Sharifi the meetings. In the past, I have always thought about what nation, values that we pass on in many seemingly unrelated ([email protected]) are alumni of Virginia Commonwealth sections might do for me (journals, reviewing of my paper and innocuous ways. For example, California Community University and have been collaborating for two years on research submissions, networking and so on), but I have become College policy limits instructors to failing students only concerning the 1924 Racial Integrity Act. Interested in writing a aware that my membership does a great deal for my for specific assignments on which they cheated, not for the column for NASA? Contact Keri A Canada at keri.canada@ sections as well. So if it’s time to renew your membership entire course. Such a penalty tells students that cheating gmail.com or [email protected]. of the association, and you support scientific approaches really isn’t that bad. Parents who write papers or take to anthropology, please do consider joining or renewing exams for their children convey the same message. our section as one of the ones you are prepared to support. Most colleges do have written policies about cheating and plagiarism, some quite lengthy and replete with Society for Please send your comments, questions and news to Stephen legalese, but probably few students read them until or Anthropological Sciences Lyon at [email protected]. unless they get caught in violation. And how much face- time do advisers and professors spend talking with Stephen Lyon, Contributing Editor students about learning—the goals, the benefits, the sheer joy of expanding the mind—as compared with course Congratulations to Section Members! Society for Anthropology credits, degree requirements and the ubiquitous negotia- Congratulations to Ralph Bolton (Pomona C) who has in Community Colleges tions between work load and shortcuts? When we allow been awarded the Franz Boas Award for Exemplary students to engage us endlessly in discussing grades, what Service to Anthropology, arguably one of the most pres- Lloyd Miller, Contributing Editor will be on tests and how we can make the process easier tigious honors in the field. Bolton’s groundbreaking inter- and less time-consuming for them, we reinforce their disciplinary research in the field of medical anthropology Cheating in College perception that college is not about learning; it is indeed is a good reminder that doing good science and looking Having never taught courses online, I used to ask those about earning credits. for solutions to real-world problems are not contradic- who did how they could know that their students weren’t Finally, wealthy bankers and stock traders who bilk their tory goals. And congratulations as well to Eric C Jones having ringers take their exams or write their assignments. customers, authors who plagiarize and politicians who lie (UNC—Greensboro) who was awarded, as co-PI in his Most instructors told me that they really couldn’t know for send messages that the skills of a con artist may smooth role as product research director at MDLogix, a 3-year, sure. What surprised me, however, was how many of them the road to power. And as low-paid adjuncts replace full- $2.4 million grant in September 2010 by NIH-National shrugged off the question resignedly, admitting that online time professors, academic budgets are cut, standards are Institute of Aging for “SocioWorks: Integrated Web cheating was hard to detect. Since rapidly increasing lowered and US student performance falls below that of Platform for Applications of Social Network Analysis.” enrollments made online courses the latest apparent “wave many countries, how important can education be, really? There is a website coming that will no doubt become a of the future,” one could, these instructors said, only accept featured site within this column in the future as well. them as they are and trust that most students would be Send submissions and communications to Lloyd.miller@ honest. mchsi.com. 2011 in Montreal Two recently published articles and a YouTube video This year AAA is meeting outside the United States for of a professor admonishing his class for cheating sparked the first time in many years. The theme of the annual a lively discussion on the SACC-L discussion list wherein meeting will be “Traces, Tidemarks and Legacies,” but as some colleagues described what they and their colleges Society for the always, with meetings of this size that will only account were doing to combat student cheating, both in class and Anthropology of for a fraction of the papers and posters presented. online. Trip Gabriel’s article, “Plagiarism Lines Blur for Remember that we are given the chance to identify a Students in Digital Age” (New York Times, Aug 1, 2010), Consciousness reviewing section for our abstract submissions, so if you suggests that many of today’s younger students especially Peter N Jones, Contributing Editor are submitting a paper or poster to present do be sure may no longer value the idea of original authorship and to select our section. I know it seems a long way off, but intellectual property rights. Because ideas float about so since Montreal is one of the finest cities in the world, I freely and are readily accessible in cyberspace, the respon- Anthropology and the Re-Creation of hope everyone from this section will come and deliver sibilities of attribution don’t seem all that important. Knowledge(s) great papers (as you always do). Voicing student attitudes, Gabriel quotes anthropologist What happened before the beginning of time is—by defi- Susan D Blum (My Word! Plagiarism and College Culture, nition—strictly metaphysics. Roger Penrose of Oxford Seeking Collaborators 2009): “If you are not so worried about presenting yourself University, however, argues that there is nothing meta- Fiona Jordan (Max Planck Institute—Nijmegen) and as absolutely unique, then it’s OK if you say other people’s physical about it at all. Rather, he believes that the Big colleagues are launching a new project involving cross- words, it’s OK if you say things you don’t believe, it’s OK if Bang in which the visible universe began was not actu- cultural study across the Indo-European language family you write papers you couldn’t care less about because they ally the beginning of time at all. It was merely the latest and are looking for collaborators for a network. Jordan’s accomplish the task, which is turning something in and example of a series of such bangs that renew reality when earlier research on Austronesian languages is certainly a getting a grade.” it is getting tired out. This issue of Anthropology News good example of the strength of collaborative research In “The Shadow Scholar” (The Chronicle of Higher deals with a similar idea—the circulation of knowledge involving experts from a range of scientific and schol- Education—the Chronicle Review, Nov 12, 2010), Ed Dante and culture. Does Penrose’s theory apply to knowledge and arly traditions. Anyone interested in participating in the (a pseudonym) discusses his career writing papers and culture as well? Is knowledge and its circulation among project should contact Jordan at [email protected]. assignments for college students. He describes himself as cultures something that is re-created over and over again

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in the history of time? Are there recurring Big Bangs in the Perhaps Penrose is correct and all knowledge(s) is simply in terms of spaces and identities of contention, but they creation and circulation of knowledge among cultures, and the re-creation of previous knowledge(s) that circulates are also the grounds for producing instruments that can if so, can we identify them? through time. help unify pluralities of experience. On the other hand, the These are questions that directly pertain to the anthro- construction of a wider collectivity appears as an oriented pology of consciousness. Many of us work with indigenous I welcome any comments, contributions, news, and process, that is, it has a purpose, one that addresses subjects or Native populations in our exploration of conscious- announcements. Please send them to SAC Contributing Editor in their projection into the future (their livelihood, career, ness, and in particular the consciousness embodied in Peter N Jones ([email protected]). family life, children, retirement, pension). The time dimen- what is often called traditional or indigenous knowledge. sion is thus embedded in the struggles to gain control over This knowledge, and the consciousness that creates it, is one’s life in a plurality of levels: the more proximate