The Association for Queer Anthropology welcomes proposals for sessions to be included in AQA’s program for the 116th AAA Annual Meetings to be held in Washington, DC, November 29–December 3, 2017. The AAA conference theme this year is ‘Anthropology Matters!’
As a politically engaged section, AQA promotes communication, encourages research, works to develop teaching materials, and serves the interests of queer and trans* anthropologists within the association. We invite proposals for standard papers, panels, conference posters, workshops and special events that aim to forge connections between academics and broader queer and trans* communities.
Here is an excerpt of this year’s AAA conference rationale: Emphasizing the relationship between anthropology and recent social movements, Leith Mullings used the phrase “anthropology matters” in her 2013 AAA Presidential Address to highlight the important spaces that have emerged for theoretical and methodological innovation as anthropologists help solve human problems through education and advocacy. The world of the Anthropocene, packed with meaning and crisis, needs anthropologists with critical skills in empowering subaltern voices and practices. Biomedicine and racialized neo-eugenics are substantive obstacles to social justice, health and well-being. Crises over nationalism, (im)migration, biology/politics, and inequality are constantly erupting in the 21st century. Biodiversity, and the manipulation of biotic materials in the marketplace, generate multispecies ecologies that shape the daily experiences of humans globally. Mainstream media pundits, disingenuous politicians, legal scholars, psychologists and economists tend to dominate the public discourse on life, law, economics, sports and entertainment—the panoply of human experience. We are in the midst of substantial (re)writing of histories, presents and futures. The Anthropocene pleas for anthropological investigation, translation, influence and action. Let anthropology respond. Loudly. – Agustín Fuentes
In an effort to spur engagement between academics and community workers, artists and those with expertise in other domains, AQA asks that organizers consider including activists and public figures from outside the world of anthropology. If you wish to organize sessions and off-site events with participation from individuals who are not anthropologists, please contact the AQA Program Co-chairs, Vanessa Agard-Jones (vanessa.agard-jones@columbia.edu) and Erin L. Durban (eldurba@ilstu.edu) before the submission deadline to discuss logistics.
Collaboration within the AAA network is also strongly encouraged. In order to promote exceptional sessions and to strengthen ties between AQA and other sections, we encourage panel organizers to seek out opportunities for co-sponsorship with other sections. This allows panels to reach wide audiences and to ensure that members of other sections are aware of the work of AQA members.
As with previous years, everything goes first to AAA through their online submission system. For details on this year’s procedures see: AAA Call for Papers, and for more information on the conference and specific guidelines see: Annual Meeting FAQs.
The submission deadline is April 14 at 5:00pm EDT for all invited, volunteered, and installation sessions, as well as individual volunteered papers and posters. Presenters, Discussants and Chairs must also be registered by the April 14, 2017 final deadline in order to appear on the 2017 Annual Meeting Program. The online abstract submission portal is now open.
- Panel and Poster Submissions: April 14
- Individual Paper Submissions: April 14
- Roundtable Submissions: April 14
- Installation Submissions: April 14
- Retrospective Sessions: April 14
Organizers are responsible for submitting the session abstract (no more than 500 words), keywords, length of session, ideal space configurations, anticipated attendance, and presenter names and roles. Organizers’ membership must be current and have registered for the 2017 Annual Meeting. Organizers must submit this information by 5:00pm EDT on April 14.