NEAA 52nd Annual Meeting Information
March 9-10, 2012
Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater MA
Co-sponsored by the Bridgewater State Anthropology Department, the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, and the Greater Boston Anthropology Consortium
“Anthropological Constructions of Time”
Read a Bridgewater student's perspective on the upcoming meeting here.
Some highlights:
- Friday night reception and tours at the Robbins Museum of Archaeology, 17 Jackson St., Middleborough MA. This will include a showing of We Still Live Here, a new film about the Wampanoag Language Project, introduced by Dr. Joyce Rain Anderson of the BSU English Department
- Saturday Afternoon Annual Members’ meeting (aka Business Meeting)
- Saturday evening cash bar and banquet with keynote speaker: Dr. John Carlson (University of Maryland): “The Maya Calendar and the 2012 Event”
- Book exhibit
- Graduate and Undergraduate paper prizes
- Papers, symposia, and poster sessions all day Friday and Saturday
- Modest registration fees (includes Conference Fee and NEAA membership dues; presenters must register in advance and be NEAA members):
- $65 professional
- $40 student
Welcome from the Organizers:
The Department of Anthropology at Bridgewater State University is pleased to be hosting the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Northeastern Anthropological Association on the Bridgewater State campus in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. This is the third time we have hosted the meeting; we seem to do this at ten-year intervals! Our institution has recently been upgraded to a University. The Bridgewater campus is one of the most highly wired institutions in the region. It is located in a quiet suburban town 30 miles south of Boston, easily accessible via commuter rail from South Station (there is a station right on campus) or by road from Interstate 495 (Take Exit 7 onto Route 24 North, then take the first exit onto Route 104 East. Take Route 104 to one block beyond the Bridgewater rotary, turn right, and look for signs). Bridgewater is the second daughter town of the original Plymouth Colony, having been founded in 1629 by settlers from Duxbury. The Anthropology major at Bridgewater State includes Cultural, Biological, and Applied Anthropology and a unique Public Archaeology concentration, the only one in the Commonwealth. We have linkages with local indigenous peoples, particularly the Wampanoag from Mashpee and Aquinnah.
This Year’s Theme:
The dimension of time cuts across all of the anthropological subdisciplines. It is one of the intangibles around which all human cultures, at least since the Upper Paleolithic, have constructed both ideas and monuments. Anthropological constructions of time seemed to us to be a most appropriate topic, especially given the popular culture’s emphasis on the Maya calendar and the December 12, 2012 “event”. Our keynote speaker, Dr. John Carlson, has done extensive research on this subject, and he is very adept at fielding questions from those whose beliefs have led them to the conclusion that this date will mark an “end time”. Nonetheless, he concludes that the turnover in the Maya calendar does mark something of significance, at least for the Maya. He will explore the roles and identity of “God K”, who marks the transition between baktuns. We encourage paper submissions on all topics relevant to Anthropology, but especially those whose focus is on time.
Local Information:
The area of Plymouth County offers many opportunities for sight-seeing, including visits to the ocean beaches, Plimoth Plantation, local historical societies, and shops. Information and directions to the Bridgewater State University campus may be found at http://www.bridgew.edu/directions.cfm. Information and directions to the Robbins Museum may be found at http://www.massarchaeology.org. A listing of local restaurants will be provided with the registration packet.
Lodging:
There are no hotels or motels in the town of Bridgewater, but we have arranged with three motels in nearby towns for a conference discount. Arrangements may be made for singles, doubles, triples or quads at the same per night rate. Blocks of rooms at the discount rate will be guaranteed held until mid-February. Mention NEAA for the conference rates below:
- Days Inn (Middleborough – I-495 Exit 4 - closest to the Robbins Museum): $60+tax/night. View their website. Phone: 1-508-946-4400.
- Holiday Inn (Middleboro/Raynham – I-495 Exit 6): $141+tax/night for Thursday/Friday, $110.94+tax/night for Saturday. View their website. Phone 1-508-823-0430 and use the group code EG2 Anthropology.
- Hampton Inn (Raynham– I-495 Exit 6): $89+tax/night. View their website. Phone: 508-821-3367 and mention "NEAA conference".
- Fairfield Inn (Plymouth/Middleborough): $89+tax/night. Ask for “NEAA Conference” when you register.
Note: You must login or create a new user account to submit an abstract to the conference.