level recognized for its rootedness in the people, culture and traces connections between past and present generations place that engendered it. That is, it is particular, unique. Society for the of concrete people (parents and children, mentors and Returning to the beginning question and to the theme Anthropology of Europe pupils); an intermediate level traces connections between of this issue, is this knowledge genuinely unique, or are institutions, between the past and the present of organized there themes, characteristics and beliefs that are re-created Vasiliki P Neofotistos, Contributing Editor groups; finally, there is a more abstract plane that traces over and over again in the history of time? Is traditional or connections at the structural level, between past and indigenous knowledge re-created over and over, just like 2010 Douglass Book Prize Competition present logics of systemic reproduction, between logics of Penrose’s argument concerning the Big Bang? If so, how, Winner historical development. These connections between past since one of its hallmarks is its rootedness in place and SAE is pleased to announce the winner of the 2010 and present at different levels of abstraction, in turn, enable culture? Douglass Book Prize: The Empire of Trauma: An Inquiry people to operate at different spatial scales and result in I have had the honor and privilege of working with into the Condition of Victimhood (2009) by Didier Fassin different types of impact. This is how memory is expressed several indigenous communities in highly varied loca- and Richard Rechtman (translated by Rachel Gomme). in practice, and how it gets involved in a very real sense in tions—in the Columbia River area, the desert Southwest The 2010 Douglass Book Prize committee, consisting of the framing of present-day struggles, and the defining of and the tropical Caribbean. In each location, and among Deborah Reed-Danahay (Chair), Peter Allen and William projects for the future. each community, individuals expressed the importance Kelleher, would also like to acknowledge with honor- What we see emerge from the ethnography is that these and value that their traditional or indigenous knowledge able mention Bodies in the Bog and the Archaeological processes are disharmonious and contradictory, and do contained. Likewise, they also expressed how this indige- Imagination (2009) by Karin Sanders. not produce unity or orientation in and of themselves. I nous knowledge could not be removed from the place and will address this through the exploration of three axes that people who held it. However, across these varied locations 2010 Graduate Student Paper Competition emerge from my fieldwork: history, the understanding of a and cultural groups, I have noticed that there appears to Winners logical structure to the development of events in the past also be some characteristics and beliefs within the indig- SAE is pleased to announce the winner of the 2010 leading to the present; suffering, as a psycho-physical fact enous knowledge that can be found across all groups. Are Graduate Student Paper Competition: Sarah Bakker (UC and interpretation of the position of the self in the real these similar characteristics and beliefs vestiges of previous Santa Cruz) for her paper “Liturgical Song in the Age world; and collective identity, as a constructed means to creations of indigenous knowledge, similar to Penrose’s of Electronic Reproduction: Middle Eastern Christianity make sense of, and interact with, forces that appear too argument about the Big Bang? and Dutch Multiculturalism.” The winner, together with impersonal and abstract to be dealt with otherwise. As anthropologists we must continue to ask ourselves finalists Elif Babul (Stanford U), Rachel Ceasar (Berkeley these questions, and we must continue to investigate and UC San Francisco) and Dong Ju Kim (Michigan U), Contact Contributing Editor Vasiliki Neofotistos at neofotis@ methods and experiences that will help us resolve these participated with Professors Susan Gal and Matti Bunzl buffalo.edu. questions. Members of SAC have been at the forefront of in an invited roundtable discussion on the topic “New this investigation, exploring not only Western methods Directions in the Anthropology of Europe.” The 2010 and experiences that provide a glimpse of these previous Graduate Student Paper Prize was headed by SAE Special knowledge systems but also in using non-Western (ie, Projects Chair Andrea Muehlebach, assisted by SAE Society for the anthropological) methods and experiences in the study Program Chair-Elect Jillian Cavanaugh and SAE Treasurer Anthropology of Food and of knowledge(s) through time. One of our most impor- Neringa Klumbyte. Thanks to the committee members for tant contributions to the anthropology of knowledge, their dedicated work to put together this new format. Nutrition from its creation, circulation and possible re-creation, has Alyson Young and Kenneth Maes, Contributing been in our deep and personal exploration of entheogens William A Douglass Distinguished Speaker Editors and states of consciousness. As much of our research has Susana Narotzky, professor of social anthropology at the documented, entheogens and other methods (such as University of Barcelona (Spain), delivered the 2010 William News from the SAFN President Emeritus auditory driving, extreme physical exertion and holotro- A Douglass distinguished address at the AAA Annual By Janet Chrzan (U Pennsylvania) phic breathing) allow us to explore nonordinary states of Meeting in New Orleans. Narotzky is the author of consciousness and the knowledge that such states embody. numerous publications on, among other topics, economic Thanks to all SAFN members who made 2010 a stellar year These nonordinary states, however, are not necessarily anthropology, the anthropology of gender and the political for our society. We had nearly twice as many sessions at the completely nonordinary. There are aspects of them that implications of the production of anthropological knowl- AAA Annual Meeting as in 2009—thank you, Program seem completely ordinary, at least phenomenologically. edge. What follows is a brief version of her address, enti- Chair Sera Young (UC Davis)—and a record number of Are these the similar characteristics and beliefs mentioned tled “Memories of Conflict and Present-day Struggles in SAFN attendees. We attended our first joint meeting above in terms of the re-creation of indigenous knowl- Europe: New Tensions between Corporatism, Class, and with the Association for the Study of Food and Society edge through time? Is there anthropological evidence that Social Movements.” and the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society, supports Penrose’s argument about the Big Bang? The focus of the talk is the connection between the where we had a whopping 11 sessions. We’ve increased We are only at the beginning of this exploration into production in the present of particular memories of the our membership to 265, which is up 41 from 2008 and 20 the creation and re-creation of knowledge(s). However, past and the ability to frame present-day conflicts. The from 2009, largely because members reached out to friends I am encouraged by the work and results of fellow SAC process of framing, in turn, will clarify what renders and colleagues to encourage signing up with SAFN. Food members as they continue to explore this possibility. certain possibilities legitimate while excluding others. I seems to be popular … Our bank account is healthy, our Perhaps our anthropological exploration of consciousness will pursue these issues based on my fieldwork in Ferrol, an members are brilliant, our society has exciting plans for has revealed something more profound than we have real- industrial town in Galicia (North Western Spain). the future and we all just had a great time in New Orleans. ized, that consciousness and the knowledge(s) it creates On the one hand, tensions and contradictions in Life is good. are much more connected to reality—past and present, the way people access resources of different kinds Many, many thanks to our Executive Board, incoming visible and invisible—then we have previously thought. (economic, political and symbolic) produce cleavages and outgoing. Joan Gross (Oregon State U) is outgoing

