2010 MIG update

Dear members of the Melanesian Interest Group of AAA!

I'm writing to give an update from the business meeting in New Orleans. I also want to thank those who attended.

I will be the new convenor for this next year. The new convener-elect will be Tate LeFevre.

We are currently looking for a session that the MIG could sponsor at the next AAA meeting in Montreal, preferably a double session. This year's AAA theme is Traces, Tidemarks and Legacies (see http://www.aaanet.org/meetings/2011-AAA-Annual-Meeting.cfm ). The session should be related to Melanesia in some way. Please contact us if you are planning to organize such a session. Do not wait until it is all finalized and in perfect shape – it may be too late by then.

Also, please join our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26280881106.

All the best,

Justin

MIG Business Meeting

The time and place for this year's business meeting has just been announced, so please, if you plan to attend AAA, mark your calender:

Business Meeting of the Melanesian Interest Group
11/19/2010
6:15:00 PM-8:15:00 PM
Salon 829, Eighth Floor, Sheraton


The MIG has sponsored a AAA session on Vernacular Education:

VERNACULAR EDUCATION IN THE ISLAND PACIFIC AND AMERICA. Papers in Honor of Rex Matang. ORGANIZERS: Christine Schreyer and John Wagner, University of British Columbia – Okanagan.

In this session we explore the cultural meanings of vernacular education programs in Melanesia and comparable settings where local languages are in danger of dying out or becoming moribund. Participants examine the processes through which such programs are created, the impediments to their successful implementation, and the varied meanings, symbolic and material, attached to vernacular language use in these settings. We also examine the relative 'silence' of anthropologists in relation to language endangerment and its long term consequences for cultural identity, local ecological knowledge, cultural and ecological diversity, nation-building and globalization, and how anthropologists may be able to provide a much needed 'voice' on these
topics.


Hoping to see you in New Orleans - especially at the ASAO/MIG party (details will be announced in due time)!

Susanne and Justin

Announcement of Anthropology position at University of Waikato

Dear friends and colleagues,

Apologies for cross posting.

We have finally managed to secure funding for an on-going (= tenure track) replacement position in Anthropology at the University of Waikato. The appointment will be at the level of Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor.

Our preference will be for someone with expertise in Oceania and, quite crucially, able to start mid-year (July 2010). We realise the latter criterion may be difficult for some well qualified candidates but we have been disadvantaged in this search by delays beyond our control.

The deadline for applications is 16 April.

The URL to download the advertisement and position description is:

http://www.waikato.ac.nz/hrm/vacancies/current.shtml

If you have any queries that cannot be answered by the information on the website or by our HRM division please feel free to contact either Anthropology Subject Convenor Judy Macdonald jmac@waikato.ac.nz or Michael Goldsmith mikegold@waikato.ac.nz.

Lastly, please do bring this to the attention of anyone whom you think might be suitable for the position or who might know someone who is.

Justice and Self-Determination in Indonesian Papua

Podcasts of the Oxford Symposium on Justice and Self-Determination in
Indonesian Papua held on 6 February 2010 are now available at:

http://www.csls.ox.ac.uk/otjr.php?show=podcasts

It includes the following speakers and subjects:

Opening Remarks
Phil Clark, Convenor of Oxford Transitional Justice Research

"The Origins of Papua Nationalism"
Pieter Drooglever, Institute of Netherlands History

"The Role of the United States in the New Guinea Dispute"
Albert Kersten, University of Leiden

"Melanesian Dreams"
Jos Marey, former chairman of Papua Student Association

"Living for Independence"
Benny Wenda, Papua leader in exile

"The Genealogy and Logic of Torture in Papua: a Reflection"
Budi Hernawan, Office of Justice and Peace, Jayapura and Australian National University, Canberra

"Human Rights and Transitional Justice - Justice for Papuans?"
Jennifer Robinson, Finers Stephens Innocent LLP and Secretary of International Lawyers for West Papua

"A Roadmap for West Papua?"
Muridan Widjojo, Indonesian Academy of Sciences

"Considerations on the Right to Self-Determination"
Charles Foster, The Ethox Centre, Department of Public Health & Primary Health Care, University of Oxford

"Revisiting History and Special Autonomy for Papua"
Agus Sumule, first advisor to the governor of Papua

EU Research and the Pacific

Dear Madam, Sir,

The European research and the Pacific - on the move! The European Commission to facilitate networking between European actors with a research focus on Pacific Islands. You are invited to share this information with potentially interested people and organizations from your contact/mailing lists. Thank you in advance for your help and participation.

La recherche européenne et le Pacifique - ça bouge! La Commission européenne souhaite faciliter la mise en réseau des acteurs européens dont l'objet de recherche porte sur l'Océanie. Vous êtes invités à partager cette information avec les personnes et organisations potentiellement concernées. Merci d'avance pour votre aide et votre participation.

