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Re: The New AM AnthropologistPatricia Clay (pclay@WHSUN1.WH.WHOI.EDU)Thu, 6 Oct 1994 10:13:05 -0400
> Isn't anyone besides me disturbed by this issue? Actually, I did find it disturbing. But I'm not sure that was bad. It made me very uncomfortable: all that personal information and soul searching. It gave me the willies. However, as I thought about why I felt uncomfortable I also decided that part of it was for precisely the reasons that the various authors brought up -- and *that* I liked. Issues had been raised that are, in fact, not socially acceptable. They had trodden on my professional taboos. Isn't this one of the time honored anthropological ways of learning? Accidentally (or in this case on purpose -- which is somewhat problematic...) breaking a rule and then having people explain why that was a wrong thing to do... It made me think, and that is what a good journal should do. I sincerely hope, though, every issue doesn't concentrate on this same style of writing. It verges a little much on what I dislike about postmodernism. (But let's not start that war up again.) I don't mind occasional non-academic style or self-studies, but I don't want the AA to become primarily that. > What bothers me > most about it is the heavy editorial hand evidently being taken by > the new editors. I had heard rumors that people (mostly from > biological anthropology) had submitted manuscripts to them, only > to have them returned, unreviewed, with a note to the effect that > they don't match the new editors' vision of the journal Now this is a whole other kettle of fish! I had not heard any of this and it disturbs me in a way I don't find interesting *or* thought-provoking. Much as I find myself specializing and specializing, I strongly believe in 4-fields grounding as necessary to maintain a holistic perspective. A journal has the right to reject manuscripts that are outside the range of its interests, but I don't like the idea that biological anthropology is outside the range of the AA's interests. True, there's not that much bio anth at the AAA meetings anymore, but that's all the more reason to keep it in the journal. Trish Clay **************************************************************************** Dr. Patricia M. Clay, Anthropologist voice: 508-548-5123 National Marine Fisheries Service fax: 508-548-5124 Northeast Fisheries Science Center email: pclay@whsun1.wh.whoi.edu 166 Water St. Woods Hole, MA 02536 Favorite quote: "So what do you U.S.A. study? The social behavior of fish? ****************************************************************************
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