January 24–27, 2008
Archaeology and Sustainability—IHOPE
Chaired by Sander E. Van Der Leeuw, Director, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University
This seminar brought together archaeologists and climatologists dedicated to furthering archaeology’s contributions to debates over sustainability. The group discussed two projects: one concerning the socio-environmental dynamics of a number of past societies, and another focusing on water as an issue of the past and present.
April 22–23, 2008
Modernity and the Voice: Anthropological Histories from Beyond the Metropole
Co-chaired by Charles Briggs, Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley and Amanda Weidman, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Bryn Mawr College
This seminar explored the topic of modernity through an examination of voice, with particular attention paid to the roles that voice plays within the realms of political democracy and individual freedom.
May 21–22, 2008
Scholar-Practitioners Addressing Global Issues
Chaired by Christina Wasson, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of North Texas
Participants of this seminar discussed the theoretical aspects of globalization, particularly in relation to practicing anthropologists who strive to take advantage of the benefits of globalization while downplaying its more adverse effects throughout work settings of both the industrialized and developing world. The importance of incorporating practice into anthropological theory as a whole was also emphasized.
June 25–26, 2008
Policy Under the Influence: Addressing Substance Abuse in New Mexico
Co-chaired by Nancy Owen Lewis, Director of Scholar Programs, SAR and Cathleen E. Willging, Program Director and Research Scientist, Behavioral Health Research Ctr of the SW, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
This seminar focused on the translation of anthropological research regarding substance abuse in New Mexico into critical policy reform and culturally suitable treatment programs.
July 24–25, 2008
Scholars, Security, and Citizenship
Co-chaired by Laura McNamara, Principal Member of Technical Staff, Exploratory Simulation Technologies, Sandia National Laboratories and Neil L. Whitehead, Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Participants of this seminar addressed the incorporation of anthropological research into national security policymaking, particularly with regard to how understanding specific cultural contexts creates further opportunities for understanding manifestations of worldwide politics. The question of how the personal politics of individual anthropologists can affect the discipline as a whole was also emphasized.
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September 11–12, 2008
Breathing New Life Into the Evidence of Death
Co-chaired by Aubrey Baadsgaard, Assistant Curator, Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Alexis Boutin, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania; and Jane E. Buikstra, Professor of Bioarchaeology, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University
This seminar gave various bioarchaeologists the opportunity to discuss their most up-to-date methods and theories regarding mortuary evidence.
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November 5–6, 2008
The Archaeology of Indigenous Resistance to the Spanish Conquest
Co-chaired by Matthew Liebmann, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, College of William and Mary and Melissa Scott Murphy, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming
Participants of this seminar explored various forms of indigenous resistance during the Spanish colonial era through the usage of archaeology.
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December 14–17, 2008
Taking Action for Women’s Health and Empowerment: A Resource for Community-Based Activists
Co-chaired by Jane Maxwell and Melissa C. Smith
This short seminar was a follow-up to the conference “Women’s Empowerment for Health,” which took place at SAR in 2007 and brought together women and organizations working with grassroots groups around the world to promote women’s health within a framework of social justice.
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