For Who: The AAA Boycott and Critical Social Justice Activism

Abstract

Much has been written in the way of praxis and theory in anthropology on how scholars can better take part in addressing contemporary sociocultural issues of many marginalized communities created by colonialism, patriarchy, heterosexism, and imperialism. This work addresses the boycott of the 2024 annual AAA meeting in Tampa, Florida, and centers key debates and activism that motivated this call in protest of anti-trans, anti-Critical Race Theory, and anti-abortion legislation. Supporters of the boycott claimed that the AAA's decision to move forward with its meeting location was a “profound error” and that relocation would have been a productive act of resistance by the AAA. But, for who? Which anthropologists and community members were the boycott of the AAA conference for? Critically analyzing the contexts of these arguments in an interrogation of power, privilege, and identity within anthropological theory and praxis, I argue that this boycott, like many other summative acts in Anthropology, failed to consider its full impact and was called for groups it did not fully represent. I show how these issues are nuanced by considering those most impacted by them.