The Committee on Practicing, Applied and Public Interest Anthropology was established to explore and engage the range of issues emerging as a result of the increasing number of anthropologists in and outside the academy doing practicing, applied and public interest work. The responsibilities of the Committee range from establishing liaisons with appropriate Sections to help serve the interest of practicing, applied and public anthropology, to developing recommendations for training and professional development.
In July 2004, the Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association appointed a Practicing Advisory Work Group (PAWG) to advise the Executive Board on how the Association might better serve the needs of anthropologists working outside of academia and their employers. The Group was appointed with a term to end in July 2007. Based upon the findings of PAWG and its recommendations submitted to the Executive Board in November 2006, it is now proposed that the Executive Board establish a standing committee in order to address the relationship of the Practicing, Applied and Public Sector Anthropologists to the AAA and anthropology--on a continuing basis—and the needs of the large and increasing numbers of these anthropologists. This standing committee will work collaboratively with the Executive Board, the Sections of the AAA, and AAA staff.
To explore and engage the range of issues that have emerged or are emerging as a result of the increasing employment of anthropologists outside of the academy doing work as practicing anthropologists, applied anthropologist and anthropologists in the public sector.
Combined with other AAA programmatic committees to form the Members’ Programmatic, Advisory and Advocacy Committee (MPAAC) following the 2017 AAA Annual Meeting.
The Executive Board
Daniel Ginsberg, Professional Fellow, American Anthropological Association.
