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Volume 35 Number 9 December 1994 -1. Amei p* Anthropological Association Anthropology Newsletter Rebirth of the Non-Western World By Garrick A Bailey (U Tulsa) After 500 years of ascendancy and domination, the era of western (Euro- pean/Euro-American) hegemony in world affairs is rapidly waning. Since the end of World War II, western influ- ence and power in the world have been declining at an ever-accelerating rate. The causes and consequences of this change are readily evident. Differential birth rates have resulted in major demographic shifts among the world’s peoples, with western peoples declin- ing sharply in relative population. Technology transfers have resulted in the erosion of western industrialleco- nomic supremacy and relative military power. The most pronounced change, however, has been the collapse of the colonial world and with it direct west- See Rebirth on page 4 Tibetan refugees in New Delhi shout slogans against China for the 1987 executions of two Tibetans imprisoned after a demonstration in Tibet. (Photo courtesy of ReuterslBettman) The AAA President’s Report Challenges Facing the Discipline By James Peacock, AAA President # The 21st century should be anthre pology’s century: so many of our strengths are needed, so many of our values resonate with the future. Cultural diversity: what discipline can equal ours in depth and brcadth of understanding of diversity? Interdisciplinary linkages: by defini- tion, we are interdisciplinary, a model in our best moments for how to do it. Humanization and application: we humanize the sciences and even the social sciences and humanities, for we are grounded in fieldwork, which gives clues for human practice and policy. Yet the Inevitable: poised for victo- ry, we retreat, turn within, luxuriate in ourselves, squander our resources in silly arguments, shrink our vision to the smallest world, fiddle while Rome bums and barbarians are at the gate. Despite the discipline’s potential, we as an organizational and human group are often counterproductive and non- competitive. For example, our tenden- cy is to be antibureaucratic, so we do not join committees or seek leadership positions that determine our destiny. The result: persons lacking our own sensibilities conquer and lead, and our loss of influence is tragically mirrored in the lack of opportunities for so many of our brilliant but un- or underem- ployed colleagues-not to mention the students who are our future. Let us therefore salute those anthro- pologists who have become leaders. We have identified more than 15 Moses, President of CChl: p 3 Honoring 1994AAA Awmd W h e r s , p 3 Horace Miner in the Corn Belt, p 18 Linguistic AnthropolopNext 25 Yam, p 25 An Anthropologist in Media Lanrl, p 27 anthropologists at the provost level or above in academic institutions; don’t think of them as having abandoned the discipline, think of them as paving the way. One is, of course, Yolanda Moses, the President-elect of AAA and the recently inaugurated President of CCNY. Yolanda is applying anthropol- ogy in a remarkably challenging situa- tion, which mirrors the nation’s diver- sity and may well become a model for addrtssing its future. I also salute departments and pro- grams that have created strategies for survival. These strategies have resulted in improved teaching and organized public service. as well as demonstrat- ing the powerful relevance of at least some of our research. Archaeologists often take the lead in this, and are a visible link to a wider public. More crucial than ever is effective teaching at the introductory level, and we must more effectively educate at the com- munity college level, in continuing education and in Kindergarten through 12th grades, while of course sustaining sound and creative scholarship: To facilitate our survival and advances as an academic discipline, AAA has created the Department of Academic Relations, overseen by the steering committee on academic rela- tions, which works closely with depart- mental chairs. The chairs are a key link. AAA has limited power, but we can be a catalyst, An example is a pilot project we are trying in three regions- Atlanta, San Diego and New Mexic- to help varied institutions, ranging from universities to community col- leges to predominately minority insti- tutions and K-12, work together to make anthropology more salient. Our other new d e m e n t , Minority Relations, strives both to diversify our discipline by recruiting minorities and to enhance our discipline’s relevance to issues in diversity. Challenges Facing AAA There is a dearth of unified leader- ship within the discipline, and what there is, is not well integrated into AAA. AAA must help unify the lead- ership within the field into a productive entity, unify itself, and, at the same time, must embrace and support ener- gies of diverse groups within and with- out AAA. AAA is lean. Its resources and staff are limited, yet demands are great. Since it cannot afford to dissipate its limited means, AAA must become See Challenges on page 5

Challenges Facing the Discipline

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Volume 35 Number 9 December 1994 -1.

