MASN (Moving Anthropology Student Network) is an independent association and open platform to connect and create. The term ‘student’ should be understood in a broader sense, with it, the network is open for all those who are interested in social and cultural anthropology, who like to share their experience and promote a mutual learning process. Initiated in 2005 as a network of and for students from all over the world, it today brings students and professionals together through the regular MASN conferences, which are hosted by changing groups of people in different countries once or twice a year. Our aim is to forge the exchange of knowledge and experience on a face-to-face basis and through the worldwide web, especially via our homepage which provides room for discussion, reflexivity on the different approaches to anthropology throughout the world, and creative space for new ideas.
What is it about?
Since the very beginning the initiators of MASN aimed to keep the development of the network as open as possible to guarantee unlimited movement of people and ideas by providing space for its dynamics to evolve into many different directions. Today MASN is connecting several hundred anthropologists and people interested in anthropological issues from over 60 countries worldwide. It is considered to be an open platform following a bottom-up approach. The homepage with its interest groups are understood as virtual connection tools offering open discussions and information forums to its members, which not only support, but define who we are.
Apart from the ongoing interactions in the virtual space, the MASN conferences are central for this network. Organized in its entirety by local or regional MASN groups, they focus on providing the ground for face-to-face interaction among the participants. Presentations, roundtables, workshops and fringe events often elaborate on works in progress, final projects, methodological approaches, academic cultures from different angles and perspectives. The previous eight MASN Conferences were held all over Europe (Austria, Croatia, Poland (2x), Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Ireland) and each one happened to be a great success. Paper reviews, accommodation, side programmes, funding, were coordinated by ‘young scholars’ for ‘young scholars’ without any established hierarchical structures.
How can I participate in this social network?
You are invited to use the provided communication facilities to get in touch and communicate with other students. If you have questions contact a local coordinator or an admin. Everybody is a node in the network, so feel free to publish your information on the MASN homepage, or just contact people who can advise you how to virtually connect within a specific topic. Be part of the network, get to know your colleagues on a transnational level, exchange anthropological information and of course, participate in one of the conferences or smaller MASN meetings.
About this website
This is the third official main MASN website since the installment of the first in 2005. Due to various software-update, administrator and copyright difficulties our previous projects movinganthropology.org (which is the same site as movinganthropology.de) with over 2500 members, and movinganthropology.ning.com have been abandoned. This new site, which runs under the wordpress and buddypress software, seems capable of fulfilling our many needs as a non-centered, non-hierarchical network (with virtually no or no great financial basis), run by actors or actresses connected through MASN and maintained by a small group of volunteers from all over the world.
The administrators of this site, some with more, some with only basic IT skills, are all volunteers dedicated to the network, recognized by MASNers during MASN conferences or coordination meetings. Our aim is to always maintain a larger group of administrators from various countries. One, so that the responsibility over the site doesn’t just fall into the hands of only one or two people. Two, to that there is always a greater possibility of having website-admins present at MASN conferences or network/coordination meetings, to gather the current impressions and ideas circulating in the MASN and insert these into or combine these with the website as far as possible. In the past, it has shown as a great advantage to especially include those people as admins who have visited at least one face-to-face official international MASN meeting, and/or who are in constant contact with others of the persistent MASN members. Still, we are always interested in newcomers, outsiders or autochthonous opinions and comments, that can be shared among other opportunities on this side, visit the group MIT. And we are constantly open for help from outside. If you are interested in becoming an admin of this site, contact one or more of the current admins or come to one of the MASN conferences or meetings to talk to us.
We’re looking forward to meet you!
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