Thinking Beyond the Crit ical/Applied Dichotomy

3rd Biennial NGOs and Non-Profits Interest Group

Conference 2017

EventSchedule 8:00-8:30am Checkin/coffee/pastries(ButlerBoardroom)8:30-9:00am Openingremarks/welcome(ButlerBoardroom)9:05-10:35am Breakout1

Panel1(MGC245)NotwithaBangbutwithaWhimper:NGODecline,Demise,Death,Disappearance,Disbanding,Forced&VoluntaryDissolutionPanel2(MGC247)AppliedandCriticalApproachestoInternational

Aid10:40am-12:10pm Breakout2

Panel1(MGC245)SpacesofCollaboration:CriticalEngagementsinAppliedFieldsPanel2(MGC247)ChangingConceptionsof‘Progressive’inNonprofitWorldsoftheUnitedStates

12:15-1:30pm Lunchcateredby:FloridaAvenueKitchen1:45-3:00pm Roundtable/Workshopbreakout

FeaturedWorkshop:GettingYourBookPublishedRoundtables/Mentoring

3:10-4:40pm Breakout3

Panel1(MGC203-205)Activisting:RethinkingtheBordersBetweenCriticalandApplied,NGOsandSocialMovements,aConversationonHaitiPanel2(MGC247)MoralHierarchiesinHumanitarianism

4:40-5:00pm Break5:00-6:30pm KeynoteandClosingRemarks

Abstracts

NotwithaBangbutwithaWhimper:NGODecline,Demise,Death,Disappearance,Disbanding,Forced&VoluntaryDissolution StevenSampson,LundUniversitysteven.sampson@soc.lu.se“Let’sDissolveOurselves”:NGODissolutionandTheCaseofTheDanishAssociationofUniversityWomenWhilethereisconsiderableresearchontheriseofcivilsocietyorganizations,thereislessinterestinwhathappenswhenNGOsdeclineordissolve.Whatisorganizationaldeclineandhowshouldwestudyit?ThedemiseorvoluntarydissolutionofanNGOcouldmeanthattheirmissionwasaccomplished,orthatithaslostitsraisond’être,oritcouldbeduetointernalsplitsorrecruitmentproblems.Thispapershowsallthesefactorsatwork,usingacasestudyoftheDanishAssociationofUniversityWomenandhowitsboarddecidedtoabolishtheassociation.ItarguesthatNGOstudiesneedstoincludeevenmoreundramaticdeclinescenariosintoourmodelsofhoworganizationsormovementsceasetoexist.AndriaTimmerChristopherNewportUniversityandria.timmer@cnu.eduNGOsFightingBack:ResponsetoHungary’sAnti-NGOLegislationInthispresentation,IprofileonenongovernmentalorganizationinHungary,asmallhumanitarianorganizationthatIcallOpenHearts.OpenHeartsopenedin1989toservetheneedsofthehomeless.Sincethistime,theyhavesinceexpandedtheirworktoincludeadvocatingfortheRoma,anethnicgroupsubjecttomuchdiscriminationinHungary,and,since2015,offeringtemporaryhousingforasylumseekers.Thus,thisoneorganizationworkstoprovideforHungary’sthreemostvulnerablepopulations:thehomeless,theRoma,andtherefugees.Becauseofitsfoundingdateandthenatureoftheworkthatitdoes,OpenHeartscanbeviewedasamicrocosmofthelargernongovernmentallandscapeinHungary.Iuse