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secretary/treasurer, and Leslie Carlin (U Brighton) is and edited volumes. If you have a SAFN-related food book and employment opportunities. Please take advantage of outgoing vice president. We have a new president—Craig in the works, contact series editors Rachel Black (rblack@ this space for communication. Hadley (Emory U). This is my last column as president, bu.edu) or Leslie Carlin ([email protected]). And finally, SANA sponsored and cosponsored nine invited sessions and I know I’m leaving the organization in good hands. we’ll be meeting with ASFS/AFHVS members again in and 10 panel sessions for the 2010 AAA Annual Meeting We have a new vice president, Rachel Black (U Boston); June for the joint conference, which is rapidly becoming program in New Orleans. Four graduate students were a new treasurer, Crystal Patil (U Illinois); and a new one of the primary Food Studies events of the year. awarded the St Clair Drake Award that allowed them to student representative, Neri de Kramer (U Delaware). As Thank you all for another great year for SAFN! travel to the meetings and to present their work on subjects of March 2010 Alyson Young and Kenneth Maes are our directly focused on SANA’s mission. Look at the SANA AN contributing editors. David Beriss (U New Orleans) Please send your news and items of interest to Kenneth Maes, website for more information on their work. Announced continues as outreach and development chair, Sera Young [email protected] or Alyson Young, [email protected]. during the 2010 business meeting was the SANA Prize (UC—Davis) remains program chair, Mike McDonald Visit the SAFN website at www.nutritionalanthro.org and blog for Distinguished Achievement in the Critical Study of (Florida Gulf Coast U) continues as awards chair and at www.foodanthro.wordpress.com. North America awarded to Catherine Lutz and Patricia David Sutton (Southern Illinois U) as nominations chair. Zavella. Both scholars have made outstanding contribu- Thank you to everyone for making 2010 a successful year tions as public anthropologists and serve the discipline for SAFN! and the communities that they represent. The joint party David Sutton, incoming nominations chair, reminds us Society for the with AFA, ABA, SAW, ALLA, AQA and SCALA at the 7th that we have one elected position to fill this year, president- Anthropology of North Ward, the Neighborhood Story Project, was on Saturday elect, and if you would like to become more involved in night. The music provided the by Roots Marching Band, SAFN or would like to nominate someone please contact America Zulu and Jazz Bands and the food by Liberty kitchens were him at [email protected]. David Kamper, Contributing Editor fabulous ways to experience New Orleans and how neigh- We remind everyone—current, returning, and prospec- borhoods are telling their own stories while recovering tive members—that we still need to build our membership. from Hurricane Katrina. Our financial contributions made If you have not yet renewed your membership it is critical President’s Report a difference in their budgets. to do so, and we encourage members to bring others on By A Lynn Bolles Currently under construction and consideration are two board as well. Membership brings many privileges and prizes for graduate student papers and contingent/adjunct benefits. In keeping with its mission of being a focused voice and faculty designed to help individuals to present at AAA an institutional presence in the anthropology of North meetings and to publish. The graduate student paper prize SAFN at the AAA Annual Meeting America, SANA did just that and more in 2010 with a committee is chaired by Arlene Davila and the contin- SAFN practically preened at the goal to keep that charge at the core of the upcoming year. gent/adjunct prize committee is chaired by Mary Anglin. AAA Annual Meeting this year First, I want to thank out-going and retired members There are upcoming elections and nominations are open with three invited sessions and of the board, Brett Williams, Maria Vesperi and Alisse for secretary, treasurer and a board member. All SANA seven sponsored sessions. Our 2010 Waterson, for their contributions to the growth and devel- members are encouraged to participate in this process. Distinguished Speaker was Carole opment of this organization. A note of much appreciation Check the SANA website for details for upcoming events. Counihan, whose talk “Inside/ goes to former Graduate Student Representatives Jennifer Outside: Food in Anthropology” Erickson and Myra Taylor-Jones who, now with doctor- Contact David Kamper at Department of American Indian was warmly received, generating ates in hand, are members of faculty. Former webmaster Studies, Arts & Letters 325, San Diego State University, 5500 Seth A Gray many questions and comments. Noah Gillespie, now a law student, will be sorely missed. Campanile Dr, San Diego, CA 92182; [email protected]. The Christine Wilson Graduate However, we welcome to the board Member-At-Large Award was presented to Megan E Mary Anglin, Graduate Student Representative Rachel Edwards (U Chicago) for her paper Wright and Webmaster Martin Hoyem. Congratulations titled “Virginia Ham: The Local goes to Julian Brash, AAA 2010 program chair, who is Society for the and Global of Colonial Foodways,” now SANA’s president-elect. As of 2011, Susan Fall will Anthropology of Religion and the Undergraduate Award be AAA 2011 program chair along with Matt Thompson. was given to Seth A Gray (U New Susan will also assume the editorship of North American Jennifer Selby, Contributing Editor Orleans) for his paper “Growing a Dialogue, SANA’s more-than-a-newsletter publication. New New Orleans: An Ethnography Every other spring, SANA organizes a conference. In SAR Spring 2011 Biennial Meeting of the MarketUmbrella.org and the April, “Challenging Hegemony: Anthropology in the Era The Society for the Anthropology of Religion is pleased Crescent City Farmer’s Market.” of Hope and Fear,” cosponsored with the Association for to announce its 2011 biennial meeting in beautiful Santa Megan E Edwards The meeting was followed by a joint Black Anthropologists, was held in Denver, hosted by the Fe, NM from April 28 to May 1. The conference’s theme is reception with Culture and Agriculture and Anthropology University of Colorado–Denver. Steve Bialostok, Damien “Religion and Materiality.” Michael Taussig will be our 2011 and the Environment. Thompson with Sarah Horton along with an active Roy A Rappaport distinguished lecturer. committee of coproducers Dana Ain Davis, Raymond The deadline for abstracts and panel suggestions is Plans for 2011 Codrington, Sandi Morgen and Lynn Bolles organized an February 8, 2011. Questions about the meetings can be We have big plans for this year, including a web redesign exciting and intellectually charged conference centered on directed to SAR president and conference organizer by David Beriss and Rachel Black, another meeting to be roundtables, panel discussions and audience participation. Margaret Wiener ([email protected]). Abstracts of shared with ASFS and AFHVS (this year in Missoula, Featured speakers were SANA book prizewinner Jessica 250 words should be sent to the program organizer, Paul Montana), a publishing agreement with Berghahn Press, Cattelino, honorable mention winner Karen Ho, and ABA Johnson ([email protected]). an ongoing membership drive and a campaign to get notables Lee Baker and Aimee Cox. There was a book All registration and accommodation details for the La more SAFN members active in committee and board party for all SANA and ABA recently published authors, Fonda Hotel are available on our website, www.aaanet. work. David and Rachel are going to convert the current an interactive performance honoring Katherine Dunham org/sections/sar. website and blog into an omnibus website that will retain and a screening of the documentary on Haiti, Poto Mitan. It is common to think of the practices referred to as reli- the characteristics and features of both sites. They are Four graduate students were awarded travel grants to gious as speaking about or to forces marked by their imma- looking for members to assist with this effort, so if you those meetings. teriality. Religion is the province of gods, spirits and souls, have a desire to write, to organize information or to Modes of communication are essential and open an whose existence is a matter of belief. Some religions even get involved, please contact David at [email protected]. ongoing process. SANA has a new look to its website despise the material world as inferior or illusory—even as Another exciting endeavor is our new book series with thanks to Martin Hoyem. The goal is to make the website some philosophical traditions treat religions themselves as Berghahn Press, which will publish targeted monographs a true source of information about SANA events, projects fundamentally illusory and only the material as really real.

