SAW 2001 Annual Report

MEMO
To: Executive Board, American Anthropological Association
From: Fran Rothstein, President, SAW
Subject: Annual Report, 2001
Date: January 7, 2002

During the year 2001, SAW continued to pursue the tasks that have been central in the past: the encouragement and sponsorship of sessions at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association; the maintenance of communication of news and scholarly developments; and the recognition of distinguished scholarly achievement in work anthropology through various awards. With regards to the effect of the AAA Governance Reorganization (which included requiring that all members receive the American Anthropologist), last year we indicated that after a significant increase in membership in 1999 (of about the same order as the overall AAA membership increase), in 2000 our membership increased only slightly. This year, our membership has dropped. It would be useful to know whether this is a pattern noted by other sections. This year also, SAW membership dues were increased. Although this may have affected membership, our financial situation has improved substantially.

Specific Activities

Encouragement and sponsorship of sessions at the annual meeting.

Under the leadership of Program Chair Carla Freeman (2001-2004) and with the assistance of SAW member Anru Lee, SAW sponsored and evaluated seven invited sessions and volunteered panels. Due to an oversight in the AN, SAW was not listed as a section which could review panels for the annual meeting. We received significantly fewer submissions for review for the annual meeting in 2001 than in the past.

Maintenance of communication of news and scholarly developments

Communication was maintained through the monthly column in the AN Section News under David Griffith; the publication of one issue of the Anthropology of Work Review (AWR) under General Editor, Karen Porter, and the preparation of two guest edited issues; the operation of a listserve moderated by David Griffith as a forum for SAW members and others to exchange ideas on work anthropology and events, such as conferences and grants; the maintenance of the SAW webpage (linked to the main AAA webpage) by webmaster, Eve Hochwald and the inauguration of a new listserve, (SAW Anthropology and Labor Listserve) moderated by Tom Offitt, to further communication related to labor issues; and AWR Book Reviews editor, Jim Weil, has developed a plan to include film and video reviews as well as book reviews in the AWR.

Recognition of distinguished scholarly achievement through various awards

The Diane Forsythe Award was awarded to Stefan Helmreich for his book, Silicon Second Nature; the Conrad Arensberg Award was given to Herbert Appelbaum; the deadline for the new Eric Wolf Award for the best student paper was changed from Oct, 2001 to March 1, 2002 and thus not awarded this year.

Mentor Project

Under the management of Board member Christa Craven, a “Mentor File” has been organized. She will continue to manage the File and survey the fifteen mentors to determine how many contacts have been made.

Plans for the Coming Year

Redesign of the webpage; gradual transition of the AWR to a peer-reviewed journal.

SAW Leadership List

Michael Blim, President (2001-04)
blimmichael@hotmail.com

Josephine Smart, Treasurer (2001-04)
smart@ucalgary.ca

Karen Tranberg Hansen, Secretary (2000-02)
Kth462@nwu.edu

David Griffith, General Editor (2001-04) and AN Column Editor (?)
Griffith@mail.ecu.edu

Jim Weil, AWR Book, Film, and Video Reviews Editor (1998-?)
Weilx100@maroon.tc.umn.edu

Eve Hochwald, Web Caretaker
EHOCHWALD@aol.com

Carla Freeman, Program Editor (2001-04)
antcf@learnlink.emory.edu

June Nash, Board Member
Junenash@midway.uchicago.edu

Christa Craven, Graduate Student Board Member (2000-03)
cccrave@attglobal.net

Tom Offit, Graduate Student Board Member (2000-03)
tomoriel@yahoo.com

Frances Rothstein, Past President
frothstein@towson.edu

David Hakken, Past President
hakken@sunyit.edu

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