In an interview on “The Marc Bernier Show” on WNDB-AM in Daytona Beach, Florida’s Governor Rick Scott favors spending money on science and math degrees; however, was quoted saying that Florida “doesn’t need a lot more anthropologists in this state.” Read Michael C. Bender’s entire post on The Buzz – a political blog of the St. Petersburg Times
As a political leader with significant national and international influence, we at the American Anthropological Association think it is unfortunate that Governor Scott would characterize anthropology in such a short-sighted way. As a discipline that has a rich and robust history, anthropology has made numerous contributions to the study of cultures both foreign and domestic, and has helped us understand humankind. Anthropologists are leaders in our nation’s top science fields, from groundbreaking discoveries in public health to homeland security, and anthropologists work in various arenas, due to the diversity of the field in science and the humanities.
Download (.pdf) the official response to Governor Scott from the American Anthropological Association: http://www.aaanet.org/issues/policy-advocacy/upload/Letter-to-Gov-Scott.PDF
Blog readers, what do you have to say to Governor Scott?
Drop us a comment or leave your blog link and we’ll post it here.
- One recent grad speaks out on their blog – benthropology
- A perspective from a biological anthropologist – Powered by Osteons
- Neuroanthropology nicely rounds-up the coverage
Filed under: Advocacy, Anthro in the Media, Commentary Tagged: | anthropology exodus, anti-anthropolgy, Governor Rick Scott, Michael C. Bender, St. Petersburg Times, The Buzz, The Marc Bernier Show, WNDB-AM
Captain Primate also writes letter to the Governor: http://bit.ly/qv1d7r
Follow more AAA member comments on Twitter (@AmericanAnthro) and Facebook (/AmericanAnthropologicalAssociation)
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We shouldn’t waste time hating him, we should try proving him wrong.
Although I detest Scott’s proposal, as a business anthropologist, I regretfully admit to understanding his position. Gov. Scott’s a professional VC, anthropologists often have misleading job titles, and anthropology schools really do need to step up their career resource centers. Here’s my rationale, http://ashkuff.com/akaBlog/?p=5687
[...] Is Governor Scott asking for an anthropologist exodus in Florida – American Anthropological Association (Oct. 11, 2011) [...]
I comented this issue in my blog (in spanish, I live in Argentina):
http://pablogrodriguez.blogspot.com/2011/11/el-gobernador-de-forida-quiere-suprimir.html