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Certainly the analysis of religion often has bypassed sions for the 2011 AAA Annual Meeting in Montreal. We acts and objects in favor of texts and theologies, or the Society for the welcome submissions from those working within and excavation of underlying ideas or values. Anthropology of Work outside academic contexts and across all regions and Yet as many have noted, reflection on practices in subfields. We are especially open to research incorporating even the most spiritualized of the most familiar of reli- Theresa Preston-Werner, Contributing Editor innovative theoretical and methodological approaches to gions suggests how problematic such common sense the study of work, including the work we do as researchers, may be. It is increasingly clear that the Reformation Fran Rothstein Awarded First SAW teachers, writers and activists. and the Enlightenment have played an inordinate role Book Prize This year we are particularly interested in proposals in shaping the background assumptions that have By Eve Hochwald (SAW Book Prize Committee Chair) that engage with the conference theme “Traces, Tidemarks historically informed much of the study of religion. and Legends,” which focuses our attention on questions of Yet most Protestants find Bibles essential, even as they In Globalization in Rural Mexico: Three Decades of Change change and consistency over time, particularly in relation- constitute part of Christianity’s “problem of presence.” (2007), Fran Rothstein focuses on the community of ship to various forms of difference. How, for example, have And if the stupas and begging bowls so familiar in San Cosme Mazarecocho in central Mexico to explore world historical shifts associated with globalization and Asian Buddhism find no place among Euro-American whether globalization’s impact differs from that of devel- neoliberalism transformed the nature of work in particular practitioners, what would the latter do without repre- opment or modernization. In 1971, when Rothstein began places, and how do new models of labor interact with long- sentations of Buddha and meditation objects? Are her fieldwork, San Cosme was an isolated rural agricul- standing approaches to occupation and making a living? these and myriad media—such as the sacred texts of tural community. Over the next three decades the primary How do such transformations in the arena of work inter- “religions of the book”—merely conduits for divine source of income changed from family agriculture to sect with critical distinctions of class, gender, ethnicity messages or instruments of social communion? Can factory jobs to home garment workshops. Each change and national identity? What new types of distinctions are gods and spirits move people, or people access gods affected local politics, kin and gender relations, regional appearing in how work is imagined and experienced? We and spirits, without the mediation of things? Is it only and national integration, commodity consumption, and also look forward to receiving submissions that consider human believers who transport gods and spirits across subsistence agriculture. During the 1990s, after trade liber- the local context of Montréal and that further our mission time and space and make them count? Or is materi- alization eliminated jobs in the national garment industry, of producing scholarly work that is politically engaged and ality—mediators who do more than simply transport; hundreds of families entered small-scale garment manu- accessible to broad audiences. practices involving bodies even as they make souls—as facturing for the Mexican market. Such flexible labor is General submissions are due through the AAA website vital to the making of deities as it is to the making of the counterpoint of flexible accumulation. Its very insecu- by April 15, 2011; panels seeking invited status must be electrons? rity, writes Rothstein, means that workers depend on the submitted by March 15. We welcome student submis- For SAR’s 2011 conference, we encourage reflec- continuation of non-capitalist practices such as kin coop- sions and will provide June Nash Student Travel Awards tion on the insights an anthropology (and ethnog- eration, gender equality, and subsistence production; thus, to all students who present papers on SAW-reviewed raphy) focused on materiality might provide into they have an alternative to wage labor and its attendant panels. For additional information contact Susanne Cohen phenomena generally considered “religion.” We invite consumption patterns. ([email protected]) and Carrie Lane (clane@fullerton. consideration of materiality in relation to religion in This is not to say that capitalist expansion and commod- edu). many dimensions. Contributions could explore prac- ification has not affected traditional social identities in tices such as worship, healing, pilgrimage and ritual; San Cosme. Residents have become consumers of items Send contributions to this column to Theresa Preston-Werner, the making or maintenance of religious places, ranging previously unavailable and associated with moderniza- [email protected]. from features of the landscape to built structures; the tion: manufactured tortillas, personal care products, elec- treatment of, and memorials to, the dead; the impact tronic goods and automobiles. This does not mean that of new technologies of production or circulation; consumerism drives markets, writes Rothstein. Rather, clashes over objects, spaces and practices sacred to now, as in the past, it is the flow of capital. Globalization, Society for Cultural some but not to others; embodiment and the senses she concludes, resembles colonization and development, Anthropology in religious practice; and semiotic ideologies that illu- except that now workers themselves pursue other visions minate attitudes towards the material. We also urge using the same methods of transportation and electronic Jean M Langford, Contributing Editor consideration of matters that question past or present communication that enable flexible accumulation. A long assumptions. tradition of interdependence based on kinship bonds, New Editors’ Greeting Could a focus on materiality challenge our under- social relations and subsistence agriculture make this By Anne Allison and Charles Piot (Editors, Cultural standing of enchantment and disenchantment or allow possible. Anthropology) us to rethink “animism” and “fetishism”? How might it San Cosme is one example of the localization of the trouble translations: are terms such as gods and spirits, global. Rothstein’s vivid portrayal of its 30-year transfor- We are excited about the challenge of taking on the editor- let alone religion, too immaterial to render the forces mation from subsistence to a more modern and diversified ship of Cultural Anthropology (CA) and want to give some that act in the world? Is the sacred itself a material economy, through residents’ “hard work, creativity, and idea of who we are and what direction we see the journal force or revealed especially in certain features of the struggle against disadvantage,” is a powerful demonstra- taking over the next five years. But first a heartfelt thanks material world? tion of the contribution anthropologists can make to our to Kim and Mike Fortun for their inspiring work as editors Given the topic, we welcome explorations of the theoretical and practical understanding of global change. and for turning the journal over to us in such good shape. theme not only in papers and panels but also through Globalization has transformed ethnography as well. Its The intellectual issues that engage us broadly grow film, photos and multimedia presentations. analysis requires theoretical interpretations that encom- out of our current ethnographic work on Japanese and pass the worldwide flows of capital, labor, materials, manu- West African futures. Allison is finishing up a book on Discussion List Reminder factured goods, technology and images over time. Such economic decline and loss of hope (and its reemergence) in We would like to remind our student members in analyses also require historical depth and perspective. post-bubble Japan—a time when families are fraying, youth particular of how to join our discussion list: simply Rothstein’s Globalization in Mexico is a beautifully crafted see no future, precarity has become everyday. Piot has just enter your contact information at http://dss.ucsd. model of how this can be done. completed a book on the post–cold war moment in Togo— edu/mailman/listinfo/sar. If you have any questions For this achievement we thank her and award her the when the state is in retreat and the NGOs and Pentecostal or concerns, you may contact our webmaster, Ryan first Society for the Anthropology of Work Book Prize. churches have taken over the biopolitical, deciding who Schram ([email protected]). lives and who dies, staking all on a distant/youthful future. Hope to see you in Santa Fe! Call for 2011 Annual Meeting Submissions Our vision as editors of Cultural Anthropology is to By Carrie Lane and Susanne Cohen (SAW Program Editors) continue what we see as the best of its tradition: publishing Please send column ideas or items of interest to Jennifer articles that represent anthropological research, critical Selby at [email protected]. SAW is excited to welcome panel, paper and poster submis- analysis and academic writing of the highest order. Thus,

