The annual conference of the Australian Anthropological Society was held in person from 28 November to 1 December 2023. The theme for the 2023 conference was vulnerabilities, conceptualised as entailing uncertain and potentially risky kinds of exposure and openness to forces that transcend the individual, the local, and the human.

Tuesday November 28 involved a popular afternoon program of activities for postgraduate students. The conference then opened with an invigorating Welcome to Country by Uncle Chris Tobin and an exciting keynote by Professor Carolyn Rouse (Princeton). Carolyn’s talk, Live Free and Die: How Ontologies of Freedom Are Killing Americans, explored declining life expectancies for white Americans in a Californian county. Executive Dean Chris Dixon addressed the conference plenary, which featured lightening contributions on the topic of vulnerabilities by Dean of the School, Professor Tess Lea, Anthropology Discipline Chair, Dr Eve Vincent, as well as Dr Muhammed Kavesh (ANU) and Professor Heidi Norman (Associate Dean (Indigenous), UTS). This dynamic event was hosted by Dr Chris Vasantkumar. Professor Susanna Trnka (Auckland) delivered our final keynote to a packed and highly engaged audience on Friday morning, Emotional Entanglements, Vulnerability, and the Search for Recognition: A New Kind of Health.

During the conference, a digital exhibition devoted to the conference theme, featuring over 40 images, screened at Arts Concierge. MQ Anthropology alumni, Dr Max Harwood, curated a beautiful day-long ethnographic film showcase. The conference reception was held in the rooftop garden and a fun conference dinner was hosted at UBar. Authors delighted in launching their books in our Readers and Writers Lounge. There are many people to thank for making this such an amazing conference, which was greatly enjoyed by 240 delegates.

Organising committee: Eve Vincent (chair), Lisa Wynn, Anna-Karina Hermkens, Chris Vasantkumar, Sara Kim Hjortborg, Selvaraj Velayutham, Greg Downey, Jaap Timmer, Chris Houston, Banu Senay.

Conference administrator: Kais Al-Momani

AAS Volunteers: Tasmia Jahangir, Ture Sahin, Jesse Negro, Daniel Tranter-Santoso, Anmarie Dabinet, Noor Tanriverdi, Sadaf Zahra, Katherine Fletcher, Max Harwood.

Thanks also to:

  • Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Chris Dixon
  • Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Tess Lea
  • Operations Manager, School of Social Sciences, Payel Ray as well as school administrator, Emma Jago.
  • The Arts Operations team: Cate Redman, Emma Shaw, Felicity Hopkinson
  • Audio Visual Services: Ryan Soares and David Morgan.
  • Campus Events: Rob McElliot
  • The Arts Concierge team. In particular, thanks to Erinn Branagh and Abby Valvekens.
  • Tasia Doukakis and the team at Cult did a wonderful job with the catering.