VSG Meeting Minutes

April 5, 7pm

Washington, D.C.

Present:

Chair: Nora Taylor; Executive Committee: Ann Marie Leshkowich; Steve Graw, Kim Loan Hill

VSG Members: 25

Meeting convened at 7pm.

Announcements: At this year’s 2002 AAS there were 7 panels relating to Vietnam. Vietnam Studies Group sponsored 2 panels: panel 109: Locality and Practice: Reinterpreting Vietnamese Christianity, organized by Michelle Thompson and panel 128: Ethnic Dynamics and Policies in Vietnam.

Research in Vietnam Round-Table data base: Ann Marie Leshkowich announced a data base being created for graduate students to learn about research in Vietnam based on last year’s VSG sponsored round table. Participants are encouraged to submit information relating to their field research in Vietnam, i.e. topic, sponsoring institutions, visa problems, and any other information pertaining to conducting research in Vietnam to help graduate students in their preparations for field work. Contact Ann Marie Leshkowich or visit the VSG web site for details: aleskow@holycross.edu

The Chair gave a summary of the SEAC meeting on Thursday and the meeting with the AAS officers. This was the last year for Border Crossing subventions but incoming president David Ludden emphasized the need to “internationalize AAS” and encourage Asians to participate in the meetings. AAS will continue to offer travel subsidies for Asian nationals on a select basis. The Border Crossing portion of the AAS program will continue but without subventions. The AAS also encourages country groups to propose panels for the ICAS which will be held in Singapore August 19-22, 2003. SEAC will sponsor two panels and receive funds for participants from the region.

SEAC sponsored a shipment of books from Hy Van Luong’s office to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

Budget: VSG currently has $2,067.64 in its budget. This sum was not reported at the VSG meeting because of change over in leadership and miscommunication from AAS. AAS has now sent the financial statement to the current chair. Any suggestions for use of VSG funds are welcome.

Elections:

Two Executive Committee members’ terms ended in 2002:

Carl Thayer, Political Science, University of New South Wales

Ann Marie Leshkowich, Anthropology, College of the Holy Cross

VSG members present at the meeting nominated two additional members: Frank Proshan, Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution and Oscar Salemink, Anthropology, Amsterdam. The nominations were seconded and audience voted “aye” for their election.

Current Executive Committee is as follows:

Nora Taylor, Art History, Arizona State University (Chair) term ending in 2005

Hy Van Luong, Anthropology, Toronto, (Outgoing Chair) term ending in 2005

Helen Chauncy, History, U of Victoria, 2004

Martin Grossheim, History, Germany, 2004

Steve Graw, Rural Sociology, Cornell, 2004

Shaun Malarney, Anthropology, Tokyo, 2004

Michael DiGregorio, Geography, Ford Foundation, Hanoi, 2004

Kim Loan Hill, History and Language, San Diego, 2003

Oscar Salemink, Anthropology, Amsterdam, 2005

Frank Proshan, Anthropology, Smithsonian, 2005

Judith Henchy, Editor VSG homepage and manager of listserve, ex-officio

Andrew Wells Dang and Susan Hammond of the Fund for Reconciliation announced the presence of Mac Duong, former head of the Institute of Social Sciences in Ho Chi Minh City, and Nguyen Thi Xuan Mai formerly head of ISSHO's International Cooperation Department at the AAS meetings.

Discussion:

The Chair proposed a discussion over the role of the VSG and Shawn McHale proposed that there be more annoucements of publications and book reviews on the web site.

Proposals for 2003 meeting were not discussed.

Meeting adjourned at 8:30pm

Nora Taylor

Assistant Professor

Southeast Asian Art History

Interdisciplinary Humanitities Program

Arizona State University

P. O. Box 870302

Tempe, AZ 85287-0302

Office: 480-727-6748

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