Agency

CASCA has more than 500 members from across the country and the world. 

We are proud of the past successes of CASCA. CASCA priorities are:

1. to lobby funding agencies as necessary to ensure continuing financial support for anthropological research;
2. to commit to excellence in Canadian anthropology graduate programmes and in the teaching of undergraduate anthropology; and
3. to provide a platform to anthropologists practicing the discipline outside of academia.

One of the priorities that CASCA has identified is to engage more fully with SSHRC and CIHR in the unique positioning of anthropology in their bodies and to ensure anthropological study, methods and analysis are sufficiently represented in peer-review across the committees. As the association representing Canadian anthropologists, CASCA communicates to the federal government, to the provincial governments as well as the funding agencies the necessity of basic research in anthropology and the social sciences. We must strive to ensure that anthropology is not marginalized when funding is allocated and to do this we must explain clearly the contribution that anthropology makes to Canadian society.

Given the worldwide financial crisis and the looming government deficits, university funding is at risk and students will be asking themselves the age old question: "What job can I get as an anthropologist?" More than ever, CASCA must play a positive role in understanding where our graduates do end up working and how their anthropological training helps them in their careers. CASCA must represent the broad base of Canadian anthropologists across academies and practices, and the CASCA Executive is committed to working with all anthropologies to ensuring that our association meets the needs of the broadest spectrum of anthropologists working in Canada.

To do this, CASCA is working on developing new communication and networking tools to bring together anthropologists and to facilitate sharing of knowledge and communication. We will strive to ensure that our collective voice is heard.To do this, CASCA will continue to work closely with organizations such as the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, and the World Council of Anthropological Associations.

CASCA is and remains your association. We encourage you to become active in CASCA and to work with fellow members in promoting our discipline across the country and the world.