Applied Associations

COPAA has ties with other anthropology organizations through its membership, some commonly-shared goals, interest in supporting and connecting students and faculty to practitioners and to each other. It is also open to working with members of Local Practitioner Organizations and with regional anthropological societies.

Brief description and focus of these organizations:

Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA)

The SfAA was incorporated as an international scientific society for applied social scientists in 1941. The SfAA has about 2775 members. The annual meeting takes place in March or April.

National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA)

NAPA was established as a section of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) in 1983 as an organization of applied and practicing anthropologists. NAPA has about 600 members. NAPA sponsors sessions at the Annual Meeting of the AAA.

American Anthropological Association (AAA)

The American Anthropological Association is the world’s largest association for professional anthropologists, with more than 10,000 members. It covers all four main fields of anthropology (cultural anthropology, biological/physical anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology).

Networked Communities

Business Anthropology Community

An online community hub for anthropologists focused on business. Their aims include: Enlarge the discussion on the value of business anthropology intellectually and practically to current and aspiring practitioners, scholars, and employers; Share business anthropology scholarship and ideas for educating business anthropologists; Enable professional networking and expand career opportunities.

Missing Link Studios

A narrative media and design collaborative dedicated to socializing and translating the power and value of social science research for businesses, educators, and social impact-oriented organizations. Services include podcast and narrative production, (such as This Anthro Life), website design and digital branding, and public media outreach. Collaborators welcome!

Local Practitioner Organizations (LPOs)

LPOs are regionally based applied and practicing anthropology organizations. They are organized according to their unique regional needs; some meet monthly while others meet less frequently, or annually. Here is a partial list of active LPOs: