Annual Report of the Association for Political and Legal Anthropology

Annual Report of the
Association for Political and Legal Anthropology
Submitted by Jan Hoffman French, APLA Secretary-Treasurer
January 1, 2003 (For the Period Dec. 4, 2001-Nov. 24, 2002)

During the reporting period, the Association for Political and Legal Anthropology (APLA) recruited a new editor for its journal, the Political and Legal Anthropology Review (PoLAR), and published two issues of PoLAR under the previous editorship. APLA held its annual student paper prize competition, welcomed two new Board members, sponsored important sessions at the AAA meeting in Washington, DC, and published columns in the Anthropology Newsletter. APLA's business meeting in November was well attended, with lively participation by the membership. APLA remains in sound financial standing and continues to advance political and legal anthropology both within and beyond the American Anthropological Association. Membership has increased in the past year from 404 to 449 (of which 135 are students, up from 88 last year at this time). As of September 30, 2002, APLA's Revenues to Date were $13,800. At the same time last year APLA's Revenues to Date were $12,530 so there has been an increase in incoming funds.

PoLAR
Susan Hirsch and Susan Coutin stepped down as Editor and Associate Editor of PoLAR, with Annelise Riles of Cornell University taking over the position of Editor. Two issues of PoLAR were published in May and November 2002. The May issue included the second part of a symposium titled "Putting Law in its Place in Native North America." This is an exciting collection of articles, book reviews, grants, and syllabi developed under the guest editorship of Susan Gooding and Eve Darian-Smith. Exciting issues are already being planned by the new editor.

Elections and Officers
APLA's Nominations Committee, chaired by Rebecca French, ran the election process in the Spring 2002 for two new Board members. Moreover, amendments to APLA's by-laws were also placed on the ballot and approved. Daniel Goldstein and Maria Teresa Sierra were elected to the Board. These new officers are outstanding scholars and represent the quality and expertise that APLA attracts to its ranks. They join Tom Biolsi and Michelle Bigenho who will continue to serve for one more year on the Board. Special thanks are due to Mindie Lazarus-Black and Madeleine Adelman as out-going Board members for their hard work and considerable energy to the success of APLA's activities.

A new Nominations Committee has been appointed, chaired by Michelle Bigenho, for the purpose of nominating two candidates each for the positions of President-Elect, two members-at-large of the Board, and the new positions of Secretary and Treasurer. Barbara Yngvesson will continue as President for one more year, at which time June Nash will become President.

Program
Jeanne Guillemin, APLA Program Coordinator, organized sessions for the 2002 Annual Meeting of the AAA and has graciously agreed to continue as Program Coordinator for the 2003 meeting.

Student Paper Prize
Harry West ran APLA's annual student paper contest. Other members of the evaluating committee were Annelise Riles and Kim Coles. Twelve papers were received. The prize was awarded to John Karam of Syracuse University, with his paper titled, "Intensified Eth(n)ics: Arab Brazilians and Political Representation in Neoliberal Brazil." The paper will be published in PoLAR. An evaluating committee is currently being constituted.

AN Column
Bill Maurer was Anthropology Newsletter coordinator and kindly has agreed to continue in that role through 2003. The column has provided a key source of information about issues of interest to political and legal anthropology, and under Bill's consistent and diligent coordination, has encouraged junior scholars to place into the public sphere descriptions of work in progress.

APLA Website and Communications
Harry West, Communications Liaison maintained the APLA List serve during 2002. The website and list serve are cost-effective and efficient methods of communication that APLA intends to continue using regularly. Thanks to Harry for keeping the website up-to-date and a fine resource for members and those interested in becoming members. Harry will be stepping down from this post and Tom Mason will be taking over in 2003.

Continuing Activities into 2003
During 2003, APLA will continue to publish PoLAR, conduct its student paper prize competition, organize sessions for the AAA, publish columns in the Anthropology Newsletter, and maintain its website and list serve. Members will elect a President-Elect, two new Board members, a secretary, and a treasurer. The Board will continue to pursue the possibility of having PoLAR put on-line. There are also ongoing discussions about membership outreach and the possibility of a distinguished speaker at the next annual meeting. Through these and other activities, APLA remains a strong, healthy, and lively section of the AAA.

Names and Email Address of Officers During the Reporting Period

Barbara Yngvesson, President byngvesson@hampshire.edu
June Nash, President-Elect junenash@earthlink.net
Jan French, Secretary/Treasurer jan.french@duke.edu
Mindie Lazarus-Black, Board Member mindielb@uic.edu
Madelaine Adelman, Board Member mad@asu.edu
Michelle Bigenho, Board Member mbigenho@hampshire.edu
Tom Biolsi, Board Member biolsit@pdx.edu

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