Report on Activities of Indian Anthropological Association (June 2012 – July 2013) The members of the Executive Committee of the Indian Anthropological Association (IAA) unanimously resolved to express their deep sense of gratitude to the World Council of Anthropological Association (WCAA) for giving IAA an opportunity to co-host the Biennial meeting of the WCAA (2012) along with the Association of Social Anthropologists (ASA) of UK and Commonwealth in June 2012. 1. During the WCAA Symposium on Anthropology of Global Issues the research scholars belonging to the different universities of India and south Asia came together and formed Young Anthropologist Forum. Prof. James Fairhead, President ASA, and Prof Greg Acciaioli, Treasurer WCAA, inspired the young anthropologists, by providing new ideas to connect with the outer world. Since then, the IAA has been providing a platform and logistic support for their meeting, newsletter and discussion groups around relevant themes of anthropological concern. The IAA is playing the role of a catalyst and is working in a way to make this group of young anthropologists sustainable and sui generis. A week long summer school is being proposed in 2014 at Landour in Uttarakhand to discuss and deliberate upon the methodological and practical challenges faced by the young researchers. A new website is also being designed by a core group of these young motivated students and awaits its launch by the September 2013. 2. The President, IAA wrote letters to the Government of Delhi making a case for the introduction of Anthropology in the undergraduate programmes in the different colleges affiliated to the University of Delhi. Strategizing for a meaningful role for Anthropology in the National Policy and Advocacy, IAA also lobbied in various organs of the Government of India such as Ministry of Forest and Union Public Service Commission for introduction of Anthropology as an optional subject in the examination for selecting officers for the Indian Forest Service (IFS), one of the coveted all India services. 3. The growth of the discipline in south Asia is rather skewed. Countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka do not have independent University Departments of Anthropology . While in Nepal and Pakistan the discipline had gained ground only in the last few decades. Efforts are on for the formation of South Asian Association of Anthropologists where scholars from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal are already in dialogue. The President (IAA) has written letters to the King of Bhutan His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck requesting him to introduce anthropology in Bhutanese Universities and also host an International Conference on the Rights of Indigenous Communities in South Asia in the latter half of 2014 which will act as a launching pad for the South Asian Association of Anthropologists. 4. IAA will complete 50 years of its existence in 2014 and during the Golden Jubilee celebrations we are keen on working closely in collaboration with the Japanese Society of Cultural Anthropology (JASCA) during the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences (IUAES) inter congress to be held in May 2014. Prof Junji Koizumi has promised to offer all possible help. The process of digitization of the Indian Anthropologist, the journal of IAA is nearing completion. J-STOR has assured us to launch it in January 2014. Indian Anthropologist has brought out two special volumes on contemporary themes (i) Methodological Issues in Disability Research (2012) and (ii) Anthropology and Public Health (2013)
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 21:01:28 +0000
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