Standing Committees
Standing Committees are established by the Executive of WAC to administer core activities or to provide oversight of issues of enduring interest to WAC members. WAC Standing Committees are:
Archaeologists Without
Borders
Chair: Claire Smith, Australia; Juan Salazar, Spain.
Committee: Elena Garcea, Italy; Bayo Folorunso,
Nigeria; Ines Domingo Sanz,
Spain.
This committee provides direction and oversight
for the Archaeologists Without Borders Committee
Program, a unique endeavour that supports archaeological
education and training in economically disadvantaged
countries. Through a network of training programs,
WAC members in different parts of the world may
travel to host institutions to provide educational
opportunities. This program derives from the WAC
mission to foster international academic interaction,
and to eradicate economic barriers to education
about archaeology.
By linking scholars around the world, we ensure
that superior archaeological education is available
to all, regardless of the economic state of one's
country. In addition, WAC members are able to
support one another by sharing expertise and insights
and networking among members around the globe
ensure continued professional and personal development.
Awards
Chairs: Joan Gero, USA;
Anne Pyburn, USA
Committee:
The WAC Awards Committee recognizes outstanding
contributions from individuals, groups and nations
in advancing the agenda/s of the World Archaeological
Congress. Periodically it will award excellence
in such areas as:
· Student papers as they demonstrate the
missions and policies of WAC.
· Professional papers as they demonstrate
the missions and policies of WAC.
· Published books as they demonstrate the
missions and policies of WAC.
· Community- or Indigenous- archaeology
projects.
· Educational programs in archaeology.
· Current newspaper reporting on archaeological
topics.
· Lifetime achievement awards.
· Public figure/politician awards for advancing
WAC’s missions
· National archaeological programs or undertakings
that advance WAC’s missions archaeological
website awards.
· Archaeological projects undertaken to
resolve social or historical problems.
More information about these awards will appear
in website updates.
The work of the Awards Committee includes
1. Generating categories of awards.
2. Soliciting nominations recipients of the awards.
3. Establishing procedures and putting them into
operation to select award recipients.
4. Establishing appropriate award prizes.
5. Making official awards at WAC Congresses and
Inter-Congresses.
6. Publicizing our award recipients.
Ethics
Co-chairs:
Alexander Herrera (Colombia) ,
Julie Hollowell (Canada)
Members:
Obare Bagodo (Benin)
Joan Gero (USA)
Alejandro Haber (Argentina)
Ian Hodder (USA)
Audie Huber (Quinault Nation, USA)
Ian Lilley (AUS)
K. Anne Pyburn (USA) (liaison to the Executive)
Nick Shepherd (S. Africa)
Rasmi Shoocongdej (Thailand)
Makoto Tomii (Japan)
Sean Ulm (AUS)
Lawrence Foa'na'ota (Solomon Islands)
Note: we are looking for additional members to increase the regional representation and diversity of the committee. Please contact the co-chairs if you are interested in this work.
The WAC standing Committee on Ethics is committed to upholding WAC's vision and mission as a global organization of individuals and groups whose work lies in the field of archaeology or who are affected by the practices, policies, or ideas of archaeology.
Ethics are not rules to be followed or enforced; they are ideals and guiding principles from which to seek ways of acting and responding to real situations with foresight, precaution, mindfulness and attention to diverse interests and ways of knowing. WAC has in many ways set the standard for ethics in archaeology, and has done a remarkable job of living up to its principles, in great part due to the good hearts, intentions, and acts-large and small-of so many individuals. Ethics are infused fairly seamlessly in everything WAC does; they are enacted in the responses and actions of WAC's executive, member organizations, and individual members. They create a standpoint of values and responsibilities from which to make decisions as to how to act or respond to particular situations.
Some of the basic principles WAC stands for include:
- an emancipatory and equitably practiced archaeology with a commitment to social justice and to redressing global inequities;
- open discussion of issues and dialogue among those with diverse views of the past the world over;
- involvement of descendant communities and indigenous peoples and a commitment to their rights and interests;
- greater equity and diversity in representation, voice, and participation in archaeological scholarship, practice, and purpose.
