About COPAA
COPAA is nationwide consortium of university departments and programs that provide education in practicing and applied anthropology.
Our mission is to collectively advance the education and training of students, faculty, and practitioners in applied anthropology.
Contact Information
Linda A. Bennett, ChairProfessor of Anthropology and Associate Dean
107 Scates Hall
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152
(901) 678-3371
Leadership Group (2009-2010)
- Chair: Linda Bennett (University of Memphis)
- Secretary: Kerry Feldman (University of Alaska, Anchorage)
- Co-Treasurers: Gina Sanchez Gibau and Jeanette Dickerson Putman (both, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis)
- Webmaster: Christina Wasson (University of North Texas)
- Virtual Community Moderator: Sunil Khanna (Oregon State University)
- Program Chair: Lisa Henry (University of North Texas)
- Practitioner Advisory Committee: Elizabeth Briody (Cultural Keys LLC), T.J. Ferguson (Anthropological Research LLC), Susan Squires (Technology Research for Independent Living Centre)
Benefits of Departmental Membership
- Inclusion in the COPAA website’s list of programs in applied anthropology
- Inclusion in other COPAA publications and promotional materials
- Participation in planning COPAA sponsored sessions
- Involvement in setting and implementing COPAA initiatives
- Invitation to the annual meetings of the consortium and all consortium-sponsored activities
- Ability to draw on the resources and expertise of the consortium for departmental program needs
Obligations of Departmental Membership
- Pay annual dues of $100 (dues are used mainly to support website updates, expenses for the annual meetings, the Visiting Fellows Program, and invited speakers)
- Send a representative from the department to the annual COPAA meeting
- Participate in activities of the consortium that help to promote its mission behalf of departmental members
How to Join
New departmental members are considered at the time of the annual COPAA meeting, held at the Society for Applied Anthropology conference. Departments may request membership by contacting the chair of COPAA, or consortium members may independently recommend that other departments be invited to join.
Annual Meetings
- March 2009, Santa Fe
- March 2008, Memphis
- March 2007, Tampa
- March 2006, Vancouver
- April 2005, Santa Fe
- March 2004, Dallas (hosted by University of North Texas)
- March 2003, Portland
- March 2002, Atlanta
- February 2001, Tampa (hosted by University of South Florida) and April 2001, Merida
- Founding meeting: February 2000, Memphis (hosted by University of Memphis)
Distinguished Scholar Series
2008 – Susan Wright
- Dr. Wright is a leading figure in the development of British applied anthropology. Her work focuses on policy issues, including the impacts of the political changes that Thatcher initiated in Great Britain. She convened and helped develop Anthropology in Action, a group which brought together anthropologists concerned with health, social and community work, education, organizational change, development and other fields of policy and practice. Currently, she is pursuing her interest in how political changes are affecting education through her role as co-editor of a new journal, Learning & Teaching(LATISS).
- Susan Hyatt’s Introduction of Susan Wright
- Text of Susan Wright’s Presentation, “Making Application Count in a Global Knowledge Economy,” delivered March 27, 2008, at the Society for Applied Anthropology meeting
- Podcast of Susan Wright’s Presentation
Historical Archives
- Complete List of COPAA Sessions and Presentations
- Minutes of the Annual COPAA Meetings
Report on COPAA Website
In 2004-2005, Christina Wasson led a research project to inform the design of the COPAA website. We interviewed members of the three groups COPAA serves – faculty in applied anthropology programs, students, and practitioners – to explore ways that COPAA might be useful to them in accordance with its mission to advance education and training. Our findings provided insights not just for the website, but for the future direction of COPAA. You can download the report here.
