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Anthropology Scholarship & Professional Activity Statement Recommended for approval by Senate Approval Accepted by Dean, Fall 2014 Department of Anthropology
I.
Scholarship and Professional Activity.
Introduction to Research and Scholarship in Anthropology
Volume IV of the Ithaca College Policy Manual stresses the achievement of excellence in
scholarship and professional activities and the many forms this can take from research,
publications and applied work to musical performances and exhibits. For purposes of tenure and
promotion, the Anthropology Department, along with the Ithaca College Policy Manual (Volume
4.12.7), follows the Boyer model of recognizing the many types scholarship can take. In this
introductory section, further elaboration on the nature of scholarship across the many subdisciplines of anthropology is provided.
Research is the foundation of scholarship and has a symbiotic relationship with it. Research is
the investigative, integrative, applied or creative work that a faculty member conducts in her or
his area of specialization. As such, research can be a part of any of the Boyer types of
scholarship. It is the way we each generate new knowledge, whether it is an experiment,
investigative field research or a new piece of music. Research is integrally related to teaching in
that it is the way we connect our own personal knowledge base with that of others. The
development of research into scholarship and pedagogy further enhances and informs the
research. Scholarship involves the dissemination of research. Dissemination is the step by which
others, especially peers and public audiences in both academic and non-academic venues, are
presented with the research.
The field of Anthropology encompasses the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities and
as such embraces research and scholarship of many different forms, both quantitative and
qualitative. There are numerous publications and journals in anthropology specifically
addressing the key role of qualitative methods and anthropology’s leadership in the social
sciences in furthering the development of this methodology.
In addition to the articles and books that have traditionally comprised scholarship, many
professionals now engage in “Applied Anthropology” – a sub-discipline that stresses the active
applications of anthropological knowledge and methods to the solution of societal and cultural
issues. The emphasis in applied anthropology is on demonstrable results and improvement of
human lives, rather than on the production of traditional scholarship. Applied anthropologists
engage in work with communities and organizations to address human needs.
Applied anthropology is different from service in that it integrates engagement with community
institutions or community members with research, advocacy, intervention work and pedagogy.
The engagement is an integral part of the activity, which separates it from simple “service” to the
community. This engagement is carried out primarily using anthropological perspectives and
methods. Where the anthropologist is a part of an interdisciplinary team, however, their work
may not be so easily distinguishable and their scholarship may not be as easy to recognize. In
such cases their engagement may lead to co-authorship of reports and publications by the faculty
member and community members or agency personnel with whom the scholar may be
collaborating.
1 Anthropology Scholarship & Professional Activity Statement Recommended for approval by Senate Approval Accepted by Dean, Fall 2014 There is obviously overlap between the goals of applied anthropology and the Scholarship of
Application, defined by Boyer. In light of this, the department of anthropology emphasizes that
professional organizations such as the Consortium of Practicing and Applied Anthropology
(COPAA), the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA), the Society for
Applied Anthropology (SfAA), the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) Applied
Ethnomusicology Section and related organizations have recognized the unique nature of
scholarship in this field. In response, these professional organizations have convened committees
to specifically identify standardized bases for evaluating applied scholarship directly related to
tenure and promotion. Following the informed deliberations of these professional organizations,
we add the following considerations as forms of scholarship within our department.
Professional and Technical Reports
Many anthropologists in the academy also work for and consult with outside organizations on a
wide range of projects from ethnobotanical analyses, forensic case studies and nutritional
assessments to international development and health care recommendations. It is important to
recognize that professional and technical reports written for contracting or funding agencies, as
well as for community organizations or groups for whom the anthropologist may be working in
the service of or in cooperation with, be considered scholarship when they are peer-reviewed at
different levels within and/or outside of the agency, group or the academy. The outcome of such
work may also be disseminated through publication in peer reviewed journals such as Human
Organization or in professionally edited newsletters or bulletins such as Practicing
Anthropology.
Restricted Reports
Traditional scholarship criteria that focus on publications in peer-reviewed journals or through
recognized academic publishing houses can be problematic for applied anthropologists who
work under contracts that prohibit using agency data or reports for purposes other than those that
explicitly address agency concerns. Professionals within the agency who are qualified to
acknowledge the expert contributions of the anthropologist evaluate such reports. Where applied
work takes place under such restrictions, it is important for the anthropologist to provide
documentation from the agency that highlights their specific contributions and ways that their
work was disseminated and made an impact in relevant areas of the project and perhaps beyond.
While such work may not reach wider audiences due to confidentiality issues, it is recognized as
scholarship.
It must be recognized that project outcome reports, such as the professional or restricted reports
defined above, are often read more widely than articles published in journals. For the purposes of
evaluation and promotion, it can be problematic that such reports commonly have multiple
authors. The reality of applied and consultancy work is that practitioners commonly are a part of
multi-disciplinary teams that include academics, community practitioners, technical experts and
so on, and all substantial contributors are commonly included for authorship on reports. This
should be considered strongly by readers of the file who might value single-authored works more
highly.
Anthropology Department recommends that readers of promotion files also recognize, when the
candidate is working in the field of Applied Anthropology, that it is an emergent field that
accepts and rewards alternative forms of publication, dissemination and impact of applied work.
2 Anthropology Scholarship & Professional Activity Statement Recommended for approval by Senate Approval Accepted by Dean, Fall 2014 The discipline of anthropology gives significant weight to research and scholarly endeavors that
are publically relevant, have the goal of improving some condition of life for the targeted
community, and are disseminated to a wider professional community within which they hold
lessons for demonstrating or advancing applied anthropological scholarship.