Current business before the Ethics Committee includes a proposal to develop a general code of ethics (task force headed up by Sean Ulm and Ian Hodder) and the envisioning of an Inter-national code of ethics (evoked by Joan Gero and Bayo Foloronso)
In this work and in other tasks, we will look to the principles already encoded in WAC's bylaws, codes, and statements to ensure that decisions, actions, or statements complement, critically review, and expand upon these foundations.
Global Libraries
Chair: Sally K. May, Australia
Committee: Marcia Bezerra, Brazil; Anita Cook,
USA; Maia Langley, Portugal; Manoj Kumar Singh,
India.
The Global Libraries Project is developing the
archaeological literary collections of libraries
in economically disadvantaged countries. By supporting
such libraries we are assisting archaeological
and cultural heritage management students and
professionals in these countries to undertake
their study and their work. There are currently
50 libraries from 37 different countries receiving
donations.
The Global Libraries Project relies on the generous
donations of individuals, philanthropic organisations
and government bodies. If you feel you can assist
us with this worthy undertaking we would be very
grateful. While all book, journal, audiovisual
and other materials are greatly appreciated, ideally
we like to receive 50 copies of individual books/journals
etc. so that each Global Library may receive a
copy.
Grants
Chair: H. Martin Wobst, USA; Alejandro Haber, Argentina.
Committee: Raymond Assombong, Cameroon; Bayo
Folorunso, Nigeria; Dan Hicks, UK; Dorothy Lippert,
USA; Alejandra Korstanje, Argentina;
In keeping with one of its central goals, to
advance knowledge in archaeology and foster excellence
in archaeological scholarship, WAC offers a range
of grants. The WAC Grants Committee assesses applications
to WAC for grants and provides recommendations
to the WAC Executive. The WAC Grants Committee
assesses applications to WAC for grants and provides
recommendations to the WAC Executive. In order
to help as many people as possible, WAC prefers
to provide complementary or partial funding, where
possible. WAC grants include:
* Congress Travel
* Publication Subsidies
* Workshop or Symposium Grants
Membership
Chair: Ines Domingo Sanz, Spain.
Committee: Bayo Folorunso, Nigeria; Akira Matsuda,
Japan; Nick Shepherd, South Africa; Claire Smith,
Australia
The Membership Committee aims to encourage people
interested in archaeological heritage to join
the World Archaeological Congress. The committee,
working together with the WAC Council, as regional
representatives, aspires to attract new members,
to retain the existing ones. One of the main commitments
of the Membership Committee is to get sponsored
subscriptions for individuals of economically
disadvantaged countries who deserve to have a
voice in the world of archaeology.
· The responsibilities of the Membership
Committee include:
· Personally contact all the new members
to welcome them and make them aware of the benefits
of their WAC membership.
· Personally contact non-renewals and expiring
members to recruit them back to membership.
· Encourage individuals or organisations
to sponsor the Membership of Indigenous People
or Scholars from Economically Disadvantaged Countries.
· Develop a list of potential members from
economically disadvantaged countries needed of
a sponsored subscription.
· Identify the underrepresented areas and
generate strategies for individual recruitment.
Publications
Chair: Sven Ouzman, South Africa.
Committee: George Abungu, Kenya; Cristobal Gnecco,
Colombia; Cornelius Holtorf, Sweden; Arek Marciniak,
Poland; Naoko Matsumoto, Japan; Martin Wobst,
USA; Larry Zimmerman, USA
The World Archaeological Congress (WAC) Publications
Committee seeks to solicit, encourage and facilitate
information about archaeology and its role in
wider society through a network of traditional
and new media. WAC is the world’s most culturally,
geographically, politically and theoretically
representative archaeological organisation. This
is both a strength in the breadth of perspective
it offers, and a challenge in that achieving consensus
can be difficult. Debate is always vigorous, even
on the matter of how best to disseminate archaeological
knowledge. Books are usually expensive, Anglophone,
and supportive of a small publishing hegemony.
Internet texts assume people have the means, ability
and inclination regularly to access the worldwide
web. Oral presentations and performances are time
and cost-intensive, reaching small audiences.
Audio-video productions require equipment and
privilege especially the sense of vision.