OpenHeartsasanexampletounpackthehistoryofnon-governmentalityinHungaryandtoexplainthecurrentattacksagainstcertainNGOsinthecurrentpoliticalclimate.In1989,whenOpenHeartswasfounded,HungarywasbeginningitstransitionfromaSovietstatetoademocraticonewithamarketeconomy.Nongovernmentalorganizationsformedtoassistwiththistransitionandspecificallyservedtoprovideaidforthosewhowereleftbehindduringthetransition.AsthemeansofCommunistproductionshutdownacrossthecountry,manywerelefthomeless.OpenHeartsprovidedshelter.Throughoutthe1990sandearly2000,NGOswereprimarilytaskedwithdoingtheworkthatthegovernmentcouldnotorwouldnotdo.Assuch,NGOswere,atbest,constrainedbytheprocessesofneoliberalism,and,atworst,complicitsupportersintheneoliberalsystem(Gunewardena2008;Harvey2005;Kamat2002).Forexample,HungarianNGOs,likeOpenHeartsturnedtheirfocustotheRomaandofferedjobtrainingandafterschooleducationprograms.Insodoing,theyallowedthegovernmenttocontinuetheirpolicyofno-policytowardtheRomaminority(Timmer2016).TheroleofNGOsinHungaryhaschanged,however,since2015whenhundredsofthousandsofasylumseekersbeganenteringintotheEuropeanUnionthroughtheHungarianborder.Humanitarianandnongovernmentalorganizationsmobilizedtomeettherefugees’immediateneeds(Kallius,Montrescu,andRajaram2015).Thegovernment,ontheotherhand,tookaxenophobicandisolationiststanceandhasblockedfurtherentranceintothecountrythroughtheconstructionofaborderfenceandenactmentofanti-immigrantlegislation.NGOs,then,whocontinuetoadvocateforrefugeerights. EdithJackson,PhDSABAConsultantsemjacksonzz@yahoo.comWaxingandWaning:AfricanandAfrodescendantOrganizationalAgencyinArgentinaTheproposedpresentationwillexaminepastandpresentorganizationsdevotedtosocialjustice,equity,ethnicityandupliftinArgentina,toidentifytheirprojects,duration,andcausesfortheirtransformationsand/ordissolution.OfprincipalinterestwillbethoseorganizationslocatedinBuenosAires,foritistherethatbothprimaryandsecondarysourceshavebeenavailabletome.Additionally,IenjoyedtheuniqueopportunityofhavingmembershipandinteractionswithAfrodescendantorganizationsdecadesago.Fulbrightawardedsupportformetostudyblack-themedArgentineliteraturein1966,butourFulbrightgroupawakenedtoamilitarydictatorshipafterwearrived.Allstateuniversitieswereclosed,andmylinktomyFulbrightsponsorwassevered.Idevelopedtheprojectindependentlybyconsultingwithmultidisciplinaryauthorsintheirhomes,andbyparticipatinginAfrodescendantorganizations,socialgatherings,andprivatehomes.FromAfrodescendants,Ilearnedthetitlesoftwo19th-centurycommunity-sponsorednewspaperspublishedbyeditorsofAfricanancestry.Then,IwasawardedaJohnHayWhitneyfellowshipforasecondyear.Argentinaisapredominantly

whitenation;itwasnotpossibletousethesedataforadissertationatHarvardwhenIreturned.TheUniversityofPennsylvaniaawardedthedoctorateformycreationofamethodologyinformedbyanthropologyonapeninsularmodel.ItwasdifficulttopublishonAfro-Argentines.MyresumeddigitalmembershipandinteractionswithAfrodescendantorganizationswillenhancemyfindingsoncollectiveagency.

AppliedandCriticalApproachestoInternationalAidJoowonPark,PhDSkidmoreCollegeGivingMoneytoFamiliesinNorthKorea:BeyondCritical/AppliedApproachesofHumanitarianisminActionNorthKoreaisalimitspaceforhumanitarianisminaction.Despitethehistoryoffamineandshortageoffoodinthiscountry,varioushumanitarianagenciesandgovernmentshavehadlimitedengagementwithhumanitarianassistancewhetherthroughfoodprovision,medicalaid,charity,orevenbusinessventures.WhiletheseformsofengagementwithNorthKoreaillustratethe“applied”approachesofhumanitarianaction,those“critical”ofsuchengagementpointtothegovernment’sredistributionofresourcesandfoodtoitsmilitaryandeliteclasses,andarguefortheineffectivenessandlimitednessofhumanitarianaction.Thispresentationcomplicatesthiscriticalvs.appliedapproachestoNGO,nonprofit,andhumanitarianengagementwithNorthKoreabyexaminingthewaysinwhichNorthKoreanrefugeesgive(remit)moneytofamilymembersstilllivingintheirhomecountry.Becausewiretransfersareimpossible,brokershavedevelopedintricateundergroundnetworkstoenablefinancialremittances.Drawingonethnographicresearchandexperience,Iexaminetheseremittances(sendingmoney)inadditiontothebrokersystemthatenablessuchtransnationalpractices.TheflowofmoneyintoNorthKorearaisesthequestion:doremittancesofferanalternativespaceofhumanitarianengagement?Inthisdiscussion,Iengagewiththestranger/kinsocialityofgiving,reciprocity,andthe“ordinary”responsestotheextraordinarinessofNorthKorea,illustratinggapsindiscoursesthatwouldhaveusbelieveNorthKoreaiscutofffromtheworld.JuanLuoPhDStudentUniversityofWashington

