Founded in 1902, the American Anthropological Association is the world’s largest scholarly and professional organization of anthropologists. The Association is dedicated to advancing human understanding and applying this understanding to the world’s most pressing problems.

While 75 percent of our members are employed in higher education or are students of anthropology, about 25 percent of our members work in the public, private, and non-governmental sectors, beyond the academy. The Association is organized into 35+ sections, each reflecting specialized domains of knowledge.

We publish a portfolio of 22 journals, offer career planning and professional development services, support college and university departments, award numerous prizes and fellowships, sponsor a paid summer internship program, and stage research conferences in the Fall and Spring each year.

The Association is proud to belong to a number of inter-organizational collaborations, including the World Council of Anthropological Associations, the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences, the Consortium of Social Science Associations, the National Humanities Alliance, and the American Council of Learned Societies.

Learn more about the history of the AAA.

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About AAA Pages

  • Governance & Leadership

    Find information on our bylaws, statement of purpose, strategic plan, and more

  • Annual Reports

    Read about what the Association has accomplished in our annual reports.

  • FAQs

    Have a question about AAA? We have answers to common concerns you might have.

  • Anthropological Ethics

    We aim to help all anthropologists have access to quality information on methodological and ethical best practices.

Stronger Together: Our Partner Organizations 

Every day, AAA works alongside a network of scholarly, scientific, and professional organizations who share our conviction that understanding what makes us human is essential to solving the challenges we face together. Some of these partners fight for the federal funding that keeps anthropological research alive. Others link anthropology to the broader scientific enterprise, or to anthropologists working across the globe. All together, we amplify the voices of anthropologists. 

American Council of Learned Societies National Humanities Alliance EPIC Scholars at Risk Society for Applied Anthropology Anthropology Career Readiness Network Consortium of Social Science Associations Willing Observers American Association for the Advancement of Science Society for American Archaeology

Federal Advocacy 

  • National Humanities Alliance (NHA) – The only organization representing the humanities community as a whole in Congress; gives our members' work a voice in federal funding decisions. 
  • Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) – Advocates for National Science Foundation/National Institutes of Health funding for social and behavioral science research, keeping anthropology counted among the sciences fighting for federal dollars. 

Global & Disciplinary Ties 

  • Scholars at Risk (SAR) – A global network that protects threatened scholars and defends academic freedom worldwide; membership signals AAA's commitment to protecting anthropologists and colleagues facing persecution for their work. 

Career & Practice Pathways 

  • EPIC People – Connects AAA to the ethnographic-in-industry community, showcasing career pathways in UX, design, business research, and more. 
  • Willing Observers – Anthropologist-founded consulting firm; provides a range of diversity, equity, and inclusion services distinctly delivered through an anthropological lens. 

Visit our Partner With Us page for more.