American anthropologists vote to boycott Israel
The pictures here come from the AAA’s photo contest. See all the the photos on their Facebook page.
Olive wood carver in workshop in Amman, Jordan. Olive wood carving is an ancient tradition in the Middle East that requires a labour-intensive process. Shown here is the first step which uses a drilling machine to make an outline of the figure. Most artisans must go through many years of training to learn the art of olive-wood carving. This particular workshop employed disabled men and woman as well as Iraqi refugees.
US academic association votes to boycott Israel
American Anthropological Association passes resolution to boycott Israeli academic institutions in landslide vote; Pro BDS groups praise ‘historic result.’
By Ynetnews
November 21, 2015
A major American Academic association, the American Anthropological Association, overwhelmingly approved a resolution to boycott Israeli academic institutions during the group’s annual meeting in Denver, Colorado on Friday.
Tibet’s first monastery, built over 1200 years ago in Samye.
The motion, which sought to support the BDS movement, was passed by a landslide majority of 1,040 votes in favor, to 136 against. A final electronic vote is set to be held in the coming months.
The meeting also voted down a measure to oppose the BDS movement with a majority of 1,173 votes against to 196 for.
According to the AAA, “The resolution enjoins the AAA not to enter into any formal collaboration with Israeli academic institutions. Individual Israeli scholars may continue to participate in AAA conferences and publications, and individual members will remain free to determine for themselves whether and how to apply the boycott in their own professional practice.”
The vote was hailed by the pro-BDS group, Anthropologists for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions, which called the outcome a “historic result” after “over three years of organizing within the Association to educate and mobilize members to stand against Israel’s widespread, systematic, and ongoing violations of Palestinian rights, as well as to protest the complicity of Israeli academic institutions in these abuses.”
The AAA is the largest academic association within the US to endorse the boycott movement at an annual meeting.
Similar votes passed with overwhelming majorities at the American Studies Association, the Asian American Studies Association and others.
Hooper’s Island, Maryland August, 2015. The vast majority of the migrants on the eastern shore of Maryland who work for the crab companies are Mexican women. They sit or stand at long stainless steel tables, piled high with cooked crab. They work quickly, breaking off legs, removing innards, and separating backfin from jumbo lump meat. The women work for eight hour shifts until all crabs are picked clean.
Posted on November 21, 2015 by anthroboycott
DENVER, Nov. 20 — In a historic vote Friday night, the American Anthropological Association at its annual business meeting resoundingly approved a resolution to boycott Israeli academic institutions by a vote of 1040-136. The resolution will now be forwarded to the full membership for a final vote by electronic ballot in the coming months.
The resolution enjoins the Association not to enter into any formal collaborations with Israeli academic institutions. Individual Israeli scholars may continue to participate in AAA conferences and publications. Moreover, individual AAA members will remain free to determine for themselves whether and how to apply the boycott in their own professional practice.
As heirs to a long tradition of scholarship on colonialism, anthropologists affirm, through this resolution, that the core problem is Israel’s maintenance of a settler colonial regime based on Jewish supremacy and Palestinian dispossession. By supporting the boycott, anthropologists are taking a stand for justice through action in solidarity with Palestinians.
King David’s Rampart Walk, Old City, Jerusalem, October 2015. AAA Facebook
Today’s historic result is due to over three years of organizing within the Association to educate and mobilize members to stand against Israel’s widespread, systematic, and ongoing violations of Palestinian rights, as well as to protest the complicity of Israeli academic institutions in these abuses. The vote was also a powerful act of protest against U.S. support for Israel’s actions.
With over 10,000 members, AAA is by far the largest academic association in the United States to endorse the boycott at an annual meeting.
A competing resolution rejecting the boycott under the guise of promoting “engagement” was soundly defeated by a vote of 1173-196.
Details to follow.
Anthropologists for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions is a group of scholars working in support of justice and human rights in Israel/Palestine from all major sub-fields of the discipline, including tenure-track and adjunct faculty, graduate students, post-docs, and practitioners.