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while CA will aim to be judicious and diverse in publica- state power (and failure thereof) through her analysis of tion, selection will be guided first by quality of submis- Society for East Asian radio gymnastics at a primary school in rural China. She sion. At the same time, there are subjects that, in their Anthropology illuminates the subjectivation mechanisms at work in timeliness or scholarly dynamism, we will seek out. These the daily repetitions of bodily movements, the collec- include work on anthropologies of the present and of Anru Lee and Bridget Love, Contributing tive effervescence they promote, and their structuring emergence; on new media, technology and digitality; on Editors of the school schedule. Sum argues that it is bodily prac- financialization and financial decline; on poverty and tices and ritual forms, not beliefs or ideology, that consti- precariousness; on war-making and violence; on human- Gumbo and Dialogue: SEAA Graduate tute the most durable and efficient instrument to subject itarianism and human rights; on sovereignty and post- Students Connect at the 2010 AAA Annual making. Her essay contributes to scholarly understand- sovereignty; on critical race and sexuality studies; on post- Meeting ings of the politicization of the body and its relation- human and cyber sociality; on the borders of area studies By Susan McArver (UC Santa Barbara) and Xia Zhang (U ship to state control in China. The selection committee’s and disciplinary practice. Most important is that, taking Pittsburgh) commendation is available in full on the SEAA website at CA as a voice of the field, we want that voice to sing and hit www.aaanet.org/sections/seaa/index.html. The full-text hard—with beautiful writing, punchy analysis, masterful If there are lessons to learn from this year’s AAA Annual of Sum’s paper can be accessed at www.bu.edu/anthrop/ scholarship, soulful engagement. Meeting, they are that SEAA graduate students are eager graduate/students/c-sum. The former editors, Kim and Mike Fortun, left a formi- to connect and exchange ideas—and they like gumbo. The In closing, we wish to sincerely thank Junko Teruyama dable legacy in building the digital infrastructure of the annual SEAA graduate student dinner, held at The Gumbo for her service as graduate student councilor to the SEAA journal. CA will maintain and advance this digital inter- Shop, drew more than 20 participants, making it by far the for the past two years. During her tenure she co-organized face with the future. Current plans include expanding the largest SEAA graduate student dinner yet. Imbibing New graduate student dinners at three AAA Annual Meetings, discussion boards and encouraging broad-scale partici- Orleans’ lively atmosphere, the grad students discussed represented graduate student interests at SEAA board pation where conversations are staged around pressing their research, fieldwork and areas of common interest. meetings, maintained graduate student writing groups events, vexed disciplinary issues (ethnographic futures, Students came from US, European and Asian universi- and provided generous support to the incoming student digitality, human rights activism, for example) or signifi- ties. Their research areas covered a wide range of topics: councilors. cant new texts. If our colleagues and students read other transnationalism, globalization, the environment, migra- As current graduate student councilors to the SEAA, blogs every day, there is no reason they shouldn’t check tion, gender, identity, marriage, media, Internet addiction, we welcome additional ideas for serving the graduate one from CA that engages issues in innovative, edgy ways. bio-fuel resources, disability and special needs, health and student community. Please contact us at [email protected] CA would also like to raise the stakes in contem- medicine, and beyond. The dinner provided a precious and [email protected]. plating what a digital future might entail and will consider opportunity for a vibrant and growing community of devoting an entire issue of the journal each year to creative young scholars in East Asian anthropology to exchange Please send news items and comments to Anru Lee (alee@jjay. digital submissions. That issue would seek out submis- ideas and find intellectual support. cuny.edu) and Bridget Love ([email protected]). sions, both inside the discipline and beyond, that explore Currently there are 161 graduate student members the use of hypertext or visual archives or even something of the SEAA, more than at any other time. To build on like a Rem Koolhaas videography of Lagos. In diverse ways, their desire to connect with others who work in East we see information sharing and communication with Asia, the SEAA graduate student councilors will create a Society for Latin multiple others as strategically important to the future of Facebook group where students can expand their inter- American and Caribbean the field. actions outside of conferences. The site will help grad- CA will also devote one issue each year to what we are uate students who work in the same region and share Anthropology calling “Futures of Neoliberalism.” While fully acknowl- theoretical or topical interests to post articles, exchange Annelou Ypeij, Contributing Editor edging critiques of the term, we feel that it has also news and hopefully facilitate a lively camaraderie within provided an enormously productive rubric for anthro- our community. We hope the Facebook group, like our pologists trying to come to terms with global trans- annual dinner, will enable graduate students to collaborate President’s Message 2010 formation since the end of the cold war. Among its in co-hosting panels at future conferences. We expect to By Ramona Perez (San Diego State U) defining features are state pullback and decentraliza- launch the Facebook group site in February 2011. tion, NGO-ization, the privatization and marketization of We will also be implementing a writing and mentoring This last year provided us with continued financial almost everything, financialization and the emergence of workshop at the AAA Annual Meeting to give graduate stability and growth in membership. Unfortunately we the consumer citizen, the explosion of apocalyptic religi- students the opportunity to get feedback from their peers. also suffered the loss of our former treasurer, Elayne osities, class consolidation and growing inequality. Any We may invite professors to provide advice and guidance. Zorn. We were able to honor her with a session on her anthropology of the contemporary must engage some We hope that this opportunity to meet in person will serve work and with a memorial hour in New Orleans. This aspect of these phenomena, and we welcome submissions those who are eager to get and give input on their works- year’s meeting was especially powerful for SLACA culmi- that traverse this terrain in smart ways. We are interested in-progress. One of our goals will be to restart online nating in our joint reception held in the Seventh Ward in in neoliberalism’s many histories, in those novel subjectivi- writing groups for dissertators. The workshop will also a traditional New Orleans Street Fair. We had another ties and sovereignties that are emerging under its sign, in provide a chance for first-time student presenters to prac- fantastic turnout for our business meeting where several its less-dominant features and less-known origins, in emer- tice their presentation skills in a friendly and less formal decisions were made about the upcoming year. I would gent temporalities, in neoliberalisms from below. We also environment. like to share with you some of the important moments welcome challenges to the term neoliberal itself. In response to concerns that financial constraints make from our meeting. The ruptures in today’s landscape have opened up new it difficult for graduate students to attend the AAA Annual We welcomed new board members Igor Ayora-Diaz possibilities—not only for violence and death but also for Meeting, the SEAA board is considering providing funds (U Autónoma de Yucatán) as president-elect, Jennifer post-productive ways of engineering sociality and hope. We to partially cover graduate student registration fees, just Mathews (U Trinity) as treasurer-elect, and Janell Robles invite you to help us think imaginatively about the manner as SEAA currently does for undergraduates. We invite (U North Texas) as graduate student representative. The in which anthropology is engaging this new landscape. comments and suggestions regarding this potential policy deadline for 2011 nominations has passed but I encourage change. you to participate through volunteerism. If you are inter- Contributions to this column should be sent to Jean M In other graduate student news this year, the Theodore ested please contact Jane Henrici at [email protected]. Langford, Department of Anthropology, HHH 395, University C Bestor Prize for Outstanding Graduate Student This is a great way to feel out serving on the board while of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455; fax 612/625-3095; Paper was awarded to Chun-Yi Sum (Boston U) for her gaining service credit through SLACA. [email protected]. The SCA website is found at www.aaanet. paper “An Exercise for the People’s Republic: Order and We congratulated Nell Haynes for receiving the org/sca/index.htm. For a direct link to the website for Cultural Discipline in the Morning Ritual of a Chinese Primary Roseberry-Nash Graduate Student Paper Prize for her Anthropology go to www.culanth.org. School.” Congratulations! Sum examines the exercise of essay, “Pinning Down the Chola: Bolivian Wrestling and