WhyRecognitionMatters?HealthAidPartnershipacrosstheMyanmar-ChinaBorderInspiredbythebinaryrelationshipbetweenHegel’sMasterandSlave,andFanon’sWhiteandBlack,Iamexploringamorecomplicatedstoryofrecognitionamongmultipleactorsofcross-borderhealthaidbetweenChinaandMyanmar.TheKachinandShan,HealthPovertyAction(HPA),ChinesegovernmentandMyanmargovernmentmakeafour-lateralrelationofmutualrecognition,ratherthanabilateralone.Withfour-yearworkexperienceatHPAinKachinState,Ihaveobservedandconductedinterviewshowthingsgoonamongthesemultipleactorswhocomplicateeachothers’interestsanddesires.Ononehand,theseethnicgroupssoughtforhumandignityandaidlivinginsuchaneglectedconflictareafromHPA,Chinaandinternationalattention.TheirrecognitionfromHPAwasfirstmediatedbytheChinesegovernment,andtheirrecognitionfromChinaisfurthercomplicatedbythefactthatpeoplearehistoricallyandculturallyrelatedalongtheborder.Ontheotherhand,theyalsoattempttoaskforexistentialdiversitythroughsolidarizingtheirethnicityinhealthaidpartnership.TheKachinandShanpreferHPAthanChinabecauseitworksatgroundandreachestoremoteareas,whichincreasestheirstatusviatherecognitionofparticularityinthedailyexperienceofpartnership.WiththeadditionofMyanmargovernment,itwillnotbeunproblematicunlessthoseethnicgroupsattaintheirstatusinnationwidesociallife.Itisaquestionofrecognition,relationality,andhumandiversity,andthestoryofseekingrecognitionwillbefullofexpectationsandchallengesunderthedemocraticMyanmar.Keywords:NGO,HealthAidPartnership,Myanmar/ChinaBorderSaraE.LahtiThiamCaseWesternReserveUniversity

TheEmpathicChildAidModel:Whereareweandwhatnow?

Criticalstudiesofinternationalaidtochildrenhavelongpointedouttheethicaldilemmaofdisplayingimagesofsufferingchildrentogarnersupport,andglobalNGOsandaidagencieshavelargelytailoredtheirfundraisingandcommunicationstrategiestoadheretobasiccodesofethicsintheuseofimageswithchildren(Benthall2010[1993]).Imagesofsufferingchildren,however,continuetocirculateinNGOandactivistrealms,withcontinuedjustificationthatthebenefitsoftheirtempereduseoutweighthepotentialdownfalls,whichincludetheobjectificationofchildren,commodificationofsuffering,andthereinforcementofdepictionsofchildothersinresourcescarcesettingsaspassiveandhelpless(e.g.Cheney2010;Bornstein2010;Manzo2008;Holland2004;Burman1994).Inthispaper,Ilooktoanthropologistsacrossthespectrumfromcriticaltoapplied,toaskwhereweareintermsofcritiqueofthemobilizationofempathyinaidtochildrentodayandwhatifanychangeswehopetoseeinNGOpractice.Asacademics,appliedanthropologistsandNGOpractitionersconcernedwithpromotingthehealth,well-beingandhumanrightsofchildrendomestically

andinternationally,areweaskingtherightquestionswithrespecttotheethicsofempathyingettingaidtochildren?Ichallengetheassumptionthatdisasterimageryisasortof“necessaryevil,”andwithreferencetomyresearchinSenegalandMalionaidprojectstargetingvulnerablechildren,Isuggestthatshockingimagesofchildsufferingmayhavemorenegativethanpositiveeffectsonthegroundoverthelong-term.

