Interactive Table of Contents
A Hybrid Meeting
The 2021 AAA Annual Meeting will be hybrid, held both in Baltimore, MD from November 17-21, 2021, as well as online. Submission types from previous place-based meetings as well as last year’s Raising Our Voices Virtual Event Series will be accepted for the 2021 General Call for Papers.
With so many different submission types and opportunities to participate in the program in various ways, we invite you to use this interactive Excel tool, view this PDF flow chart, or complete this decision activity (PDF option, word option) to identify the types of submissions available to you.
Participation Eligibility
Again this year, AAA membership and Annual Meeting registration will not be required at the time of submission, but will be required if you are accepted onto the program. The deadline for all speakers/presenters to register for the Annual Meeting is October 15th at 3pm, ET.
What about my submission from the 2020 AAA Annual Meeting?
If you submitted during the General Call for Papers last year (2020) and did not email us to remove your submission after the call closed, we have transferred that submission to this year’s submission portal. Your submission will be waiting for you when you log in this year. You will be able to make edits and updates to your submission as you need/wish.
Your submission will need to be completed and submitted before the deadline of May 26th this year in order to undergo the peer review process for the 2021 AAA Annual Meeting Program. Submissions from last year’s cycle did not undergo review. Accept/decline notices will be sent to all submitters in September 2021.
Submission Options for Individuals
Individually Volunteered Paper
Individually volunteered papers are submitted by individuals who wish to present on the Annual Meeting program. During the review period, AAA section program chairs review and individually volunteered paper submissions and form them into cohesive sessions of four to seven presenters. These cohesive sessions are then evaluated by section program chairs of that section and ranked. If accepted, they are sent to the EPC to be included in the scholarly program – but are subject to further review by the EPC. Individually Volunteered papers can only be submitted to the in-person program.
Session format: In person, in Baltimore – Live
- Individual presentation length: 15 minutes
- Session length: 105 minutes
- # of session participants allowed: 1
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? YES.
- Length of individual abstracts: 250 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
- Length of overall session abstract: 500 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Paper presenter: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
Flash Presentation Session
Individual flash presentations are a rapid-fire, engaging performance of current projects/concepts via a few image rich slides, along with brief visual descriptions, and dynamic and reasonably-paced spoken content. Total presentation time is a speedy 6 minutes per presenter. Submissions should present work in progress and/or upcoming projects. During the review period, AAA section program chairs review submissions and accept or reject them. If accepted, they are sent to the EPC to be included in the scholarly program, where they’ll be assigned a timeslot with other individual flash presentations of similar thematic topics. They are subject to further review by the EPC. Individual Flash Presentations sessions will only be offered in-person.
Session format: In person, in Baltimore – Live
- If your session doesn’t match this format, please consider submitting a Talk, or another type of session.
- Session length: 5 minutes
- # of session participants allowed: 1
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? YES.
- Length of individual abstracts: 250 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Flash presenter/organizer: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
In-Person Poster
An in-person poster is submitted by a single individual and can be a traditional poster or related mode of visual display of content. Various modes of visual presentation are encouraged. If you are a poster presenter, this session type is the one for you. During the review period, AAA section program chairs review poster submissions and accept or reject them. If accepted, they are sent to the EPC to be included in the scholarly program, where they’ll be assigned a timeslot with posters of similar thematic topics. They are subject to further review by the EPC. Poster presenters are encouraged to upload their posters to the Open Anthropology Research Repository for wider circulation.
Session format: In person, in Baltimore – Live
- Session length: Place-based: 120 minutes (presenters can engage with attendees at their posters)
- # of session participants allowed: 1
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? YES.
- Length of individual abstracts: 250 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Poster presenter: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
Virtual Poster
A virtual poster is submitted by a single individual and can include a single PDF version of the body of research, with a voice (not video) recording attached (10 minutes maximum) describing the work. Alternative modes of visual presentation are welcome (but should not be multi-slided slideshows) but must be provided in an accessible format. During the review period, AAA section program chairs review poster submissions and accept or reject them. Session content will be collected after acceptance onto the program. Only an abstract is necessary at time of submission. Poster presenters are also encouraged to upload their posters to the Open Anthropology Research Repository for wider circulation.
