I am a member of the American Anthropological Association, which was founded in 1902 and has since grown into the world’s largest collection of anthropologists. When AAA was founded, there were other anthropological groups in the United States, but they lacked a national focus. AAA was thus created to join anthropologists across the country, allowing them to coordinate their research, network for new projects, and encourage the formation of more local societies. The association now oversees American Anthropologist, a periodical originally created by the Anthropological Society of Washington 14 years prior to the launch of AAA. Holding 175 members at its inception, the American Anthropological Association slowly increased in size through the early 1900s. After 1950, the number of members began to grow rapidly, and the organization now claims over 10,000 anthropologists. Though anthropologist Franz Boas wanted to restrict membership in AAA to a group of 40 highly regarded anthropologists, the organization’s first president, W. J. McGee, championed a more inclusive society that would accommodate all those with an interest in the field of anthropology. AAA operates according to a democratic model and endeavors to provide equal representation of each branch of the discipline. The American Anthropological Association’s annual meetings draw over 5,000 anthropological professionals over 5 days filled with hundreds of sessions, including presentations and lectures. This year will mark the 109th Annual Meeting, which will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, under the theme of “Circulation.” This meeting will focus on movement, both in relation to time and space and as an organizing principle. The theme of Circulation also addresses boundaries, whether geographic or abstract, such as the boundaries between different academic disciplines and divisions between states and countries. The theme will encourage members to think about what happens when these boundaries begint to blur and what consequences this softening of boundaries will have on future cultural development.
Tags: AAA, American, American Anthropological Association, Anthropologica, l Association, Maggie, Maggie Namjou, Namjou