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Social Change.” Student representatives Nick Welcome Social), received a travel grant and registration waiver. and Janell Robles are working with Councilor Walter Society for Linguistic Mirko Yukic was the SLA logo contest winner. Little to write the history of SLACA for the website. If Anthropology SLA President Kathryn Woolard presented the 2010 you can help with this project, please contact Nick at biennial Sapir Prize. Also on the committee were Samy [email protected]. I encourage you to keep James Stanlaw and Mark Allen Peterson, Alim and Richard Bauman. The committee came away sending job announcements and other important Contributing Editors with renewed optimism about the future prospects of messages through the discussion list, moderated by linguistic anthropology as there were many fine first Walter Little. Report on the 2010 SLA Business Meeting books by younger scholars. But this year’s award went to an As you may recall from last year’s presidential message, By James Stanlaw accomplished “linguistic anthropologist at the top of his we implemented a spring meeting in collaboration with game,” Distinguished Chair in Linguistic Anthropology SfAA. While we will collaborate with them this year, The SLA annual business meeting proved exciting again as William Hanks at Berkeley. His Converting Words: Maya the membership directed me to inquire with a few other there were plenty of good things to discuss (and later drink in the Age of the Cross (2010) traces the process of reduc- organizations that many felt might be more conducive to to, at the cash bar). ción—pacification—in colonial Yucatan and how the their attendance. I will keep you updated on my conver- Secretary-Treasurer Angela Reyes reported that SLA’s Maya language became fused with the colonial Spanish. sations over the next few months. Currently, submit- net assets increased substantially over 2010. Major sources As the committee said, “Hanks reveals in convincing ting papers under SLACA for the SfAA Annual Meeting of income include the publishing arrangement with Wiley- detail the dynamic fusion by which … linguistic processes allows our members to only pay the conference regis- Blackwell for Journal of Linguistic Anthropology (JLA) and … laid the foundations for the radically integrated social tration fee without having to pay membership fees to membership dues. Expenses included the website, business world constituted by modern Maya discourse practices.” SfAA. In 2010 we held the first Kearney Lecture in meeting reception, and prizes and awards. Starting in fall Two books received honorable mentions. Bernard Bate’s Responsible Anthropology in Merida, honoring Michael 2010, SLA now commits funds annually for course releases Tamil Oratory and the Dravidian Aesthetic (2009) received Kearney. I thank Lynn Stephen and Carole Nagengast for the JLA editor. Membership has remained steady for honorable mention for an author’s first book. His analysis for participating with me. Our reception in Merida the past decade, with 682 members in 2010 compared to of Tamil nationalists’ oratory in election campaigns “inno- was a huge success and we awarded Gabriela Kovats- 688 in 2000. vatively and artfully” interweaved aesthetics, politics and Sanchez (San Diego State U) and Courtney Kurlanska This year JLA editors Paul Manning and Miyako linguistic analysis. Honorable mention for a book by a (SUNY–Albany) the Whiteford Graduate Student Prize Inoue handed over their responsibilities to Alexandra senior scholar was given to Niko Besnier for Gossip and the in Applied Research. Please encourage your graduate Jaffe (editor-in-chief) and Paul Garrett (associate editor). Everyday Production of Politics (2009). This was an “exem- students to submit papers for the Roseberry Nash Award The journal is doing well, meeting all production sched- plary piece of linguistic anthropological writing,” drawing and the Whiteford Prize in Applied Research. ules and maintaining the competitive acceptance rate of on a subtle understanding of how broader politics is linked The membership also voted to participate in the new 20–25%. JLA was given 130 online pages to use in 2011 to the “intimate interactions and the intense localness of AAA public education initiative, recommending a theme for supplementary material for printed articles or possibly gossip” on the Nukulaelae Atoll, Tuvalu. of global warming. Jane Henrici was given the task for expanded special issues. Again, it recommended members creating a proposal. We also voted to budget $250 to be encourage their students to download JLA articles from Please send your comments, contributions, news and used toward community-based functions each year at the AnthroSource, as download statistics are included in announcements to SLA Contributing Editors Jim Stanlaw annual meeting. AAA’s fund allocation model. JLA will go to ScholarOne, ([email protected]) or Mark Peterson (petersm2@muohio. We voted to increase the number of journal issues an online submission system. edu). to three per year at an additional cost of $7,000 to the This year the SLA website (http://linguisticanthro- section. Our editor, Andrew Canessa and Wiley-Blackwell pology.org) has come into its own as a major research have submitted our application for inclusion in the Social and pedagogical presence. SLA digital media editor Leila Science Citational Index (SSCI), a process that can take Monaghan demonstrated the site’s incredible number Society for Medical up to two years. Members were encouraged not to post of resources (maintained with the help of web guru Anthropology journal articles directly into online course software for Alex Enkerli). It is an information and link resource, class use but rather to include the link to give the journal news and announcements clearinghouse, blog, and tool Kathleen Ragsdale, Contributing Editor credit for downloads. bank. Special tools already available include informa- I appreciate every idea and suggestion that you all tion on audio equipment, grant proposal writing tailored Highlights: 2010 SMA Annual Business send me throughout the year—please keep it up. We look to linguistic-oriented areas, and video topics of interest Meeting and Awards Ceremony in New forward to seeing you at our spring meeting with SfAA, to linguists. In the future, as more people contribute, the Orleans March 29–April 2 in Seattle. possibilities are virtually limitless. By Jeannine Coreil (U South Florida) The SLA Section Program Committee this year Whiteford Graduate Student Award consisted of Jocelyn Ahlers, Don Brenneis, Jennifer SMA President Jeannine Coreil opened the meeting with SLACA announces its 2011 Whiteford Graduate Student Dickinson, Galey Modan, Chantal Tetreault, Anna Marie introductions of the Executive Board and welcomed newly Award in Applied Anthropology. The award is to help Trester, Robin Queen, and editor Kira Hall. There were elected officers and members Doug Feldman (president- two students attend the 2011 SfAA/SLACA in Seattle, submissions for 38 volunteered panels, 52 volunteered elect); Lance Gravlee, Juliet McMullen and Diane Weiner March 29–April 2, 2011. The deadline is February 15, 2011. papers, and nine posters. It was a great year for linguistic (members-at-large); and Rebecca Read (MASA student Please address queries and send papers to Walter E Little at anthropology: all panels were accepted and five new panels representative). Coreil reported that the society is finan- [email protected] . were constructed by the committee from some of the cially sound and has a strong and expanding member- individually submitted papers. After several years of hard ship base. Although most AAA sections have experi- Please send any comments, suggestions and ideas, including work, Kira is passing the editorship on to