European Commission
DG DEV E1
Relations with the countries and the region of the Pacific
Rue de la Science 15
Brussels
e-mail - dev-research-pacific@ec.europa.eu

---

EU Research and the Pacific

Why?
EU-based research initiatives on the Pacific Islands are generally not well-known and therefore hardly accessible by students, academics, private organizations and institutions such as the European Commission. The bulk of research material is provided by non-European institutes, universities and researchers. This hampers the development of Pacific-centred academics and research in Europe but also the Pacific-tailored policy making and strategy formulation.

What?
Stimulating a European research on the Pacific Islands is one of the 2006 EU strategy for the Pacific objectives. In this context, the Unit responsible for EU-Pacific relations in DG Development wishes to facilitate networking between European actors and organizations with a research focus on Oceania or with research themes relevant for the Region.

How to participate?
The first step is to establish by 31st March 2010, a comprehensive survey of researchers, universities institutes, research centres and initiatives or projects on the Pacific in the EU. The second step would be to start contacts as soon as possible to discuss objectives and expectations of such a European network on the basis of this survey.

Should you be interested please send the following information prior to 31st March 2010 to DEV-RESEARCH-PACIFIC@ec.europa.eu :

1. Name
2. Organizations and contact details
3. Research areas
4. Ongoing and upcoming projects by geographic area (including Melanesia/Micronesia/Polynesia, Timor-Leste, Australia, New Zealand);
5. Partnerships with other national/European/non-European organizations;
6. Views on the added-value of establishing an European network and on expectations vis-à-vis the European Commission.

VACANT POSITION Medical Anthropology, University of Papua New Guinea

Application Deadline: March 5 2010

The University of Papua New Guinea 2010 Position Vacancies
(as published in the Post Courier, Monday, February 8, 2010, on page 34 - for full ad)

School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Anthropology and Sociology Strand
Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor W/011003/10

The discipline of Anthropology and Sociology at the UPNG has an immediate vacancy in the area of MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY.

The successful candidate will be appointed at Senior Lecturer or Associate Professor level depending on qualification, experience and skills. This position is not restricted to PNG citizens.
The relevant qualification for the appointment is a PhD level although candidates with qualifications at MA/MS/MBBS level with sound background in social research and design, professional nursing, public health, and delivery of tertiary educational programs within Asia-Pacific region are certainly desirable and encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate is expected to design and drive a holistic program focused on Anthropology of HIV/Aids and epidemiology of Melanesia at undergraduate and graduate levels. The program should be able to link existing programs and courses in anthropology and sociology and courses in Public Health at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The candidate must be highly skilled while remaining cultural sensitive and alert to changes on health issues in Melanesia and beyond.

Salary
Senior Lecturer K33,281 – K 40,677 per annum
Appropriate DMA and ATA calculated at 20% of base salary plus DMA will be added on the base salary.
The University is an equal opportunity employer and encourages females to apply for the positions.

Written applications should also include a Curriculum Vitae, a recent small photograph, the names and addresses of three (3) referees qualified to make comments about the suitability of the applicants. In order to expedite the appointment procedures, applicants are advised to contact their referees to send confidential reports directly to the University without waiting to be contacted.

All applicants will be treated strictly confidential, AND WILL CLOSE ON 05th MARCH, 2010.

Applications should be forwarded to the Director, Human Resources Management Division, UPNG, PO Box 320, UNIVERSITY, National Capital District, or faxed to +675 326.7187 or emailed to staffadm@upng.ac.pg

Jennifer G. Popat, Registrar.

3-year Post-doctoral position: Artefacts of Encounter project

The advertisement for a 3-year post-doctoral position on the Artefacts of Encounter project:

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/hr/jobs/vacancies.cgi?job=6314

The closing date is March 21.

Conference on Development

February 26-28, 2010

An international development conference bringing together students, faculty, and experts from Standford University and institutions across Papua New Guinea.

Conference website: http://www.panango.org/indexpng.html

MIG update

Dear members of the Melanesian Interest Group of AAA!

This is to wish you a lovely 2010 and introduce ourselves. Susanne Kuehling is the convener for the next year, and the new convener-elect is Justin Shaffner. We are looking forward to a year of good networking and hope to see many of you at the upcoming ASAO conference in Alexandria, and the ESfO conference in St Andrews in July.

We are currently looking for a session(s?) that MIG could sponsor at the next AAA meeting in New Orleans. It should be related to Melanesia in some way. We invite you to be creative in your interpretations and look forward to hearing from you!

Cheers,

Susanne Kuehling and Justin Shaffner