American Anthropological Association

American Anthropological Association is a professional organization of anthropologists in the United States, dedicated to advancing anthropology and its subfields, including cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and biological anthropology. The organization was founded in 1902 by Franz Boas, John Wesley Powell, and other prominent anthropologists, with the goal of promoting the field of anthropology and supporting its practitioners, such as Margaret Mead, Ruth Benedict, and Melville Herskovits. The American Anthropological Association has over 10,000 members, including academics, researchers, and practitioners from institutions such as Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and New York University. Members of the organization have made significant contributions to the field, including Clifford Geertz, Sherry Ortner, and Nancy Scheper-Hughes.

● History

The American Anthropological Association has a rich history, dating back to its founding in 1902, when it was established by Franz Boas, John Wesley Powell, and other prominent anthropologists, including Alice Cunningham Fletcher and Frank Hamilton Cushing. The organization's early years were marked by the development of its code of ethics, which was influenced by the work of Bronisław Malinowski and Edward Sapir. The American Anthropological Association has also been shaped by its relationships with other organizations, such as the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Society for Applied Anthropology. Throughout its history, the organization has been led by prominent anthropologists, including Edward Burnett Tylor, James Mooney, and Leslie White. The American Anthropological Association has also been influenced by the work of Marvin Harris, Sidney Mintz, and Eric Wolf.

● Organization

The American Anthropological Association is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and is governed by a board of directors, which includes representatives from various sections and interest groups, such as the Society for Cultural Anthropology, the Archaeology Division, and the Society for Linguistic Anthropology. The organization has a number of committees, including the Committee on Ethics, the Committee on Human Rights, and the Committee on the Status of Women in Anthropology. The American Anthropological Association also has a number of staff members, including an executive director, who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization, and is supported by institutions such as University of Michigan, University of Chicago, and Columbia University. The organization's members are also affiliated with other institutions, such as Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.

● Sections

The American Anthropological Association has a number of sections, which are organized around specific subfields or interest areas, such as the Society for Cultural Anthropology, the Archaeology Division, and the Society for Linguistic Anthropology. These sections provide a forum for members to share their research and ideas, and to collaborate on projects and initiatives, such as the American Ethnological Society, the Society for American Archaeology, and the Linguistic Society of America. The sections also sponsor panels and workshops at the organization's annual meetings, which are attended by anthropologists from institutions such as University of California, Los Angeles, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The American Anthropological Association's sections are also connected to other organizations, such as the National Science Foundation, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and the Social Science Research Council.

● Publications

The American Anthropological Association publishes a number of journals and newsletters, including American Anthropologist, Cultural Anthropology, American Antiquity, and Anthropology News, which are edited by prominent anthropologists, such as Sherry Ortner, Sheldon Watts, and Katherine Verdery. The organization also publishes a number of books and monographs, including the Annual Review of Anthropology, which is published in collaboration with Annual Reviews, and is supported by institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Australian National University. The American Anthropological Association's publications are widely read and respected, and are used by anthropologists and other scholars at institutions such as University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, and McGill University.

● Awards

The American Anthropological Association presents a number of awards to recognize outstanding contributions to the field of anthropology, including the Franz Boas Award for Exemplary Service to Anthropology, the Margaret Mead Award, and the Ruth Benedict Award for Outstanding Young Scholar, which are named after prominent anthropologists, such as Franz Boas, Margaret Mead, and Ruth Benedict. The organization also presents fellowships and grants to support research and scholarship, such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the Wenner-Gren Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork Grant, and the Social Science Research Council International Dissertation Research Fellowship. The American Anthropological Association's awards are supported by institutions such as Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and New York University.

● Annual Meetings

The American Anthropological Association holds annual meetings, which are attended by thousands of anthropologists from around the world, including academics, researchers, and practitioners from institutions such as University of Chicago, University of Michigan, and Columbia University. The meetings feature panels, workshops, and poster sessions, as well as keynote addresses and plenary sessions, which are given by prominent anthropologists, such as Clifford Geertz, Sherry Ortner, and Nancy Scheper-Hughes. The American Anthropological Association's annual meetings are also an opportunity for members to network and collaborate on projects and initiatives, and are supported by institutions such as Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University. The meetings are also attended by anthropologists from other organizations, such as the Society for Applied Anthropology, the National Association of Student Anthropologists, and the American Ethnological Society.