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Anthropology Advocacy Council (AAC)

Objectives

The Anthropology Advocacy Council (AAC) is convened by the Executive Board for the purpose of responding to AAA member needs and interests, with a particular focus on the key areas of ethics, human rights, labor and workforce, public policy, anti-racism and social justice, gender equity, the practicing-applied-public sector, and world anthropologies as these areas relate to anthropology, anthropologists and the Association.

In keeping with the values of collaboration, dialogue, diversity, equity, solidarity and transparency, the committee is responsible for the implementation of the Association’s education, advocacy and advisory program related to Anthropology and each of the following ongoing issues and engagements:

  • Ethics
  • Human Rights
  • Labor and work force
  • Public Policy
  • Anti-Racism and Social Justice
  • Gender equity
  • Practicing, Applied and Public Sector
  • Student Interests
  • World Anthropologies

Duration of Committee

Permanent

Term of Office

3-year terms

Committee Reports to

The Executive Board

Responsibilities

  • Foster collaborations and work in coalition with other organizations, both internally and externally, on specific issues relevant to the committee charge;
  • Identify and work together with the Executive Board and AAA staff to carry out projects and ongoing tasks via the Committee, a working group, task force, or some other entity as outlined in Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP).
  • Assist in organizing fora, sessions, workshops or other events at AAA Annual Meetings on any or all of the above identified issues of engagement as needed;
  • Use AAA communication mechanisms for knowledge exchange, information and education (e.g., AN columns, blog, social media) on any or all of the above focus areas; disseminate to relevant audiences (e.g., members, policy makers);
  • Foster professional advancement of and collaboration with U.S. racialized minority anthropologists; practicing, applied and public anthropologists; international anthropologists, and other constituents as identified.
  • Devote appropriate time and effort to the duties of the Committee.

Membership and Appointment

The committee is both member-focused and, public-oriented. The committee is responsible for the design and implementation of the Association’s ethics, rights, and status education and advisory, both internally with the membership of the AAA and externally with the people and groups with whom anthropologists work. AAA Member and Public-Oriented programs and projects are articulated and prioritized through dialogue. Task forces and working groups are created as needed to respond to AAC priorities, determined in consultation with the Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP).

22-member committee including the Chairs and EB Liaison (if appointed)
1 overall chair
2 subcommittee chairs, one of which is the President-Elect.
18 appointed members
1 EB liaison if appointed.

If members are unable to devote appropriate time relative to the delegated tasks and fail to perform the duties of the Committee, the AAA Executive Board may remove a member from the position by a 2/3 vote of the EB.

Product

Develop reports, policy statements, and recommend actions to Executive Board. A written report to the Executive Board. Committees will include comments on issues and/or recommendations to the Executive Board in one of their annual reports to the Executive Board. These might be problems in fulfilling group objectives and responsibilities or in fulfilling tasks listed in the SIP, the need for additional resources, recommended changes to the group charge (objectives, responsibilities, products/outcomes), and recommended changes to the committee structure or membership.

Meetings and Schedule

In person once a year at the annual meeting and via conference call as needed.

Staff Liaisons and Contact Information

Jeff Martin

Leadership

Sub-Chairs:

Emily Metzner

Carolyn Rouse

Areas of Engagement

Anti-Racism and Social Justice

Focus: Advance issues and concerns as professionals and as a professional association on issue of import to U.S. racialized people and communities in anthropology. Attract racialized and underrepresented people and communities and retain them in the discipline and the Association. Promote intellectual awareness within the discipline and Association of issues that face racialized and underrepresented anthropologists with an emphasis on Anti-Black racism. Help define anthropology’s role in U.S. discourses on racism.

Justin Haruyama

Hilda Lloréns

World Anthropologies

Focus: Identify significant issues that are shared among anthropologists from different nations. Develop clear objectives for drawing US and international anthropologists together in ways that benefit anthropology globally. Engage a diversity of international voices and perspectives and involve both academic and applied anthropologists in this endeavor. Get more information at the World Anthropologies Hub.

Robert Barrios

Lucia Isabel Stavig

Practicing/Applied Anthropology

Focus: To explore and engage the range of issues that have emerged or are emerging as a result of the increasing employment of anthropologists outside of the academy doing work as practicing anthropologists, applied anthropologists, and anthropologists in the public sector.

Ken Anderson

Teruko Mitsuhara

Ethics

Focus: To increase the number of candidates for all degrees in anthropology receiving training in ethics before graduating; to provide ongoing education in ethical issues for all AAA members; to provide advice to AAA members facing/raising ethical dilemmas, and to provide guidance to the Executive Board about AAA codes and guidelines. Learn more about ethics at AAA.

Alison Dundes Renteln

Human Rights

Focus: To promote and protect human rights; to expand the definition of human rights within an anthropological perspective; to work internally with the membership of the AAA, to educate anthropologists, and to mobilize their support for human rights; to work externally with foreign colleagues, the people and groups with whom anthropologists work, and other human rights organizations to develop an anthropological perspective on human rights and consult with them on human rights violations and the appropriate actions to be taken; to influence and educate the media, policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and decision-makers in the private sector; to encourage research on all aspects of human rights from conceptual to applied. Get more information at the Human Rights Hub.

Sonia Chinn

Public Policy

Focus: To enhance the participation of AAA entities and members in the area of public policy and the visibility of contributions by anthropologists.

Robert Hahn

Gender Equity

Focus: Monitor the status of gender equity in the discipline and the American Anthropological Association. Advise the Executive Board on the status of gender equity in the discipline and the Association to educate members.

Rachel Hall-Clifford

Labor and Work Force

Focus: To inform the AAA Executive Board, meetings staff, and membership about relevant issues related to labor and the workforce.

Deepa Das Acevedo

Student Interests

Focus: To represent and advocate for student interests and perspectives in all areas of AAC work and the AAA at large.

Margaret Morley

Tyanna Slobe

* For AAA members with an interest in advocating for anthropology and anthropologists, we encourage you to consider joining the AAC. Contact Jeff Martin at gro.orhtnanacirema@nitramj

Date Created or Revised

May 30, 2024

We want to express our concern for our members and colleagues in the potentially affected areas as we monitor Hurricane Milton. As we approach our Annual Meeting scheduled for November 20-23, we will keep you updated on any developments and how they may impact our plans in Tampa. In the meantime, we hope everyone stays safe and takes the necessary precautions.

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