Amei p* Anthropological Association

Anthropology Newsletter Rebirth of the Non-Western World By Garrick A Bailey (U Tulsa)

After 500 years of ascendancy and domination, the era of western (Euro- pean/Euro-American) hegemony in world affairs is rapidly waning. Since the end of World War II, western influ- ence and power in the world have been declining at an ever-accelerating rate. The causes and consequences of this change are readily evident. Differential birth rates have resulted in major demographic shifts among the world’s peoples, with western peoples declin- ing sharply in relative population. Technology transfers have resulted in the erosion of western industrialleco- nomic supremacy and relative military power. The most pronounced change, however, has been the collapse of the colonial world and with it direct west-

See Rebirth on page 4

Tibetan refugees in New Delhi shout slogans against China for the 1987 executions of two Tibetans imprisoned after a demonstration in Tibet. (Photo courtesy of ReuterslBettman)

The AAA President’s Report

Challenges Facing the Discipline By James Peacock, AAA President

#

The 21st century should be anthre pology’s century: so many of our strengths are needed, so many of our values resonate with the future.

Cultural diversity: what discipline can equal ours in depth and brcadth of understanding of diversity?

Interdisciplinary linkages: by defini- tion, we are interdisciplinary, a model in our best moments for how to do it.

Humanization and application: we humanize the sciences and even the social sciences and humanities, for we are grounded in fieldwork, which gives clues for human practice and policy.

Yet the Inevitable: poised for victo- ry, we retreat, turn within, luxuriate in ourselves, squander our resources in silly arguments, shrink our vision to the smallest world, fiddle while Rome bums and barbarians are at the gate.

Despite the discipline’s potential, we as an organizational and human group are often counterproductive and non- competitive. For example, our tenden- cy is to be antibureaucratic, so we do not join committees or seek leadership positions that determine our destiny. The result: persons lacking our own sensibilities conquer and lead, and our loss of influence is tragically mirrored in the lack of opportunities for so many of our brilliant but un- or underem- ployed colleagues-not to mention the students who are our future.

Let us therefore salute those anthro- pologists who have become leaders. We have identified more than 15

Moses, President of CChl: p 3 Honoring 1994AAA Awmd W h e r s , p 3

Horace Miner in the Corn Belt, p 18 Linguistic AnthropolopNext 25 Yam, p 25

An Anthropologist in Media Lanrl, p 27

anthropologists at the provost level or above in academic institutions; don’t think of them as having abandoned the discipline, think of them as paving the way. One is, of course, Yolanda Moses, the President-elect of AAA and the recently inaugurated President of CCNY. Yolanda is applying anthropol- ogy in a remarkably challenging situa- tion, which mirrors the nation’s diver- sity and may well become a model for addrtssing its future.

I also salute departments and pro- grams that have created strategies for survival. These strategies have resulted in improved teaching and organized public service. as well as demonstrat- ing the powerful relevance of at least some of our research. Archaeologists often take the lead in this, and are a visible link to a wider public. More crucial than ever is effective teaching at the introductory level, and we must more effectively educate at the com- munity college level, in continuing education and in Kindergarten through 12th grades, while of course sustaining sound and creative scholarship:

To facilitate our survival and advances as an academic discipline, AAA has created the Department of Academic Relations, overseen by the steering committee on academic rela- tions, which works closely with depart-

mental chairs. The chairs are a key link.

AAA has limited power, but we can be a catalyst, An example is a pilot project we are trying in three regions- Atlanta, San Diego and New Mexic- to help varied institutions, ranging from universities to community col- leges to predominately minority insti- tutions and K-12, work together to make anthropology more salient.

Our other new d e m e n t , Minority Relations, strives both to diversify our discipline by recruiting minorities and to enhance our discipline’s relevance to issues in diversity.

Challenges Facing AAA

There is a dearth of unified leader- ship within the discipline, and what there is, is not well integrated into AAA. AAA must help unify the lead- ership within the field into a productive entity, unify itself, and, at the same time, must embrace and support ener- gies of diverse groups within and with- out AAA.

AAA is lean. Its resources and staff are limited, yet demands are great. Since it cannot afford to dissipate its limited means, AAA must become

See Challenges on page 5

Page 2: Challenges Facing the Discipline

Anthropology Newsletter/December 1994 5

Challenges Continuedfiom page 1

more focused and centralized if it is to accomplish the many goals its mem- bers desire and circumstances dictate. Yet the directions we take must be collegially decided among the many Sections, drawing on the guidance of commissions and committees that cut across Sections.

Response to Annual Meeting Theme: Human Rights

Clearly human rights is a pressing issue. How can anthropologists-who experience such issues as they impinge concretely and immediately in field situations-address this issue? 29 ses- sions at AAA’s annual meeting treated this topic, including the plenary ses- sion.

These meetings are not a theatrical opportunity, rather they are an oppor- tunity to throw off sparks that may ignite further opportunities. For exam- p le , work wi th the C a r t e r Cen te r Human Rights Commission could pro- duce contacts and clout that make a difference. Our Human Rights Com- mission led a pre-meeting two-day session at the Carter Center, Novem- ber 28-29.

New Governance Structure

It is launched. The Section Assem- bly held its first meeting in May 1994, a s did the Executive Board, whose members were se lec ted by lottery from the Section Assembly and now serve on a rotating basis.

Commission and Committees

The Human Rights Commission, Academic Rela t ions and Minority Relations Steering Committees, Com- mission on Lesbian and Gay Issues, Publications Committee and Long- Range Planning Committee and the Committee on AIDS Research and Education are all under way.

New American Anthropologist Editors

Barbara and Dennis Tedlock’s first i s sue appea red in Oc tobe r . T h e i r stamp is clear: pizzazz. This pizzazz includes some new approaches, while also creatively embracing a range of relations among the many-not just the “four”-fields. Their charge is to move the AA to its place as an influen- tial force for the discipline. They bid fair to d o this, by being at once cre- atively synthetic and provocatively tendentious. They have got our atten- tion.

AAA Program Chair

Don Stull has implemented reforms proposed by previous chairs. System- atic, yet wi th verve , Don has sur - mounted some of our past problems while also stimulating some excellent sessions, including those on human rights. Submissions for this meeting are the second ,highest in the history of the AAA.

AAA StatT Executive Director Jack Cornman

and his staff-led by Lucille Horn, Mary Margare t Overbey , David Givens, Rick Custer, Patsy Evans, Frank Medina and Susan Skomal- work effectively to make possible all that is noted above.

Long-Range Planning

Chaired by former AAA President Annette Weiner, the Long-Range Plan- ning Committee is looking comprehen- sively at the future. All ideas and recom- mendations are filtered to this commit- tee, whose charge is a concrete yet com- prehensive vision statement, with priori- ties. Already it has done remarkably cre- ative and cogent thinking, which will be distilled into a report to the Executive Board due in May 1995. An interim report was given at the Section Assem- bly during this year’s meeting.

Human Policy Center

T h e Human Policy Cen te r is approved as a concept by the Execu- tive Board, and the AAA is now seek- ing funding. The aim of the center is‘ to translate anthropological ideas into public discussion and policy, in two ways: first, by writing for the laity and policymakers; second, by training anthropologists in policy matters and by facilitating their entry into the poli- cy arena.

Publications Committee

AAA currently publishes some 26 journals or newsletters and other pub- lications, at a cost to AAA members of a million dollars per year (approxi- mately half the AAA budget). The Publications Committee is discussing ways to rationalize our policy beyond letting a hundred flowers bloom. It has defined as first priority supporting the AA as the flagship journal; other recommendations include supporting a selected group of specialized jour- nals in ways that could be maximally effective.

Assembly Retreat

The May 1994 re t rea t included heads of all Sections and representa- tives from the Long-Range Planning and Finance committees. The Assem- bly subcommittees (Committee on External Relations, Academic Adviso- ry Committee, Membership Commit- tee, Legislative Steering Committee and Committee on Scientific Commu- nication) both separately and a s a body addressed 2 questions: whither the discipline and whither the AAA. The participants affirmed the strength of abiding commitments to biological and cu l tu ra l var ia t ion and to the re fusa l t o b io logize o r o therwise essentialize diversity. At the same time, the group expressed a goal of reaching out and strengthening the discipline’s relevance.