MoralHierarchiesinHumanitarianismFrederickP.Lampe,PhD,MDivSyracuseUniversityApplyingAnthropology:OrganizationalRelationshipswithintheSouthSudaneseDiasporaRefugeesandresettlementareinthenews.Thisisnotnew.WhentheLostBoysofSudanwerebeingresettledbeginningin2001theyreceivedalotofattentionaswell.Justasnon-governmentalorganizations(NGOs)wereactiveintheirresettlementsotheyarewithcurrentrefugees.Fromrefugeecampstocommunitypartnerships,NGOshavebeenengagedwiththeSouthSudanesediaspora.Thispaperrepresentsthenexusoftheapplied/criticaltheorydichotomy,reportingonpreliminaryresearchonNGOsandtheSouthSudanesediasporainArizonaincludingorganizationsformedbypost-refugeesthemselves.OvertimethisprojectwillinformfutureresearchandpolicyconcerningNGOsworkingwithcurrentrefugeecommunities.HeatherFernandezVolunteerismandNGO’s:ExploringMotivationsandExperiencesofNGOVolunteersVolunteers,theircommitments,andexpertisearecrucialtoNGOsandtheirsuccess.Whydovolunteersbecomeinitiallyinvolved,whydotheyremain,andwhatdotheygainfromgivingtheirtimeandenergytoaparticularorganization?ThispaperwillexploretheexperiencesofindividualvolunteersatthreedifferentNGO’sinFlagstaffArizona.ThispreliminaryresearchincludesspeakingtovolunteersfromdifferentNGO’stolearnabouttheirexperienceswiththeirspecificorganizationincludingtheirdecisiontodonatetheirtimeandenergyforaparticularNGOataspecifictimeandinaspecificplace.ThisprojectwillcontributetogrowingawarenessofthewaysvolunteerismfurtherstheactivitiesandmissionsofvariousNGO’sYangZhanTheThreatofWarmheartedness:MoralValues,StateSanctionandNGOs’LegitimacyinPost-socialistChina

ThedevelopmentofNGO-ledphilanthropicactionsinChinahaslongbeenexaminedwithintheframeworkofthestatevs.civilsocietyframework.ItisoftenarguedthattheauthoritativestatehasstrongcontroloversocialsocietyandhaveimplementedmultiplewaystorestricttheNGOactivities,exemplifiedbytherecentregulationtowardstransnationalNGOs.EventhoughthisframeworkallowsscholarstounderstandsomeaspectsoftheobstaclesthatarefacingNGOsintheChinesecontexts,itfailstoexplainthefactthatNGOshaveactuallyundergonetremendousgrowthinthepast30years.ThispapershiftsitsfocusonthemoralvalueswithwhichNGOsassociatethemselvesimplementingphilanthropicprogramsinChina.IargueintheprocessofregulatingNGOpracticesinChina;thestateagenciesareoftenveryconcernedwithNGOs’motiveratherthantheirconcretepractices.MoralvalueshavebecomeanimportantcriterionforthestatetoevaluateNGOslegitimacy.ManyeffortshavebeengiventoscrutinizingNGOsthathave“ulteriormotive."Iarguethat,moreoftenthannot,“ulteriormotive”opposestoastate-sanctionedandwidelyacceptednotionofaixin(lovingheart).ByexaminingthevirtueofaixinasauniquepoliticalandmoralcultureinChina,thispaperexplainswhytheChinesestatehassucceededinstimulatingtheexpansionofNGOsectorsandtightenitscontroloverthesectoratthesametime.

ChangingConceptionsof‘Progressive’inNonprofitWorldsoftheUnitedStatesErikaGrajedaCityUniversityofNewYorkMediatingProgressiveVoice:Foundation-fundedmediacampaignsatanimmigrantworkercenterBarackObama’s2008presidentialcampaignwasrevolutionaryinitsuseofdigitalmedia,bigdata,andlarge-scaletechnologicalorganizingplatforms.TwoyearslaterOccupyWallStreetcontributedtoashiftinthepopularconsciousnessofvastinequalitythroughmemesofthe99%,initiallyblastedaroundtheglobethroughtheadvertisingfirmAdBusters.From#BlackLivesMatterto#Fightfor15to#FairFood,emergentsocialmovementstoimproveconditionsforpoorandmarginalizedcommunitiespromotetwitterhashtags,Facebookgroups,andsophisticatedmediaplatformstoreachbroaderpublics.Whilethispre-Trumpswellofmovementactivityforeconomicandracialjusticeconstructivelyinspirednewgenerationsofactivists,organizersandcommunityengagementacrosstheUnitedStatesandglobe,itisimportanttoaskwhethertheenthusiasticembraceofdigitalmediaplatforms,glossypublicimages,andcuratednarrativesofpoorandmarginalizedpeoplehascontributedtobuildingpower,agency,voiceandcollectiveanalysisamongthosemostimpactedbythe