Session format: Virtual – On-demand
- Session length: Virtual: Recordings have a maximum of 10 minutes.
- # of session participants allowed: 1
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? YES.
- Length of individual abstracts: 250 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Poster presenter: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
Talk
For submitters simply looking to present their work independently, this submission format allows for uploading slides as well as a voice recording, or a YouTube video for which a link is provided. During the review period, AAA section program chairs review talk submissions and accept or reject them. Session content will be collected after acceptance onto the program. Only an abstract is necessary at time of submission. Submitters are also encouraged to upload their presentations and/or papers to the Open Anthropology Research Repository. Talks can only be submitted to the virtual program.
Session format: Virtual – On-demand
- Session length: 20 minutes
- # of session participants allowed: 1
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? YES.
- Length of individual abstracts: 250 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Presenter: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
Three-Minute Thesis Competition
We are offering prizes for a juried competition in which graduate students who have completed (or expect to complete) their Master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation in the 2021-22 academic year will be given a chance to summarize their project in three minutes. The presentation must be understandable for a general audience, as jurors will be journalists expecting an appropriate angle for a feature news story. Three-minute thesis competition submissions can only be submitted to the virtual program. Session content will be collected after acceptance onto the program. Only an abstract is necessary at time of submission. Submitters are also encouraged to upload their presentations to the Open Anthropology Research Repository for wider circulation.
Session format: Virtual – On-demand
- Session length: 3 minutes
- # of session participants allowed: 1
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? YES.
- Length of individual abstracts: 250 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Presenter: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
Submission Options for Groups of Two or More
Oral Presentation Session
A lecture-based panel WITH seven (7), 15-minute timeslots for paper presentations and/or moderated discussion.
Session format: In person, in Baltimore – Live
- If your session doesn’t match this format, please consider submitting another type of group session type.
- Session length: 105 minutes (divided into 15-minute timeslots for paper presentations and/or discussants)
- # of session participants allowed: 6-13**
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? YES. These must be provided by the individuals designated as paper presenters.
- Length of individual abstracts: 250 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
- Length of overall session abstract: 500 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Organizers: 1 (min) to 2 (max)
- Chairs: 1 (min) to 2 (max)
- Discussants**: 0 (min) to 2 (max)
- Paper Presenters**: 4 (min) to 7 (max)
**Oral Presentation Session note: There are only seven (7), 15-minute timeslots designated for Oral Presentation sessions. Organizers and chairs do not have timed roles, and therefore do not count toward the timeslot limit. Discussant and paper presenter roles are timed, so you cannot exceed seven (7) total discussants or paper presenters for this session type.
Podcast
Podcasts are view-on-demand, audio-only formatted submissions. They are a pre-recorded discussion on a topic of the submitter’s choosing. Up to 5 participants may be included in any one podcast submission that lasts no longer than 40 minutes. Podcasts should be conversational in nature and are not limited by any specific content requirements. Podcasts are submitted during the general call for papers period as final, fully-formed sessions. These submissions are peer reviewed, evaluated, and ranked by AAA section program chairs. If accepted, they are sent to the EPC to be included in the scholarly program – but are subject to further review by the EPC. Session content will be collected after acceptance onto the program. Only an abstract is necessary at time of submission. Podcasts can only be submitted to the virtual program.
Session format: Virtual – On-demand
- Session length: 40 minutes
- # of session participants allowed: 2-7
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? NO.
- Length of individual abstracts: N/A
- Length of overall session abstract: 500 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Organizer: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
- Host: 1 (min) to 2 (max)
- Guest: 1 (min) to 4 (max)
Roundtable/Town Hall
A discussion-based panel WITHOUT papers or timed 15-minute presentations.
Session format: In person, in Baltimore OR Virtual – Both Live
- Session length: 105 minutes
- # of session participants allowed: 6-13
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? NO.
- Length of individual abstracts: N/A
- Length of overall session abstract: 500 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Organizers: 1 (min) to 2 (max)
- Chairs: 1 (min) to 2 (max)
- Discussants: 0 (min) to 2 (max)
- Roundtable Presenters: 4 (min) to 7 (max)
Conversation / Debate
Conversations or Debates are engaging sessions WITHOUT papers or timed 15-minute presentations. Participants engage in a traditional-style debate led by one or two moderators, followed by a brief question and answer session for audience members. No papers are presented in this format, and participation in a conversation or debate session is weighted equally to that of delivering a paper presentation. Conversations or Debates are submitted during the general call for papers period as final, fully-formed sessions. These submissions are peer reviewed, evaluated, and ranked by AAA section program chairs. If accepted, they are sent to the EPC to be included in the scholarly program – but are subject to further review by the EPC.