Jocelyn Ahlers. enced a decline in membership in the past year, the SMA’s photos for future columns, to Annelou Ypeij at j.l.ypeij@cedla. The 2010 SLA Student Essay Prize was awarded to membership of more than 1,280 has held steady and there nl or to Cedla (Centre for Latin American Research and Nicholas Harkness (U Chicago) for “Vowel Harmony has been a 15% increase in student membership. This Documentation), Keizersgracht 395-397, 1016 EK Amsterdam, Redux: A Binary Structure of Attribution in Korean and Its increase has been due in part to a reduction in student Netherlands. Ideological Framings.” The Undergraduate Student Essay membership fees to $20 that was implemented last year. Prize went to Jade Sewa De La Paz (Brooklyn College) for Highlights of the year include the joint SMA/SfAA “‘OMG, Guess What?!:’ The Indispensability of Gossip in meeting held in Mérida, Mexico, in March 2010, the Community Building.” Jillian Cavanaugh presented both accomplishments of the Health Care Reform Task Force, Do you have news to share with your Section? winners with $500, a certificate and $300 toward travel promising international initiatives and the continued Contact your Contributing Editor for details! costs. Lucero Flores Najera, a graduate student (Centro de excellence of our journal, Medical Anthropology Quarterly Investigaciounes y Estudios Superiores en Antropologia (MAQ). An outstanding program at the AAA Annual

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Meeting included seven invited sessions, numerous transportation to the Lemelson party, so please register other sessions, and a “Taste of Louisiana” social event on Society for Psychological as early as possible. The cut-off date for conference rates Thursday evening. Plans have moved forward for the next Anthropology at the conference hotel—the beautiful, seaside Sheraton independent SMA meeting in 2013, with the dual goals of Delfina in Santa Monica—is Friday, March 11, 2011. We meeting jointly with the European Medical Anthropology Jack R Friedman, Contributing Editor look forward to seeing you there for what promises to be Network in a European country and making the meeting an exciting and engaging gathering! global in scope and participation. Highlights from the Annual SPA Business A number of SMA-sponsored awards and prizes were Meeting Send contributions to this column to Jack R Friedman, announced and presented during the business meeting. The SPA held its annual board meeting at the AAA [email protected]. The special interest group Critical Anthropology for Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA in November 2010. Global Health (CAGH) gave three Rudolf Virchow Continuing the trend of the last several years, all of the Awards including the Undergraduate Student Paper reports from the members of the SPA board showed the award to Dara Carroll for her paper, “Power and health of the section. Secretary-Treasurer Ashley Maynard Society for Urban, Dependence: Interactions Between Informal Caretakers (U Hawai’i—Manoa) reported we are currently in good National, and and Patients with Mental Illness in Uganda”; the stead financially and that we expect to do well again next Graduate Student Paper Award to Emily Yates-Doerr year, particularly due to royalty agreements associated Transnational/Global for her paper, “The Opacity of Reduction: Nutritional with Ethos. Janet Keller (U Illinois Urbana—Champaign), Anthropology Black-Boxing and the Meanings of Nourishment”; and editor of Ethos, reported that the journal has more than the Professional Award to Lance Gravlee for his paper, doubled its impact factor in the last three years and that Jayne Howell, Contributing Editor “How Race Becomes Biology: Embodiment of Social submissions have doubled since 2005, both indicators Inequality.” The AIDS and Anthropology Research of the health of and continuing interest in psychological SUNTA in New Orleans Group (AARG) awarded the AARG Distinguished anthropology. Rebecca Lester (Washington U), the SPA SUNTA was well represented at the 2010 AAA Annual Service Award to Paul Farmer. The Council on Book Series editor, was pleased to announce that two book Meeting, with 180 papers in 45 SUNTA sponsored sessions. Anthropology and Reproduction (CAR) awarded the contracts were awarded this year and that another two The program also included the Interlocutor session with CAR Graduate Student Paper Award to Shana Sandberg manuscripts were currently being reviewed. She reported Malcolm Suber and a garden tour Inno-vent organized by for her paper, “Resisting Intervention, (En)trusting that manuscripts have been reviewed quickly, that Palgrave Kathleen Bubinas (U Wisconsin—Waukesha). There were My Partner: Unmarried Women’s Narratives about Press remains supportive of the series and that the series a number of announcements at the business meeting. The Contraceptive Use in Tokyo,” and the CAR Best Edited continues to search for quality work. SUNTA Board approved a reduction in dues to $25 and Collection Book Award to coeditors Marcia Inhorn, In addition to these reports, an interesting discussion $10 for regular and student memberships, respectively. The Tine Tjørnjøj-Thomsen, Helene Goldberg and Maruska was initiated by the incoming student representative for 22nd volume of City & Society is in press this year, and this la Cour Mosegaard for their book, Reconceiving the the SPA, Allen Tran (UC San Diego). Identifying one of the journal will be published tri-annually beginning in 2012. Second Sex: Men, Masculinity, and Reproduction. The possible limitations to the growth of interest in psycho- There are more than 2,400 subscribers to the discussion Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco Study Group (ADTSG) logical anthropology being the heavy concentration of list. President Don Nonini and former President David awarded the ADTSG Graduate Student Paper Prize to psychological anthropologists in a handful of universi- Haines’ search for a new SUNTA webmaster is over: Mary Laura Jones for “The Medicalization of Menstruation, ties and the paucity of faculty in many other places, he Beth Fitts is maintaining a revised SUNTA website (www. Hormonal Contraception … and Society.” suggested that the SPA board consider a series of work- sunta.org) with current news and information. The Eileen Basker Memorial Prize was presented shops at the upcoming SPA biennial meeting and future With an eye to future meetings, out-going President to Elly Teman for her book, Birthing a Mother: The AAA Annual Meetings to develop ways in which students Deborah Pellow announced a March 15 deadline for Surrogate Body and the Pregnant Self. The Charles from departments both with and without psychological invited panel consideration for the 2011 AAA Annual Hughes Undergraduate Paper Prize was awarded to anthropology faculty can find mentors to help them in Meeting in Montreal, whose theme is “Traces, Trademarks Emily Yates-Doerr for “Nutrition and Logic of Care in their work. This proposal was met with enthusiasm and and Legacies.” Guidelines for invited session will be posted Guatemala.” The Stephen Polgar Prize Paper for best excitement by the board. Are you a student with an interest on the website and announced on the discussion list. paper published in MAQ was awarded to Marja-Liisa in psychological anthropology who would like to receive Please get your requests to SUNTA Program Chair and Honkasalo for “Grips and Ties: Agency, Uncertainty feedback and mentoring regarding your work? If so, we President Elect Nancy Abelmann ([email protected]) and the Problem of Suffering.” The MASA Graduate would love to hear from you about ideas for how the SPA by March 1. Student Mentoring Award was given to Byron Good and can help. Please send your ideas or comments to Allen Nancy Abelmann will be organizing the Interlocutor Mary-Jo Delvecchio Good. The Career Achievement Tran at [email protected]. session for Montreal. Please contact her with nomina- Award was given to Stephen L Schensul, who then gave Finally, look for a full report on the SPA prizes that were tions of scholars, academics and activists who can speak to the keynote address, “The Medical Anthropologist as announced at the AAA Annual Meeting in next month’s community concerns and issues. Interventionist: Culturally-Based Approaches to Public column. Health Problems.” Leeds Prize Coreil announced that she was stepping down early as Lemelson/SPA Awards Committee Chair Robert Rotenberg announced that SMA president because she decided to take early retire- Ashley Maynard reported on the Lemelson/SPA Awards there were 27 strong submissions for this year’s prize. ment from her university in August 2010 and plans to that were inaugurated in 2008 through a generous donation The committee selected Phillippe Bourgois and Jeff pursue full-time writing. Following procedures outlined from Rob Lemelson (UC Los Angeles) and Susan Morse Schoenberg’s Righteous Dopefiend. The committee, in the SMA bylaws, the