problemsthesemovementsseektoaddress.Oftenbehindthescenes,privategrantmakingfoundationshaveplayedaroleinresourcingandbuildingthecapacityofgrassrootssocialmovementstoscalemediaanddigitalnetworkingstrategiesthroughgrantsandinitiatives,mediaconsultants,andtechnicalassistancefirmsthatproducepublicallycompellingnarrativesandimages.Inourcurrentmomentofpoliticalretrenchmentandfear,itispossiblethatpublicmediaplatformsandappsactuallyputvulnerablepopulationssuchasundocumentedworkersatgreaterrisk,giventhispolitical-economiccontext.Inthispaper,weinvestigatetheimpactoffoundation-fundedmediacampaignsandpublicnarrativeinitiativesonmembervoice,analysis,andleadershipthroughacasestudyofanonprofit,SanFranciscoimmigrantworkercenter.Wefocusontheroleofcommunicationscampaignsthatelevateand“responsibilize”the“gooddomesticworker”andtherebyrepresenttheturntowardsvoluntaristicandprofessionalizedactivismacrossthenonprofitsector.Speakingtothewealthyemployer,communicationscampaignspromisetodeliverkindandhappydomesticworkers.Simultaneously,workerorganizinglookslesslikemember-ownedinstitutionbuildingandmorelikeprofessionalizingvolunteerlabor.Nonprofitworkercentersrelyontheparticipationoftheseprofessionalizedworker-activistsinnationalorganizingcampaignswhicharewidelyembracedinnationalprogressivemedia,yetincreasinglydisconnectedfromthedailylivesofworkercentermembers.MosheKornfeldWashingtonUniversityinSt.LouisFromVulnerabilitytoPrivilege:TheshiftinglandscapeofJewishprogressivismOnSeptember11,2005,twoprogressiveJewishorganizations,JewishFundforJusticeandtheShefaFund,announcedthejointHurricaneKatrinaReliefandRedevelopmentProject.Theinitiative,whichwouldfocusontheneediestKatrinavictimsandonlong-termrecovery,contrastedwitheffortssponsoredbythedominantAmericanJewishNGOsystem,whichfocusedprimarilyonJewishKatrinavictims.ShefaandJewishFundforJusticewerealsointhemiddleofmergernegotiationsandwouldsoonbecome“JewishFundSforJustice”(JFSJ).Whileunitedintheirultimategoalsforthejointreliefeffort,thetwoNGOsbroughtcompetingunderstandingsofJewishsocialactiontotheircollaboration.ShefaFundleaderssoughttoreimagineJewishtraditionandtextsasexpressionsofprogressivism.TheseeffortsemergedfromolderJewswhohadmoredirectconnectionstoJewishvulnerability,totheimmigrantexperienceintheUnitedStates,andtotheHolocaust.Bornin1952,JeffreyDekro,Shefa’sfounder,wasachildofHolocaustsurvivorswhoformulatedanexpressionofJewishprogressivismatthecrossroadsofeconomicsuccessandrecentvulnerability.Bycontrast,JewishFundforJusticeappliedacommunityorganizingapproachtosocialjusticework.SimonGreer,theheadofJewishFundforJustice,wasinterested,notincultivatingaJewishtheologyofeconomicjustice,butinusingJewishcommunitypowertoachievesocial