Thus, the most adequate way of ensuring archaeological
knowledge is both created and consumed by the
widest possible audience is to embrace all of
these fora; as well as others that emerge or are
created. Further, recognising the need for different
kinds of publications—from specialist to
general consumption—is a key driving force
of the Committee. In addition, the WAC Publications
Committee seeks to connect authors—of whatever
medium being used—with colleagues working
in similar media and with publication outlets
that ensure each kind of publication is of the
highest quality; even providing a template for
future work in that form of presentation.
Each work submitted to the Publications Committee
is distributed to key people in that field located
within WAC’s extensive network for appropriate,
non-exclusive peer comment. Additionally, the
WAC Publications Committee sources a range of
‘publishers’ in traditional and new
media who accord with WAC’s aims of open
access to knowledge via multi-language translations,
low point-of-sale cost; provision of free copies,
Creative Commons licensing, links to initiatives
such as WAC’s Global Libraries Project,
and so forth. Surplus funds generated from WAC
publications—from which no individual will
derive royalties—are used to aid Indigenous
participation at conferences; as seed money for
worthy projects, subventions towards other publications
and so forth.
As WAC’s membership and goals change over
time, the policies and workings of the WAC Publications
Committee will be evaluated on a regular basis—such
as at Congresses—welcoming input from all
WAC members and interested outsiders. We welcome
submissions or work and advice for the functioning
of the Committee, hoping not to prove correct
Oscar Wilde’s observation that “committees
are avenues into which good ideas are led and
strangled”
Public Education
Chair: Don Hensen, UK.
Committee: Arwa Badran, Jordon; Marcia Bezerra,
Brazil; Sarah Colley, Australia; Gunes Duru, Turkey;
Paloma Gonzalez, Spain; Vladimir Ionesov, Russia; Steve Nichols, Australia; Katsuyuki Okamura, Japan; Renata Wolynec, USA.
WAC is an international forum for anyone who
is concerned with the study of the past. The Public
Education Committee promotes public interest in
the past in all countries, especially disadvantaged
nations, through appropriate training and education,
teaching practices that accommodate non-traditional
audiences and the development of interpretative
practices that are sensitive to the values of
different cultures. This committee recognises
the need to make archaeological studies relevant
to the wider community and encourages educators,
interpreters, and archaeologists to involve the
public in the preservation and protection of cultural
heritage.
Repatriation
Chairs: Cressida FForde, U.K. and Joe Watkins,
USA.
Committee: Franchesca Cubillo, Australia; Lawrence
Foanaota, Solomon Islands; Jane Hubert, UK; Kathryn
Last, UK; Robert Layton, UK; Paul Turnbull, Australia;
Bob Weatherall, Australia.
WAC recognizes that human remains and objects
of special cultural importance have different
layers of meaning to many different groups of
people. WAC's Repatriation Committee, working
within frameworks established by the WAC Code
of Ethics and the Vermillion Accord of 1989, as
well as Statement 2 of the Indigenous Inter-Congress
held at Waipapa Marae in November 2005 and adopted
by the WAC Council at its meeting in Osaka, Japan
in January 2006, facilitates the dialogue on repatriation
issues.
Through sessions at WAC Congresses and Inter-Congresses,
we work to provide avenues for discussion about
this special issue. In addition, the Repatriation
Committee, with the support of its international
membership, provides varied perspectives and insights
on the impact of local, national, and international
debate and policy on repatriation issues.
Students
WAC Student Committee (WACSC) website
Chair: Akira Matsuda, Japan.
Committee:
Arwa Badran (Jordan)
María Florencia Becerra (Argentina)
Ranjan Kumar Datta (Norway)
Ali Ghobadi (USA)
Stelios Lekakis (Greece)
Dru McGill (USA)
Susanne Montanna Jones (Australia)
Anastasia Sakellariadi (Greece)
Elina Sultanbek kyzy (Kyrgyzstan)
Diane Teeman (USA)
Jordi Teixidor (Spain)
Edith Thomas-Anderson (USA)
The objective of the Students’ Committee
is to develop student representation and involvement
in WAC. This means not only the expansion of student
membership across the world, but also to incorporate
more student voices into WAC discussions and activities.
By orchestrating student participation, which
is often regarded as secondary in importance to
archaeological Congresses, in a timely manner,
the Committee will promote innovative and thought-provoking
discussions originating from WAC student members.
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