October 2003
From American Anthropological Association
Mark your calendar for the American Anthropological Association meeting in Chicago Nov. 19-23 More stories than you can write in a lifetime! Some 5,000 anthropologists from around the world will gather at the Hilton Chicago November 19–23rd. They will meet in 439 scholarly sessions to discuss a range of topics from immigration and migration, indigenous people, genetics and human variation, globalization and violence, African snakes and how they make you feel, Muslims's fears in the USA, death penalty as a violation of human rights and the plight of American Indians in prison..Highlights include a session with prominent medical anthropologists discussing the dismantling of body parts, a session on a science-based understanding of race and human differences, several panels presenting food research and interesting sessions on the effects of globalization on women, on food, on violence, on corporate ethnography and on art.. Other presentations include violence among indigenous peoples in Latin America, struggles with modernity in Appalachia, the problems of Mexican migrants, humans and animals in hunting societies, and reindeer-herding in modern Norway. On Thursday there will be a debate on Chicago's No Child Left Behind policy. On Saturday, filmaker John Marshall, producer of the movie A Kalahari Family, will talk about his many years in the desert and the indigenous people he filmed. The following is a sampling of sessions of potential media interest: Real Bodies. Pretty Dirty Secrets. "how the body operates as raw material….Bodies are increasingly manipulated, sold, bought, exploited." Talks includes dismantling body parts of professional boxers in Chicago, kidney transplants in Brazil, the toll of crack cocaine, questioning the definition of Alzheimer's, and illustrating how the destitute participate in their own corporeal undoing in San Francisco. Includes Phillippe Bourgois, Nancy Scheper-Hughes, Margaret Lock. (Thursday, 10.15-Noon). No Child Left Behind: Lessons from a Chicago School. The discussion involves teachers, a scholar, Chicago Public School's Chief Educational Officer and a moderator who is an "action researcher" and has studied school reform in Philadelphia and Chicago. (Thursday, 11.15-Noon) Mapping Violence in Latin America and Asia Post 9/11. Indigenous groups in the Amazon kidnap oil workers while notions of "race and savagery" undermine collective action: Indonesions respond to "the circulation of the Jew" and local dynamics in Western China and the Himalayas reflect larger geopolitical struggles (Thursday,1.45-3 pm). New Definitions of Forced Migration in a Terrified World. This panel explores how forced labor migration and trafficking are shifting in response to new security regimes and alliances. (Thursday, 1.45-3 p.m.). The Other Side of Peace: Women and Globalization. A troubling predicament for most women at the margins.. Augusta Lynn Bolles, chairperson. (Friday 8 – 9.45 a.m) Children in Anthropological Studies and Mothers in Academia. (Friday 8 – 9.45 a.m.) Death Penalty and Human Rights: A forum of attorneys, sociologists and anthropologists discuss gross violations of human rights in the administration of the death penalty. Includes discussion of the pseudo-science of "future dangerousness." (Friday 10.15-Noon). Mexican Migration: Individual studies of immigrants reveal that alien female farm workers participate in California electoral campaigns; women in the US workforce increased by virtue of Mexican women in hotel services. More. (Friday 10.15-Noon). Terror, Violence and Globalization in the Work of Arjun Appadurai. He speaks on the relationship between globalization and extreme violence. . (Friday, 10.15-Noon). Genetically Modified Crops. Discussion of corporate vs. public sector biotechnology, intellectual property constraints, local cultural attitudes, global food chains, farmers and consumers, different takes by the media in Europe and US. (Friday 1.45-5.30 p.m) Rethinking Global Aids Policy. A panel of prominent medical anthropologists asks "if anthropologists were put in charge of global HIV/AIDS policy, what would we do differently?" With Paul Farmer. (Friday, 1.45-5.30) Human Genetic Variation Research: Medical anthropologists seek to assure the benevolent goals of genetic science and hope to use the new knowledge to understanding human evolution and population migration across the world. Panel includes Theodore Schurr and George Armelagos. (Friday 1.45-3.30) Language of Materiality. Dynamic relatioship between language and consumption includes talks by Fred Myers on how language is used in art and politics, and Judith Goldsten and Tim Taylor on print and music. Don Brenneis, discussant. (Friday 1.45) Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Resurgence of research after 30 year hiatus.(Friday1.45) Life in a Modern Matriarchy The women of Minangkaban. Author Peggy Sandy also wrote Fraternity Gang Rape: A Woman Scorned: Acquaintance Rape on Trial. (Friday 4 –5.45 pm.) Gender and Peace. Questions asked include: do economic and political insecurity fuel violence against women? (Saturday, 10.15-Noon) Kiss and Tell. This session discusses not just sex and talk but the gossip, rumors and buzz of sexuality. (Saturday 10.15-Noon) A Kalahari Family. A dialogue with prominent filmaker John Marshall who lived in the Kalahari for 50 years and filmed the indigenous "Bushmen" people in a five-part series.. His first film was The Hunters, his latest Death by Myth. Marshall receives the Lifetime Achievements Award from the Society for Visual Anthropology. (Saturday 1.45-3.30) Great Snakes Alive: Nigerian and Kenyan perspectives on pythons. Going beyond Judeo-Christian, Freudian and other symbols, this panel discusses African relationships with snakes. (Saturday 1.45-3.30) Studying the MiddleEast: Roundtable with anthropologists and historians (Sat.1.45-3.30) Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights. Active concern for indigenous peoples has made this one of the most successful social movements in our time. But the global order presents new challenges. The Special Rapporteur to the UN will present his visions for the future. (Saturday 1.45-3.30 p.m.) Corporate Ethnography in the New Economy. Wall Street and the financial services industry have led to the radical transformation and destablization of traditional American corporations. Understanding the new economy via ethnographic inquiry into the everyday lives of corporate people. (Saturday 4 - 5.45 p.m.) Three anthropologists will receive AAA awards on Saturday night, H. Russell Bernard, Russell H. Tuttle and prominent Canadian anthropologist and author, Dr. Margaret Lock. (See individual press releases). Media Notes: Press Opportunities will be arranged in the Press Room throughout the meeting, depending on availability as well as media interest and response. Check frequently for day and time. Anthropologists to be invited include those below. Robert Fernea, wide experience in Middle East with fieldwork in Iraq. Afghanistan and Saudia Arabia, Egypt and Morocco. (presentation Friday afternoon)
Arjun Appadurai, the relationship of globalization and extreme violence.
Nancy Scheper Hughes, medical anthropologist who heads Organ Watch
Paul Farmer, medical anthropologist, will discuss his work with AIDS patients in Haiti and AIDS policies and practice.
Margaret Lock, prominent Canadian author and winner of the Robert B. Textor Award KINDLY let me know if you are able to attend.by calling 703 528-1902, ext. 3039
A preliminary program can be accessed on our web page at www.aaanet.org. Abstracts and printed programs will be available in the conference press room. Press Room: 3rd floor Chicago Hilton, past the Waldorf Room, end of hall.
Hours: Press room will be open Wed. Nov. 19 at 1–5p.m.Thurs., Fri., Saturday 9-6.pm.
Hotel Phone: 312 922-4400, ask for Private Dining Room 1, Press Room. Look forward to seeing you in Chicago! Ghita Levine | 