Nominating Committee used Lemelson. In addition to reporting on several conferences comprised of three previous Leeds Prize winners, recog- input from the Executive Board to select Carolyn that have been funded through the awards, she highlighted nized the book’s rhetorical innovation through the integra- Sargent to complete the remainder of Coreil’s term the generosity of the Lemelsons for their support of grad- tion of collaborative ethnography and photography. as SMA president. Doug Feldman will assume the uate student pre-dissertation research. For more informa- presidency next year. Outgoing board members Ralph tion about these awards, please visit the SPA website. SUNTA Student Prizes Bolton, Beth Conklin, Lenore Manderson, Adriana The Best Graduate Student Paper Prize was awarded to Petryna and Amorita Valdez were thanked for their SPA Biennial Meeting Marina Gold (Deakin U) for “Urban Gardens: Private service to SMA and serenaded by Dave McCurdy, Bryan March 31–April 3, 2011 will see the SPA’s Biennial meeting Property or the Ultimate Socialist Experience?” The Page, Lance Gravlee and three local musicians. in Santa Monica, California. Registration for the meeting Best Undergraduate Student Paper Prize went to Adom and details about the hotel can be found at www.aaanet. Philogene-Heron (U Sussex) for “Taming the Spider Man: Please send contributions to SMA Contributing Editor org/sections/SPA/callforpapers11.htm. Keep in mind that From Anti-Colonial Hero to Neoliberal Icon.” Andrea Kathleen Ragsdale ([email protected]). your registration fee will also help to cover the cost of Morrell and Stephanie Campos (both of CUNY), orga-

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nizers of “The Anthropology of Mass Incarceration: Global museology, architecture and material culture. Ethnographic Perspectives on Prisons and Policing,” were VAR has an international readership, publishing AAA 2011 EXECUTIVE BOARD awarded the Best Student Panel Prize. works by scholars and artists, academics and practitio- President Additional information about each of these winning ners throughout the world. VAR welcomes work from submissions, and guidelines and deadlines for future all subfields of anthropology, as well as multidisciplinary Virginia R Dominguez (2009–11) nominations, are posted on the SUNTA website. work in the fine arts and in the sciences and liberal arts. [email protected] Submissions vary in length from 2,000 to 7,000 words. President-Elect SUNTA and AES Joint Meeting: New Forms Authors often find it useful to contact the editors during Leith P Mullings (2009–11) of Difference/New Forms of Connection the early stages of writing to discuss ways of best tailoring [email protected] The AES/SUNTA meeting will be held in San Juan, Puerto their work for the journal’s readership. The current journal Rico, from March 14–17. The program and information coeditors are Liam Buckley ([email protected]) and Secretary about travel, lodging, registration and events are available Laura Lewis ([email protected]). Debra L Martin (2009–12) on the SUNTA website (www.sunta.org). For further infor- Visual Anthropology Review also seeks photo essays. [email protected] mation, please contact the conference cochairs Sharryn The word limit is 2,500 words, and the number of images Archaeology Seat Kasmir (AES) at [email protected] or Lisa should be appropriate to the essay itself. Submission of Nan A Rothschild (2008–11) Maya Knauer (SUNTA) at [email protected]. work that includes drawing and painting in addition to, or [email protected] instead of, still photography is also encouraged. CORI at the New Orleans AAAs As a guideline, a photo essay consists of a number of Biological Seat By Lisa Maya Knauer (CORI Correspondent) photographs with written text directly related to the George J Armelagos (2008–11) photos. The author can present the photos in a partic- [email protected] At the Committee on Immigrants and Refugees (CORI) ular order or randomly ordered, before or after the text. Cultural Seat group meeting, Lisa Maya Knauer was elected chair when The author can also place the photos within the text. The Florence E Babb (2009–12) Chair-Elect Anahi Viladrich indicated that she could images will thus contribute an overall collection of photo- [email protected] not assume the chair. CORI and the SUNTA Board graphs to the essay. wish to thank Anna and Anahi for their leadership and The author should address in the written text the ques- Linguistic Seat look forward to their ongoing participation. Because no tion of “Why photography?” The essay should reflect on Laura R Graham (2008–11) one self-nominated for the chair-elect position, SUNTA the content of the images and the making of the images— [email protected] student councilor Fethi Keles has generously volunteered the cultural and historical context of their making and the Minority Seat for this task. aesthetics of the images. Finally, the author’s text should We are committed to reinvigorating CORI and are reflect on how text and image interact with one another, Ana L Aparicio (2010–13) especially eager to invite participation from other sections perhaps on the tensions and affinities that might exist [email protected] of AAA. We think the time is ripe for this as we noted between these two forms of expression and analysis. Practicing/Professional Seat in reviewing the programs from recent AAA Annual Please send questions and submissions to Liam Alisse Waterston (2010–13) Meetings how many panels and papers from throughout Buckley, coeditor of VAR ([email protected]). For more [email protected] the association highlight migrants and refugees. As a step information on VAR, visit www.wiley.com/bw/journal. in this direction, we plan to have CORI meetings (even if asp?ref=1058-7187. Student Seat informal ones) at the upcoming SfAA meetings in Seattle Jason E Miller (2009–12) and the SUNTA/AES conference in Puerto Rico. We 2011 Annual Meeting: Call for Invited [email protected] will also have a greater presence on the newly redesigned Session Proposals Undesignated #1 SUNTA website. Lisa Maya Knauer will serve as CORI Jenny Chio (U Technology—Sydney) Hugh Gusterson (2009–12) correspondent to SUNTA column. Please contact her at [email protected] [email protected] with news for this column or the The Society for Visual Anthropology welcomes paper and website. poster session proposals for invited status at this year’s Undesignated #2 AAA Annual Meeting in Montreal (November 16–20, Susan D Gillespie (2010–13) If you have any news, announcements or photos for this column, 2011). Last year our invited SVA sessions explored such [email protected] please contact SUNTA Secretary and Contributing Editor Jayne diverse topics as urban visualities, participatory media Undesignated #3 Howell at [email protected]. research and the anthropology of religion in Haiti. Lee D Baker (2008–11) The deadline for consideration as an invited session is [email protected] March 15, 2011. Invited sessions receive earlier confirma- tion of their inclusion in the Annual Meeting, as well as Undesignated #4 Society for Visual greater publicity within the meeting’s printed program. All Jean J Schensul (2009–12) Anthropology session proposals must be submitted online through the [email protected] AAA submission system. Additionally, we encourage you Section Assembly Convenor Wendy Dickinson, Contributing Editor to contact us in advance (ideally by March 1) with ques- tions and drafts. A full call for sessions, including further Vilma Santiago-Irizarry (2010–12) Call for Submissions and Photo Essays details on the process, is available on our website: www. [email protected] societyforvisualanthropology.org. Section Assembly EB #1 By Liam Buckley (Visual Anthropology Review) We are happy to work with session organizers on the Gabriela Vargas-Cetina (2010–12) Visual Anthropology Review (VAR) promotes the discus- structuring of their proposals. SVA encourages innovative [email protected] sion of visual studies, broadly conceived. Visual studies formats, including poster sessions, extended screening of Section Assembly EB #2 include visual aspects of human behavior and the use of visual materials and discussion periods. Please direct any visual media in anthropological research, representation questions to Jenny Chio ([email protected]). Ida Susser (2010–13) and teaching. We welcome articles, reviews and commen- [email protected] tary on the use of multimedia, still photography, film, video Research news, comments and ideas for future columns may AAA Treasurer-Ex Officio and non-camera-generated images, as well as on visual be sent via email to Wendy Dickinson ([email protected]) Edward Liebow (2008–11) ideologies, indigenous media, applied visual anthropology, or mailed c/o Ringling College of Art and Design, 2700 North [email protected] art, dance, gesture, sign language, human movement, Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234.

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