[Linganth] Options

[P. Kerim Friedman]

I'm forwarding this message from Laura Miller to the EASANTH list. She
discusses some of the options that the SEAA might look at, including
scheduling their section meeting to coincide with the annual Asian
Studies conference most section members also attend. I wonder if
Linganth might consider similar options. Please see below.

And please look <http://aaaunite.blogspot.com> for updates on the
possible counter-conference, and a chance to voice your opinion on the
AAA's actions.

kerim



Begin forwarded message:

> From: Laura Miller <lmille2 at WPO.IT.LUC.EDU>
> Date: October 23, 2004 6:14:23 PM EDT
> To: EASIANTH at LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU
> Subject: [EASIANTH] SEAA meetings?
> Reply-To: "East Asia Anthropologists' discussion"
> <EASIANTH at LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU>
>
> Dear Anthropology Colleagues,
>         The news about moving the AAA Annual Meeting to Atlanta in
> mid-December has caught all of us by surprise, especially because it
> was
> NOT one of the three options proposed by the AAA Executive Committee in
> the survey. Many SEAA members have already made it clear that they are
> unwilling or unable to make alternative travel arrangements to attend
> the meeting in Atlanta.
>         In my case it is both, so I am open to ideas for how we might
> assist SEAA members who were scheduled to present their research in San
> Francisco and feel frustrated by this turn in events. In addition to
> getting some important section business done, I personally feel cheated
> financially (a pre-paid non-refundable ticket) and professionally of
> the
> opportunity to be part of an invited session sponsored by COSWA and the
> AAA Program Committee on Women and Work. I was meant to represent the
> subfield of linguistic anthropology, but my research would have brought
> critical attention to East Asian anthropology as well.
>         Of course, some members will want to go to Atlanta because they
> are on the job market or for other reasons, but for those who are
> unable
> or unwilling to do that, there may be other possibilities.
>         1. There are other sections and groups who are looking into the
> possibility of holding a counter-conference in San Jose for the
> original
> dates in November. I am forwarding an email that represents efforts to
> organize this. It is worth noting that the San Jose Convention and
> Visitor's  Bureau has increased their offer of financial incentives to
> $450,00.00 if we have the meeting in their city. The letter is attached
> in the forwarded email. I would like to hear from membership about
> their
> opinions on this.
>         2.  Another possibility is that we hold a SEAA meeting in
> conjunction with the AAS in March in Chicago. My university has a
> campus
> not far from the conference hotel that we might use free as our venue.
> This option would allow us to conduct some section business and would
> also give members not on the AAS program an opportunity to attend that
> conference by presenting research at our smaller meeting. We have the
> authority to hold a meeting such as this in addition to the annual AAA
> meetings. I would like to hear from membership about their opinions on
> this.
>
> Please let me know if there are other ideas about how we might address
> the issue.
> best,
> Laura
>