The American Studies Association 2018 annual meeting examined how transnational histories shape contemporary cultural politics. Scholars highlighted shifting power relations, digital infrastructures, and community-based research in the United States and beyond.
Participants debated the ethics of knowledge production, climate justice, and the legacies of empire in everyday institutions. The conference foregrounded collaborative methods and public engagement across disciplines.
| Theme Track | Key Focus | Notable Panel | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Migration & Citizenship | Border regimes, labor, belonging | Documenting Sanctuary Cities | Policy briefs for local governments |
| Digital Cultures | Platforms, archives, activism | Data Justice and Race | Open-access teaching modules |
| Indigenous Sovereignties | Land, law, oral tradition | Repatriation Protocols | Community-curated exhibits |
| Public Humanities | Museums, education, outreach | Curating Difficult Knowledge | Partnership guidelines |
Transnational Histories And Cultural Production
Scholars traced circuits of art, literature, and media across borders to rethink American cultural history. Panels explored diasporic film, print cultures, and soundscapes as forms of resistance and connection.
Thematic threads linked migration studies with aesthetic innovation, showing how marginalized creators reshaped national narratives. Archival work and collaborative methods enriched understandings of belonging and exclusion.
Race, Gender, And Social Movements
Intersectional analyses highlighted how race and gender structure institutions from classrooms to courts. Discussions connected #BlackLivesMatter, Indigenous feminisms, and labor organizing across communities.
Presenters documented everyday strategies of care and survival, emphasizing the role of universities in supporting movement building. Cross-disciplinary dialogue strengthened commitments to structural change.
Climate Justice And Settler Colonialism
Environmental humanities scholars examined extraction, land dispossession, and resilience in coastal and urban settings. Case studies linked water rights, energy democracy, and Indigenous land stewardship.
The sessions questioned liberal climate governance and called for reparative policies that center frontline knowledge. Community-engaged projects illustrated pathways toward more accountable research practices.
Digital Methods And Public Engagement
Panels on digital methods explored platform infrastructures, data ethics, and collaborative tools for teaching. Demonstrations of mapping, visualization, and crowdsourcing showed new ways to involve publics.
Participants reflected on accessibility, labor, and representation in digital projects, aiming to reduce inequities in knowledge circulation. Shared toolkits supported broader adoption of inclusive methodologies.
Critical Reflections On Research And Advocacy
Participants outlined priorities for future ASA initiatives to deepen solidarity and impact across scholarly communities and affected publics.
- Center community knowledge and co-create research questions with partners
- Invest in digital infrastructure and training to broaden access and participation
- Strengthen climate and migration justice collaborations across fields
- Develop shared toolkits and open-access resources for teaching and advocacy
- Implement transparent evaluation practices that recognize community impact
FAQ
Reader questions
How did the 2018 ASA conference address migration and citizenship?
The conference featured panels on sanctuary cities, border regimes, and labor migration, producing policy briefs and community resources to support local advocacy and informed public dialogue.
What themes were central to the digital cultures track at the 2018 meeting?
Key themes included platform governance, data justice, racial equity in algorithms, and open-access pedagogy, with outcomes such as teaching modules and public scholarship projects.
Which sessions focused on Indigenous sovereignty and repatriation at ASA 2018?
Discussions emphasized land-based research, repatriation protocols, and community-curated exhibits, underscoring the importance of Indigenous leadership in cultural preservation and policy design.
What commitments emerged from the public humanities sessions at the conference?
Participants developed partnership guidelines and museum collaboration practices to ensure ethical, inclusive engagement with difficult histories and diverse publics.