justiceobjectives.Greer,whowasbornin1968andcameofageatatimewhenJewsintheUSandinIsraelhadconsolidatedthemselvesasapowerfulgroup,understoodJewstobeapopulationwithsignificantresourcesthatcouldbeusedtoachievesocialjusticeobjectives.WhileShefaimaginedJudaismitselfasaresource,GreerimaginedJewishwealthandpowerasaprimaryresource.Inthemerger,Greer’sapproachprevailedandtheShefaFund’semphasisontheroleofreligioustextualanalysiswassupersededbyAlinskyianpoweranalysis.Mypaperwilldrawonthiscasestudyandarguethat,asoppressionandmarginalitybecomelessaccessibletoyoungerJews,theirconstructionsofprogressivismbecomeincreasinglydependentontheirself-perceptionasbeingpartofapowerfulandsuccessfulethnoreligiousgroup.AmandaLashaw,PhDUniversityofCaliforniaSantaCruzTheAmbiguousPoliticalPowerofLiberalSchoolReformintheUnitedStatesDuringtheeraofneoliberalschoolreformintheU.S.,criticaleducationresearchhasnotoftenexploredtheheterogeneousandchanginglandscapeofleft-leaningeducationadvocacy.Inparticular,liberalformsofantiracism,the“NGOization”ofsocialmovementwork,andthepoliticallaborofequity-centerednonprofitprofessionalshavegoneundertheradar.Thispaperopensupaspacetoexplorewhyitisdifficulttomakethesenewactorsandinstitutionsintoobjectsofcriticalanalysis.ItdrawsonethnographicresearchandconceptsfrommoralanthropologytoshowhowaninfluentialnonprofitorganizationlegitimizesaparticularconceptionofracializedlossandrecoveryamidstrugglestoshapetherecoveryoftheOaklandUnifiedSchoolDistrictinthewakeofastatetakeover.Itarguesthataliberalmovementforequitableschoolinggainedtheupperhandinpartbyrepresentingitselfasmorallysuperiortooppositionalactivistsdemandingthereturnoflocalcontrol.Bytuningintotensionsbetweenprogressiveworldsandtheirenactmentsof“doinggood,”thepaperexploresresponsestoeducationalinequalityasstrugglesoverAmericancivilsociety.

Workshop:GettingYourBookPublishedDavidLewisd.lewis@lse.ac.ukandMarkSchullermschuller@niu.eduAsweargueinarecentreviewarticle,worksonNGOswithinanthropologyhavehadunevenimpactinanthropology,andevenlessimpactoutsideofour“tribe,”oftentraceabletocircuitsofsingleindividuals.ThisseemsoutofstepwiththesustainedinfluenceofNGOswithintheworld.OnereasonisthelaggingbehindoffullethnographicmonographspublishedonNGOswithinacademicpresses.Thisworkshopaimstooffertangibleadviceandstrategiesfor

authorswhowishtopublishabook.Wewilldiscusstheprocessofthinkingthroughtheaudience,thepoliticsofpublishing,wheretoplacethebookandtheongoingdebatesof‘theory’and‘practice,’includingacriticalanalysisofjusthow“public”anthropologyisatthepresenttime.Thisworkshopincludesahands-oncomponent;peopleareencouragedtobringwhattheyalreadyhavewritten,butwillalsohavetimetowriteandtopractice'thepitch.'Giventhehands-onnatureofthisevent,participantsareencouragedbutnotrequiredtocontactusinadvance,sowecantailorittopeople'sparticularneeds.

Activisting:rethinkingthebordersbetweencriticalandapplied,NGOsandsocialmovements,aconversationonHaitiMarkSchuller,ConvenorNIU-theLambiFundofHaitiDespitetheoftenreified,normativedichotomyNGOshavelongengagedsocialmovements,includingfinancialandothersupport.Takingalookattheiractions,thebordersareblurred(BernalandGrewal2014).Lookingatbothassemblagesasverbs,engagingin“activisting”–amuchmorecomplexpictureemerges.InHaiti,especiallysincethe“invasion”ofNGOs(Etienne1997)followingthe2010earthquake,“NGOs”havebecomeabadword,polarizingdiscourseandshuttingdowninternalcritique.Inpractice,however,socialmovementorganizationsarenotimmunetotheexcessesofNGOization.Decisionsaboutcollaborationbetween“NGOs”and“Socialmovements”arealwaysfraughtandtherelationshipfragile.ThisinteractivediscussionwithHaitianactorsSkypinginwillpresentfindingsaboutrecentcollaborationsandinviteself-critiqueanddialogue.ParticipantsNixonBoumba-AJWS/MODEPnboumba@ajws.orgYoletteEtienne-ActionAidyolette.etienne@actionaid.orgMamyrahProsper-Douge-CUNYGraduateCentermamyrap@gmail.comMarkSchuller,NIU-theLambiFundofHaitimschuller@niu.edu