Other Considerations
Anthropologists work in many regions of the world and there may be expectations by the
institutions that support research in other countries that the results will be made public in their
local publishing venues. In addition, this may be the only way that local scholars can access
research information, as publication sources in the US may not be accessible to such scholars,
despite the reach of the Internet. Therefore, the Anthropology Department places equal value on
publishing results in international sources, such as national journals or international presses.
Forms of Scholarship
The department evaluates on a qualitative basis the scholarship of all faculty review candidates.
The two most important criteria are quality of the individual works in question, and their overall
significance. Because the department understands scholarship as encompassing a wide range of
professional activities, it is the case that the assessment of quality and significance will vary in
accordance with the type of material under consideration. The following are considered forms of
scholarship that are relevant to the process of tenure and promotion, based on best practices in
the field of anthropology and the considerations discussed above. In addition, the department
places a high value on the dissemination of scholarship in all the forms listed below to the
country and cultures where research is conducted.
The candidate’s departmental tenure and/or promotion committee shall establish the quality and
significance of the works in all the relevant forms of scholarship. “Quality” may be defined as
scholarship that is well written or performed, articulates its main analytical and conceptual
claims clearly, and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the state of the current scholarly
conversation or expertise of performance on or of the subject. “Significance” is defined as
recognition that the work has earned within the discipline, field, or profession more broadly. In
the department’s view, the most reliable indications of significance are examples drawn from the
first four categories below. For that reason, the department expects at least two examples from
among the first four categories along with examples from the other categories as well.
Significance can also be determined through evaluative judgments made by external sources.
Professional prizes or awards are understood to be measures of significance. For professional
performances, significance can be demonstrated by a request by a professional agency,
department, or organization for the performance. For tenure and promotion, the department
expects at least two examples from among the first four categories along with examples from
other categories.
1.
Books, original or edited, single or multi-authored, or co-edited. In the latter two
situations, the contribution of the candidate should be clearly defined. The department
shows no qualitative preference for books published by university, non-university or
international presses so long as they have a delineated peer-review procedure.
2.
Articles in peer-reviewed journals. If co-authored, the contribution of the candidate
should be clearly defined. The department encourages its faculty to publish in both
3 Anthropology Scholarship & Professional Activity Statement Recommended for approval by Senate Approval Accepted by Dean, Fall 2014 national and international journals, especially since the latter are often the only means by
which international scholars have access to the work of U.S. investigators.
3.
Articles in professional publications. These sources are respected publication sources in
the field, but may not have a policy of peer-review of articles. In such cases, the review
process may be an editorial board or even an editor. All such publications have earned
their respect through the quality of articles that have appeared in their pages, and so
warrant acceptance.
4.
Works of creative or artistic expression. These are individual or collaborative
applications of academic, artistic, technical and/or creative knowledge at the local,
regional and international levels presented at professional venues. Musical and visual
performances and productions, exhibitions, works of music, art, or literature, reviews and
writings pertaining to such artistic endeavors are examples of such works. The
significance of such activities shall be determined through evaluative judgments made by
external reviewers, other information from professionals in the creative fields including
colleagues, and the public dissemination of the creative work(s). Professional reviews of
the candidate’s activities are another means to judge significance.
5.
Presentations at international, national and regional conferences and colloquia and
symposia. Presentations are based on scholarly research and may include, but are not
limited to, paper presentations, posters, and invited keynote addresses. Presentations are
usually peer-reviewed by panels and so must pass an external level of quality control. As
many anthropologists work in foreign countries, international presentations are a
significant means to share one’s scholarship with the populations and scholars that reside
there.
6.
Professional reports, evaluations or consultancies conducted for outside agencies.
Produced reports, which may not be published in publicly-accessible sources, nonetheless
reflect significant contributions to our knowledge and so constitute scholarly work.
7.
Restricted reports of research conducted for an agency that retains rights to the results of
the investigation. Where applied work takes place under such restrictions, it is important
for the anthropologist to provide documentation from the agency that highlights their
specific contributions and ways that their work was disseminated and made an impact in
relevant areas of the project and perhaps beyond.
8.
Grant writing for individual research or for major agencies. The department
acknowledges that writing a grant proposal for funding from a national or international
funding agency or philanthropic organization involves significant scholarly expertise and
fulfills the definition of scholarship listed at the beginning of this section. Even where
funding is not achieved, the act of producing a proposal is a rigorous application of
scholarship that should be recognized. Where funding is not achieved, the grant
application and reviewer comments may be included in the candidate’s tenure and
promotion file.
4 Anthropology Scholarship & Professional Activity Statement Recommended for approval by Senate Approval Accepted by Dean, Fall 2014 9.
Scholars also may engage in editing articles, books and reports. Even when the scholar
does not have a written contribution to such work, we recognize the significant expertise
that editorships entail.
10.
Review work and editorships for publications and granting agencies. Scholars are
frequently called upon to review articles and books for publication and proposals for
research from major granting agencies. Such work recognizes the candidate’s solid
expertise within a particular field or area of application.
11.
Local presentations of candidate’s expertise. On occasion, a person may be asked to
present information based on her or his expertise to a local group, in an interview, a
public presentation, on a panel discussion or as an expert witness at a court hearing. Such
work is recognition of a person’s scholarly knowledge and application. The
Anthropology Department highly values this arena of scholarship.
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