AAA 2010 CFP: borderlands policy, activism, and discourse

[Leza, Christina Dr.]

Call For Papers—Borderlands Politics, Policy, and Border Activism

AAA Annual Meeting (November 17-21, 2010)



Session Co-Organizers: Jessica Piekielek ( Millsaps College) and Christina Leza (Miami University)



We are seeking papers for the borderlands and border activism panel described below. Papers on linguistic revitalization movements in borderlands and discourse-centered analyses of borderlands activist discourses would be welcome contributions. Please let us know if you are interested as soon as possible and submit abstract to lezac at muohio.edu<mailto:lezac at muohio.edu> by Saturday, March 27.



Keywords: borderlands, border policy, activism, civic engagement, social movements



The politics and policies of borders can both inspire civic engagement and activism as well as limit civic and activist expressions and strategies. People, ideas, and advocacy strategies circulate across borders, but borders can also impede circulation. A variety of activist groups including environmental organizations and indigenous NGOs, as well as migrant organizations and immigrant advocates, are constrained by the politics of borders and border security. Yet opposition to or support of borders and border policies can also result in unusual alliances that foster civic engagement. How civic and activist organizations negotiate borders and border politics can shed light on larger questions about identity, space, and political engagement.



In keeping with the AAA 2010 theme of circulation, this session will address how the movement of civic engagement discourses, activist or social movement projects, and activists themselves are navigated within international borderlands.  We are seeking papers that address how various forms of border activist movement and ideology are shaped by, and negotiated within, borderlands politics and policies.  For example, how are grassroots international border alliances constrained or impacted by state border policies and/or nationalist identity politics?  In what ways are environmental and/or social movement discourses negotiated among those of diverse perspectives regarding border policy, or in response to shifting borderlands politics?  And what role do borderlands anthropologists potentially play in the processes that shape activism/civic engagement within borderlands?  We hope that this session will serve as a forum for the discussion of strategies and approaches to both borderlands activism and borderlands anthropology.


Christina Leza, PhD
Visiting Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
Miami University Middletown
(513)217-4179
lezac at muohio.edu<mailto:lezac at muohio.edu>