American Anthropological Association

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

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• 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 | 7 Comments »