Boycott at #AAA2014 — What You Need to Know

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The annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) is coming up soon, so we wanted to share some information on efforts to promote the boycott of Israeli academic institutions.

There are a number of events at the meeting that relate or might relate to the boycott, so we have consolidated information on them here for convenience.

See you in Washington!

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE BOYCOTT

  • Attend boycott-related events – especially the four panels on Wednesday and Thursday (see below)
  • Bring friends and colleagues to engage the discussion
  • Announce the boycott initiative and our website (anthroboycott.wordpress.com) in your own panels
  • Promote boycott-related events over email, Facebook, and Twitter (using the #aaa2014 hashtag)

PANELS TO ATTEND ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE AND THE BOYCOTT

We are very excited to announce four panels we have organized relating to various aspects of Israel/Palestine and/or the academic boycott.

  • WEDNESDAY 3 December, 8-9:45pm, Marriott Ballroom Salon 1

2-0650: Spaces Under Construction: Building Towards an Anthropology Of Contemporary Settler Colonialism in Palestine-Israel

Featuring Michal Ran-Rubin; Jennifer Lynn Kelly; Bisan Adnan Salhi; Kali Jessica Rubaii; Jeremy Siegman; Noa Schaindlinger

  • THURSDAY 4 December, 9-10:45am, Marriott Ballroom Salon 2

3-0090: Anthropologists of Palestine-Israel and the Academic Boycott of Israel

Featuring Lara Deeb; Rhoda Kanaaneh; Lila Abu-Lughod; Ilana Feldman; Rema Hammami; Julie Peteet; Anne Meneley

  • THURSDAY 4 December, 2:30-4:15pm, Marriott Ballroom Salon 2

3-0895: Anthropologists and Controversial Engagements: The Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions

Featuring Lisa Rofel; Ghassan Hage; Lori Allen; Magid Shihade; Lara Deeb; Nadia Abu El-Haj; Julia Elyachar; Jessica Winegar; Ann Stoler

  • THURSDAY 4 December, 6:30-8:15pm, Marriott Ballroom Salon 1

3-1230: What is the Role of Academia in Political Change?  The Case of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and Israeli Violations Of International Law

Featuring Lori Allen; Omar Barghouti; Richard Falk; Rebecca Vilkomerson; Saba Mahmood; Noura Erakat; Daniel Segal

MEMBERS’ FORUM ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE

THURSDAY 4 December, 1-2:15pm, Marriott Ballroom Salon 2

The AAA Executive Board has organized a “Members’ Forum” to discuss AAA’s Engagement with Israel/Palestine. The format for the event can be found here.

The Forum will be a highly managed discussion led by a professional facilitator, in which participants will be seated in small groups at separate tables. It does not appear that AAA members will be allowed to address the Forum directly. Nonetheless, we encourage you to attend to voice your support for the boycott.

AAA BUSINESS MEETING: POTENTIAL ANTI-BOYCOTT RESOLUTION TO BE DISCUSSED

FRIDAY 5 December, 4:30-6pm, Marriott Ballroom Salon 2

The AAA Annual Business Meeting is where the AAA members can consider and vote on proposed resolutions.

As announced previously, we have NOT proposed a boycott resolution for this meeting in order to ensure that the AAA has time to properly deliberate on this very important matter before reaching a decision. It is possible, however, that opponents of the boycott have proposed a resolution of their own to shut down or derail this important debate. If that happens, we will need your support to keep the boycott discussion alive. Stay tuned for further updates! [UPDATE: An anti-boycott resolution has been proposed — please attend to help vote it down! Details here]