AIA Annual Meeting 2016

Photo (c) Constantin Pietschmann

For a few of us, this year’s AIA Annual Meeting started off on a rather sour note. Being the frugal students we are, our plan to save on airfares entailed a quick bus-trip to Seattle, followed by our flight to San Francisco. It would be simple, cheap, and get us there just in time for the opening night reception. Or so we thought. Our trip to Seattle faced a little hiccup as our bus broke down just after crossing the US border. Momentarily, we feared that we would not make it to the airport in time. Yet, undismayed and resourceful (and with the help of UBC graduate Aaron Rogers and his credit card), we managed to get a hold of a rental car. Our predicament seemed to have been averted –at least for the moment. However, fortune was ever-fickle and upon our arrival at the airport we were informed that our flight had been cancelled. Long story short- while we ultimately arrived in to San Francisco at midnight, we certainly did not make it to the reception.

Despite this rather tumultuous trip, any premonitions we might have had were dispelled the moment we set foot into the Hilton. The conference itself was bustling with all kinds of classics enthusiasts, ranging from a few, rather overwhelmed undergrads like myself, to true heavy-weights in their field. As a Romanist, I was naturally drawn to panels on some truly riveting topics, such as “Craftsmen and Patrons in the Roman World,” or a discussion on The Ides of March, in which both PhD candidates and professors presented a vast array of new perspectives. I had no idea just how difficult it could be to determine whether something could truly be considered an art “collection,” or how easily a random torso fragment could redefine our understanding of imperial statues. Those of us who were less enthused by the greatness of Roman achievements, had the option to learn about Prophecy, the Mycenaean Coast, or even “Curse Tablets and Wells in Private Houses in Antioch.” No matter which session you decided to go to, you would miss at least a handful of others that might have been equally inspiring.

However, aside from the academic panels, topics of a more dire tone overshadowed certain aspects of the 2017 Annual Meeting. The destruction of cultural heritage by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, as well as the problematic situation of the war-torn Near East could be found at the core of many discussions happening in San Francisco this year. In the workshop on “Evidence and Emergency Responses to Cultural Heritage Destruction in the Middle East,” speakers like Kathryn Hanson from the Safeguarding the Heritage of Syria and Iraq Project, and Michael Danti from The American School of Oriental Research gave discomforting insights into looting and the “cultural cleansing” of the region by radical groups. Even a representative from the FBI Art Crimes Division was present, showing just how intersectional the issue has become.

On a more positive note, the overall state of academia in classics does not look nearly as forlorn as I had come to believe. Attending two discussions of “The Future of Classical Education” and a cross-cultural examination of international scholarship (with a specific focus on how German, French and English scholars share their research), I realized that there are high hopes for aspiring scholars. Classical languages are experiencing a resurgence in the UK, and scholars are at least trying to communicate with their international colleagues.

While our trip might have not started out as smoothly as we had hoped, this year’s AIA annual meeting will definitely remain one of the highlights of 2016. Especially after finding out that Harvard hosts open-bar receptions…