36th Annual Conference March 31-‐April 1, 2016 University Place Hotel and Conference Center Portland, Oregon Wisdom sits in Places
In his book Wisdom Sits in Places, Keith Basso suggested that place making involves multiple acts of remembering and imagining which inform each other in complex ways. The 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness will discuss how “wisdom sits in places” the ways in which people remember and imagine the realms in which they live.
Nicole I. Torres, Program Chair, 2016
PRESIDENT’S WELCOME
Welcome to the 36th Annual Spring Conference of the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness. As an academic organization, SAC is grounded in the anthropological research of consciousness while simultaneously extending the boundaries of academia by integrating multiple disciplines and forms of experience. We support rigorous and empirically-‐based inquiries into consciousness and engage ethnographic, scientific, experiential, historical, artistic and alternative ways of knowing. Conference participants represent a diverse and multidisciplinary gathering of scholars, artists, students, performers and consciousness-‐related practitioners. We are thrilled to have you join us! This year, our conference theme explores Place, Space, and Consciousness. Place making involves multiple acts of remembering and imagining which inform each other in complex ways. Over the course of three days and nights, we will discuss how “wisdom sits in places” -‐ the ways in which people remember and imagine the realms in which they live. We are honored to have one of our SAC elders (wisdom, not age), Tina Fields, as the keynote speaker this year. Her talk, “I am He as You are He as You are Me, and We are All Together” – Fostering Ecopsychological Relationships with Space stems from a lifetime of experience reconnecting people with Nature. Each annual conference is a gathering of old and new faces, a community of practice bound by related interests, keen inquiry, and an open heartedness that holds the space for any and all ideas presented. I have been honored to be part of this “family” for 16 years, and even more so to be given the role of President. I would like to thank all of my colleagues for the support and encouragement. So many dedicated and enthusiastic members and supporters of SAC have come together to make this conference possible. I wish to acknowledge program coordinator Nicole Torres for her diligent work in organizing this and last year’s conference. I also wish to recognize Andy Gurevich for his service as site coordinator. Special thanks to the SAC Board for all of the tremendous work and dialogue as we move into the digital future and expand our presence. Finally, deep gratitude goes out to Diane Hardgrave, our recent President who carried SAC through challenging times with dignity and courage. Without the strength of character of these individuals, SAC could not be what it is. Thank you all. During our time together, I encourage you to create new connections and friendships. If you are new to SAC, please consider becoming a member. If you are already a member, I thank you and invite you to increase your involvement with SAC. On behalf of the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness I warmly welcome each and every one of you.
Sincerely,
Bryan Rill President,
Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness
