Society for the Anthropology of North America

Society for the Anthropology of North America
American Anthropological Association · Public domain · source
Name	Society for the Anthropology of North America
Formation	1984
Type	Scholarly society
Headquarters	United States
Region served	North America
Parent organization	American Anthropological Association

Society for the Anthropology of North America is a scholarly organization devoted to the study of Indigenous peoples, settler communities, urban populations, and landscapes across Canada, United States, and Mexico. Founded within the framework of the American Anthropological Association, the Society connects scholars linked to institutions such as Harvard University, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and University of California, Berkeley while engaging archives like the Smithsonian Institution and museums such as the American Museum of Natural History. Its membership spans faculty from Columbia University and Yale University to community researchers associated with the First Nations and Navajo Nation.

History

The Society emerged in the 1980s amid debates at venues like the American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting and in journals such as American Anthropologist and Current Anthropology. Early figures affiliated with the Society included scholars whose work intersected with projects at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, fieldwork in regions like the Great Plains and the Pacific Northwest, and collaborations with repositories such as the Library of Congress. The Society's formation drew on intellectual lineages from anthropologists influenced by studies of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, analyses of Jamestown colonial encounters, and ethnohistorical work tied to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Over time, its agenda absorbed theoretical shifts traced to conferences at Columbia University and University of Chicago and methodological innovations connected to the National Science Foundation.

Mission and Activities

The Society promotes anthropological research on North America through sponsorship of research projects associated with centers like the Newberry Library, networks involving the Canadian Museum of History, and cooperative initiatives with tribal institutions such as the Cherokee Nation Cultural Center. It supports comparative studies referencing field sites from Nunavut to Yucatan and engages public policy debates that touch on rulings from the Supreme Court of the United States and legislative actions like the Indian Reorganization Act. Activities include supporting work that intersects with archives at the Bancroft Library, collaborating with legal scholars linked to Harvard Law School, and convening workshops funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Governance and Membership

Governance follows bylaws consistent with professional bodies like the American Anthropological Association and committees modeled after governance structures at the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Society for Historical Archaeology. Elected officers have included scholars from University of Arizona, McGill University, and University of New Mexico, and advisory boards often include representatives from the National Congress of American Indians and the Assembly of First Nations. Membership categories mirror those of societies such as the American Folklore Society and provide reduced dues for students at institutions like University of British Columbia and contingent scholars from museums such as the Field Museum.

Publications and Communications

The Society produces newsletters and monographs paralleling publications like Anthropological Quarterly and the Journal of American History, maintains mailing lists and digital fora used by contributors from Duke University, Stanford University, and University of Chicago, and endorses edited volumes published in collaboration with presses such as University of California Press and Oxford University Press. It disseminates research that dialogues with classic works by scholars affiliated with Columbia University and contemporary studies appearing in journals like Ethnohistory. Digital initiatives include archival digitization projects linked to the National Anthropological Archives and collaborative open-access efforts modeled after those at the HathiTrust.

Conferences and Events

Annual meetings are typically held in conjunction with the American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting and regional gatherings recall symposiums once hosted at Dartmouth College and the University of New Mexico. The Society organizes panels that address themes related to fieldwork sites from Alaska to Florida, invites keynote speakers whose careers intersect with institutions like the American Philosophical Society and Smithsonian Institution, and co-sponsors sessions with organizations including the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association and the Canadian Anthropology Society. Workshops have been convened in partnership with the National Museum of the American Indian and research institutes such as the Social Science Research Council.

Awards and Honors

The Society administers prizes modeled on awards like the Franz Boas Award and grants that parallel fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Guggenheim Foundation. Awards recognize monographs and articles comparable to those honored by American Anthropologist and include named prizes reflecting contributions related to regions such as the Great Lakes and the Southwest United States. Recipient lists feature scholars whose trajectories intersect with graduate programs at University of Michigan, postdoctoral fellowships at the Institute for Advanced Study, and community researchers affiliated with tribal museums and cultural centers.

Impact and Criticism

The Society has influenced ethnographic knowledge about sites including Boston, Winnipeg, and Mexico City and contributed to policy conversations involving the Indian Child Welfare Act and repatriation debates under laws like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Critics have argued that scholarly societies modeled on the American Anthropological Association can replicate institutional biases rooted in archives like the Bancroft Library or publishing ecosystems centered at presses such as Cambridge University Press and have called for greater equity in representation of scholars from institutions like Historically Black Colleges and Universities and grassroots organizations such as community historical societies. Defenders point to collaborative projects with tribal governments, curatorial partnerships with museums such as the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and pedagogical outreach in K–12 settings tied to curricular initiatives at the Smithsonian Institution as evidence of reform.

Category:Anthropology organizations