Virtual Conversations or Debates will be presented, recorded, and captioned in real time. Participants must agree to be recorded, and to have their recordings posted online through the end of December 2021.
Session format: In person, in Baltimore OR Virtual – Both Live
- Session length: 105 minutes
- # of session participants allowed: 2-6
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? NO.
- Length of individual abstracts: N/A
- Length of overall session abstract: 500 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Organizers: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
- Moderator: 1 (min) to 2 (max)
- Speaker: 2 (min) to 4 (max)
Interview
Interviews are one-on-one conversations in which a host interviews one person about a topic, engaging in a lively discussion, followed by a question and answer session for audience members. This event should be conversational in nature and should not include a recitation of papers. Participation in an interview is weighted equally to that of delivering a paper presentation. Interviews are submitted during the general call for papers period as final, fully-formed sessions. These submissions are peer reviewed, evaluated, and ranked by AAA section program chairs. If accepted, they are sent to the EPC to be included in the scholarly program – but are subject to further review by the EPC.
Interviews will be presented, recorded, and captioned in real time. Participants must agree to be recorded, and to have their recordings posted online through the end of December 2021.
Session format: In person, in Baltimore OR Virtual – Both Live
- Session length: 105 minutes
- # of session participants allowed: 2
Abstracts?
- Does it allow for individual abstracts? NO.
- Length of individual abstracts: N/A
- Length of overall session abstract: 500 word maximum (and a 50 word minimum)
Role limits:
- Organizers: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
- Interviewer: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
- Interviewee: 1 (min) to 1 (max)
Reminders and Updates:
- Eligibility: All Annual Meeting participants must be paid Annual Meeting registrants AND have active memberships through November 22. Registration and membership reminders will be sent to all program participants after the preliminary program is announced in late-summer.
- Ability to present as a nonmember: Anthropologists outside of the United States or Canada, or non-anthropologists, may request a Non-Member Guest Presenter Rate, but meeting registration is still required. Non-member guest presenter rates must be requested by Friday, April 30, 2021.
- Financial assistance: For financial assistance with registration, please complete the Program Chair Waiver application prior to Friday, April 30, 2021. The completion of an application does not guarantee a waiver will be awarded.
- Elimination of double sessions: The task force discontinued double sessions in 2014 to standardize the time unit for panels and address scheduling burdens. However, organizers can submit a series of single sessions (i.e. Part I, Part II) that will be individually reviewed and ranked by its merit. Part II may be accepted while Part I may not. The Executive Program Committee (EPC) will make every effort to ensure that accepted in part series are scheduled in proper order, but can’t make guarantees.
- AAA CFP online submission portal: AAA is continuing to use an online submissions portal powered by our vendor, CadmiumCD. All sessions and items for consideration of inclusion in the 2021 AAA Hybrid Annual Meeting program MUST be submitted through this online portal — no exceptions. For technical assistance, please use the technical assistance tab in the online portal, or contact the AAA Meetings Team.
- Submission deadlines and time stamps: It is very important that submitters pay attention to all dates and time stamps outlined on this page and throughout the online submission portal. If a time stamp is listed, such as 3 p.m. ET, that is a hard deadline and the online portal will not allow any entries after that time. AAA staff are here to help and are happy to assist within our designated office hours of Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET. AAA appreciates your patience and understanding!
Submit Portal Closed
Only the submitter will be able to access group submissions through the button to the submission portal below. If you are named on a submission, you must use the link you receive in your email from that submission to log in.
The Submission Portal is closed.
Deadlines
- Friday, May 21, 2021 – 3 PM Eastern Time
- Deadline for General Call for Papers Submissions to be started in the Portal
- New submissions not accepted after this time.
- Wednesday, May 26, 2021 – 3 PM Eastern Time
- Deadline for General Call for Papers Submissions to be completed in the Portal
Accept/decline notifications will be sent during the week of September 13.