For AAA. the Assembly discussed the optimum balance between diversi- ty and centrality. For example, it was suggested that all members receive the AA. The Assembly recognized the sig- nificant fiscal issue that, under the current system, the Sections starve the center. I t also called for consideration of relations between committees com- posed of elected heads of Sections‘

(CER, CSC, AAC. LSC and Member- ship committees as noted above) and appointed committees and commis- sions.

Let me conclude by returning to where I began . T h e 21s t cen tu ry should be anthropology’s century. A strong American Anthropological

Association can help make possibility a fact , but no organization can d o m o r e than i t s m e m b e r s w a n t a n d allow it to do. We, as individual sci- entists and scholars and as members of a d i sc ip l ine , a r e cha l l enged t o m a k e g o o d o n a n t h r o p o l o g y ’ s promise.

Correspondence Continuedfiom page 2

I I

interpretations of culture are extensions of the instinctive interpretations that human beings have about the social world around them. Scientific epistemologies create objective, accumulatable knowledge about an environment. Scientific knowledge is valuable to cultures because it is less likely to change with time or its interpreters. Per- haps arising from separate evolved systems in the brain, these epistemologies may be difficult to integrate within cultural anthro- pology. Regarding them as competing paradigms in the scientific domain seems to be a mistake. Recognizing their coexis- tence, defining them and giving them both legitimacy would be better. However if the humanistically oriented cultural anthropolo- gists stick to the storytelling level of knowl- edge instead of integrating their work, that branch of cultural anthropology is in danger of becoming only a genre of literature. The other epistemology is the scientific,

which requires objective recording and measurement of empirical facts and their

use in formulating theory. Better measure- ments and continuing commitments to objectivity will strengthen cultural anthro- pology. Since cultural anthropology sham the scientific epistemology with other sci- ences, i t can-and should-integrate its knowledge with other scientific fields.

Cultural anthropology can contribute a great deal to debates taking place in allied scientific disciplines, but not all cultural anthropologists are conversant with them. It would be very helpful if all cultural anthro- pologists understood the other allied scien- tific disciplines and worked at integrating with this knowledge. Scientific cultural anthropology cannot profitably proceed as an isolated entity any more than any other scientific field of knowledge can in the new age of communication.

The proliferation of objects of study will always exist in a discipline that favors free- dom of inquiry. 1 think this needs to be rec- ognized as one of the strengths of cultural anthropology; however i t means that anthropologists have an obligation to com- municate on a theoretical level and to inte- grate the knowledge gleaned by their varied studies.

James Dow Oakland University

Rebirth Continuedfiom page 4

sociopolitical and cultural issues and questions that confront us. I fear, how- ever, that anthropology may actually be the first academic casualty of the Post-Columbian transition. Anthropol- ogy was a product of western colonial- ism. The discipline was and still large- ly is the study of “others,” with the objective of explaining nonwestern peoples to a western audience . Because anthropology is perceived by many nonwestern people as cultural/ historical imperialism and exploita- tion, the rise of nationalism among nonwestern peoples is resulting in an increasing hostility toward anthropolo- gy and anthropological research. This is particularly evident among-but not limited tcF-American Indian groups. Thus, before it can truly address the ethnic/cultural issues confronting humanity, anthropology must first redefine itself and its objectives. More than any other discipline, anthropole gy has struggled with the problems of ethnocentrism and cultural bias, yet the victory is far from complete. True cultural relativity and objectivity can never be achieved, nor will nonwest- em peoples accept the academic legiti- macy of anthropology, as long as the discipline is so totally dominated and influenced by European and Euro- American anthropologists.

Why , in ove r a century of ex is - tence , an th ropo logy has fa i led to attract more nonwestern academics into its professional ranks leaves me in wonderment. Only by a meaningful and significant involvement of non- western academics in the develop- ment of anthropological theory, meth- o d s and objectives, can the discipline overcome its western colonial origins. legit imize itself in the eyes of all humanity and reach its full potential for understanding and defining the p rob lems of the wor ld ’ s peoples . Anthropology canno t main ta in i t s future viability as an academic disci- pline and remain a European/Euro- American discipline. The focus of anthropology cannot be “others,” but “us.” meaning all humanity.

Responses to ethnic conflicts are reactive, limited to containment and focused on negotiated settlements within the existing, western-created political frame work.

[Bailey’s book, The Osages and the Invisible World: From the Works of Francis La Flesche, is scheduled for publication by the University of Okla- homa Press in fall 1995.1