The Executive Board of the Society for Economic Anthropology (SEA) and the Economic Anthropology Editorial Office and Board stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. We condemn racism and racialized state violence —as well as the use of force against people protesting oppression in their communities. We demand justice for the families of Tony McDade, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and far too many other lives taken by a long and deep history of anti-Black racism and violence.
Economic anthropologists must do more to illuminate the mechanisms that enable structural inequalities—to question oppressive economic logics, to press against the devaluation of Black labor, and to condemn the racist designs that deny justice and limit access to education, healthcare, employment, fair wages and housing. We also recognize that structural racism has limited representation in higher education, to faculty positions, to publication opportunities, and to inclusion in anthropological instruction. We acknowledge that the most important voices for building emancipatory research and action are too rarely heard outside the confines of critical race theory. To our colleagues posting to #BlackInTheIvory and to the Association of Black Anthropologists (ABA)— we hear you.
Today, on Juneteenth, the SEA resolves to move beyond introspection to begin the process of actively dismantling the structures put in place by colonialism and white supremacy. We commit to centering diverse voices and forms of knowledge to clear a way for the imagination of just economic systems that affirm human dignity and enable ALL humans to thrive.
We understand that this is just the beginning and are committed to a long-term process. Today, in honor of Juneteenth, the SEA commits to:
- SEA Inclusive Syllabus Project: this collaborative project aims to broaden economic anthropology knowledge and instruction—ensuring stronger inclusion of research from BIPOC and other underrepresented perspectives (e.g. Queer, Feminist, Arab, LatinX…) in economic anthropology classrooms.
- Recruitment and Inclusive Representation: We commit to actively supporting members of historically underrepresented groups interested in joining SEA for annual meetings, leadership positions, and for all award competitions.
- Active Anti-Racist Programming: The SEA resolves to examine the format and content of our annual conference programming to support underrepresented voices and to engage with themes centered on how economic anthropology can contribute to the creation of just and fair economic systems that enable all humans to thrive.
- Proactive Publication: The Editor and Editorial Board of Economic Anthropology commits to proactively inviting special issue proposals, papers and symposia contributions focused on the construction of just and anti-racist economic forms.
- Building Bridges: The SEA encourages all members to seek out partnership by joining other relevant AAA sections [e.g., Association for Feminist Anthropology (AFA); Association for Queer Anthropology (AQA); Association of Black Anthropologists (ABA); Association of Indigenous Anthropologists (AIA)]