The Social Anthropology Programme at Massey University is pleased to announce that we will be hosting the ASAA/NZ annual conference 21-23 November 2024 on our Manawatū campus in Palmerston North.

The theme of this year’s conference is Vital Signs. In emergency medicine, the assessment of vital signs is the first stage in triage, establishing who can continue to wait, who needs to be seen immediately, and who might be on the brink of death. Taking vital signs is an indispensable precursor to all emergency care, no matter how extreme the patient’s situation. In the context of what some have called our global “polycrisis,” as well as a time of general uncertainty for universities in Aotearoa, the conference theme invites us to explore how anthropology can help us expand conversations about the condition of the world.

Vital signs do not, however, just measure a patient's decline: they also index health, vitality, strength, and consequently, hope. Even in times of struggle, it remains important to note where and how life is thriving. We encourage participants to consider what anthropology can tell us about the human will to live, adapt, and endure.

We encourage submissions of individual panels and group sessions that engage with our theme; however, unrelated submissions are also welcome.

In addition to standard paper presentation panels and sessions, we also would like to encourage a range of innovative modalities such as:

Music, film, and multimedia
Talanoa, tok stori
Dialogic, conversational, or interview sessions
Poetry, ethnographic fiction
Games and role-playing
Multisensory, embodied, and practical engagements
Art and sculpture

The deadline for abstracts is 1 August 2024. Please submit your proposals here: https://forms.gle/Zipxbk22JRAxeu9i6

Registration will open in July.

If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Andersen B.Andersen1@massey.ac.nz