SpacesofCollaboration:CriticalEngagementsinAppliedFieldsEmilyHong,PhDCandidate,

Dept.ofAnthropology,CornellUniversity;Co-Founder,RhizaCollectiveandEthnocineFilmsCollaborationAfterColonialismInthehistoryofanthropology,unequalrelationsofexchangehavesometimesprompteduncredited“others”tobrandanthropologistsaswitches,graverobbers,orotherdevourersofculturalknowledge.Atothertimes,colonialmindsetshavereducedtheroleofthe“interlocutor”toprovidingrawdatatoberefinedandtheorized,closingthedoortopotentialinsightsbornethroughdeeperrelationsofknowledge.Whilesharedmediumssuchasactivistcampaigns,coauthoredbooks,andfilmprojectsprovideincreasingopportunitiesforreciprocity(e.g.‘reciprocalsolidarity’(AtshanandMoore2014),‘reciprocalethnography’(Lawless1991)),theydonot,assomehaveargued,avoidthepitfallsofasymmetricalexchange(cf.JurisandKhasnabish2013).Inthispaper,Ibringinsightsfromfeministtheoryandethnographicfilminconversationwiththeanthropologyofexchangeandcollaboration.IreflectuponthedynamicsandpracticesofmyowncollaborativefieldworkventuresinKachinState,NorthernMyanmar,withindigenousactivistsandmusiciansworkingwithagrassrootsenvironmentalorganization.Overthecourseofayear,weworkedtogethertoproduceadocumentary(myowninitiative)andaseriesofmusicvideos(theirs)tobringattentiontoissuesoflandgrabbing,displacement,andself-determinationduringongoingarmedconflictbetweentheMyanmararmyandtheKachinIndependenceArmy.Ireflectuponthesefieldworkcollaborationstoconsidersomekeyquestions:(1)Howshouldanthropology’scoloniallegacycoupledwiththeneo-colonialmentalityofdevelopmentexpertsintheglobalSouthinformeffortstodecolonizeethnographicmethods?(2)Whatarethepoliticalandepistemologicalconsequencesforcollaborativeapproacheswhichblurtheboundariesbetweeninsiderandoutsider,sometimescollapsingthe‘us’versus‘them’ofclassicanthropologyintoacontingent‘we’?(3)Howmightsuchcollaborationspromptareconsiderationofconventionalnotionsofauthorship,autonomy,andtheroleofcritique?Dr.EricaA.FarmerResearchAssociate,SmithsonianOfficeoftheUndersecretaryforMuseumsandResearchBetwixtandbetween:EthnographicspacesandintersectionsattheSmithsonianInstitutionTheSmithsonianholdsauniquepositionas“America’smuseum,”butinregardtochanging,new,rediscovered,orhiddenhistoriesofwhoandwhat“America”istoday,conceptionsofthatrolecontinuetobecomemorecomplexthantheyhaveeverbeenbefore.TheInstitutionisitselfalreadyunique--sittingbetweentheacademy,thegovernment,andtheheritagesectorinasymbolicplaceofnationalprominence,yetwithoutsomeofthepoliticalcloutofsimilarinstitutionselsewhere

intheworld.Additionally,changingvisionsoftherole(s)ofthemuseum,itsaudiences/publics,andtheinfluenceofevolvingtechnologieshaveevenfurtherreshapedideasaboutheritagespacesintheconstructionofsocioculturalnarratives,asvisionsofwhatis“ours”continuetobenegotiated.Drawingfromethnographicresearchperformedduringmypostdoctoralfellowship,thispaperwillexploretheSmithsonianInstitutionasanethnographicspace,lookingatsomeofthecomplexitiesandconnectionsaroundpolicymaking,representation,andheritagepreservationatworkthere.Asidefromcentrallyproducedpublicmeanings,therearenumerouswaysinwhichnarratives,messages,andinformationareconveyed,shaped,negotiated,andrenegotiated,manyofwhichconnectdirectlytothemissionsofvariousunits,therolesofvariousactors,aswellasthroughtheidentitiesofthepeoplewhomakeupthecommunity.Throughthisdiscussion,Iwillshowthevalueofethnographicmethodologytoexplorehowintersectionality,professionalism,andorganizationalstructureunitetocreateaholisticpictureofwhattheSmithsonianistoday,andtheimplicationsofthosefactorsforhowitcanimpactmuseumandheritagepolicyandpractice.AmandaJ.Reinke,PhDGeorgiaCollegeandStateUniversityNonprofit-ResearcherCollaborationandConflict:AViewfromtheFieldCollaborativerelationshipswithnonprofitscanposesignificantchallengesforresearchersinvestigatingthestructure,practices,andbeliefsofservice,advocacy,and,activistorganizations.However,collaboration,asitexistsasaconsistentdialecticalrelationshipbetweenallpartiesworkingtowardsacommongoal,mayalsogeneratepotentialitiestogeneratedeeperethnographicknowledgeofnonprofitsthatmayassisttheorganization’swork.Anthropologistsexaminingnonprofitsarenecessarilyembeddedwithinthebureaucraticstructuresandinstitutionstheystudy,observingandparticipatinginthedailyworkandoftenmundaneorganizationalandbureaucraticoperations.Thus,anthropologiststhemselvesbecomepartofthedynamicinteractionsandprocessesthatshapenonprofits.Asaresult,boththenonprofitandtheresearcherareoftenforcedtoconfrontandreconsidertheirbeliefs,limitations,andstrategicplans.Drawingfromtheperspectivesofananthropologicalresearcherembeddedwithinthenonprofitsettingandfromtheexecutivedirectorofthesamenonprofit,exploresthechallengesandpotentialbenefitsofacollaborativerelationshipbetweentheresearcherandtheorganizationwithwhomtheywork.Keywords:nonprofit,ethnography,collaborativeresearch

KEYNOTESPEAKER

AdiaBentonisanAssistantProfessorofAnthropologyandAfricanStudiesatNorthwesternUniversity,wheresheisaffiliatedwiththeScienceinHumanCultureProgram.Herfirstbook,HIVExceptionalism:DevelopmentThroughDiseaseinSierraLeone,wonthe2017RachelCarsonPrize,whichisawardedbytheSocietyforSocialStudiesofScience(4S)tothebestbookinthefieldofScienceandTechnologyStudieswithstrongsocialorpoliticalrelevance.Herbodyofworkaddressestransnationaleffortstoeliminatehealthdisparitiesandinequalities,andtheroleofideologyinglobalhealth.Inadditiontoongoingresearchonpublichealthresponsestoepidemics,includingthe2013-2016WestAfricanEbolaoutbreak,shehasconductedresearchonthegrowingmovementtofullyincorporatesurgicalcareintocommonsensenotionsof“globalhealth.”

Herotherwritinghastouchedonthepoliticsofanthropologicalknowledgeininfectiousdiseaseoutbreakresponse(andmostrecently,theresponsetotheWestAfricanEbolaoutbreak),racialhierarchiesinhumanitarianismanddevelopment,andtechniquesofenumerationingender-basedviolenceprograms.

ShehasaPhDinsocialanthropologyfromHarvardUniversity,anMPHininternationalhealthfromtheRollinsSchoolofPublicHealthatEmoryUniversity,andanABinHumanBiologyfromBrownUniversity.ShehasheldapostdoctoralfellowshipatDartmouthCollegeandvisitingpositionsatOberlinCollegeandintheDepartmentofGlobalHealthandSocialMedicineatHarvardMedicalSchool.

Dr.AdiaBenton

“CriticallyApplied:reflectionsonmytimeworkinginNGOHQCity”

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A A A A c t i v i t i e s

NGO and Non-Profits Interest Group Meeting: Thursday,Nov.30,2-3:15pm,

“AnthropologyinAction:Aparticipant-drivendialogueontheever-changing'boundaries'ofanthropologists'interactionswithNGOsandNonprofitsGlobally"

InvitedPanel

Sunday,Dec.3,8:00-9:45a:“MultiplyEngaged:TheMoral,AffectiveandEverydayEntanglementsofAnthropologistswith/in

NGO/NonprofitWorlds”

S a v e t h e d a t e

4thBiennialConferenceNGOandNon-ProfitsInterestGroupVancouver,BCNov.18-19,2018

SPECIALTHANKS

E v e n t C o m m i t t e e

RebeccaMantelAvivaSinervo

SaraLahtiThiamOmriGrinberg

AmandaReinkeAllyKruparMarnieThomsonLauraJung

V o l u n t e e r s

JulieJenkinsRachelSullivanRobinson

AndrewWalshScottFreemanAndriaTimmer

SophiaBiberTabithaKrondorferMiguelMartinezArielleZoland

C o n t r i b u t o r s

AfricaCluster,SIS,AmericanUniversityHealthCluster,SISAmericanUniversity

ComplexGovernanceCluster,SISAmericanUniversityAnthropologyGraduateStudentCouncil

V e n d o r s

TrystRiseBakery

FloridaAvenueKitchen