Political Geography Specialty Group

Political Geography Specialty Group

Annual Report 2010

1) Mission Statement: To provide a central focus and organization for political geographers by which they can achieve scholarly growth and to improve the status and cohesion of the sub-discipline.

2) Dues Information: Dues $7 (student $3)

3) Chair/ Board of Directors / Officers Listing / Newsletter Editor / etc.

Jason Dittmer, President
University College London

Mat Coleman, Secretary/Treasurer
Ohio State University

Reece Jones
University of Hawai'i - Manoa

Katrinka Somdahl-Sands
Rowan University

Amy Mills
University of South Carolina

Corey Johnson
University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Necati Anaz, Student Representative
University of Oklahoma

4) Accomplishments

The PGSG has created a blog through which to disseminate new information for members in between newletters.

Activities Scheduled

The PGSG Pre-Conference is being held in Tacoma, WA this year in conjunction with the Space and Sexuality Specialty Group.

Future Plans and Directions

The PGSG is focused on boosting member involvement in the specialty group’s activities and governance.

Minutes of the Political Geography Specialty Group Business Meeting

Washington Marriott Woodley Park, Saturday, April 17, 2010

PGSG President Jason Dittmer called the meeting to order at 6:35 pm.

Heppen moved to approve the minutes from last year’s business meeting in Las Vegas. Approved by acclamation.

Dittmer reported on the PGSG pre-conference. Pre-conference was held at Virginia Tech-Alexandria campus and was hosted by Gerard Toal and Gerry Kearns. Praise was given to Mat Coleman for putting the program together. Pre-conference was an enormous success. It had the largest attendance ever, with 50-55 attending at least part of the two-day conference. GEOPOL 2010, organized by Toal and Kearns, was also very successful. Large attendance at these pre-AAG events are a testament to the health of the subdiscipline.

Student Awards: Dittmer announced the winners of the PhD and MA student paper competitions. PhD: Kyle Walker, UMN (first place); Sandra Zupan, UW-Milwaukee (second); Joomi Lee, UT-Austin (third). MA/MS Award: Chelsea Hanchett, Penn St. Bob Wattrel announced the winner of the PGSG Dissertation Enhancement Award: Richelle Bernazzoli, U. of Illinois.

Non-student Awards: Dittmer announced the winners of this year’s non-student awards. Julian Minghi Outstanding Research Award: Stuart Elden, Durham University. Stanley D. Brunn Young Scholar Award: Alison Mountz, Syracuse University. Richard Morrill Public Outreach Award: Joseph Nevins, Vassar College.

Treasurer’s Report: Dittmer delivered the treasurer’s report. Condition of PGSG finances is good. Total balance was as low as $4600 in Aug 09 and was at $6500 by Feb 10. This reflects large membership of PGSG and sound fiscal management, and is in spite of awarding a greater number of student awards last year.

Elections: Dittmer reported that two members of the board of PGSG were rotating off the board and called an election. He noted the dearth of women on the PGSG board. Nominations from the floor were called for. Nominations for two positions were: Amy Mills, Katrinka Somdahl-Sands, and John Heppen. Fiona Davidson administered the election by secret ballot and reported that Mills and Somdahl-Sands would be the new members of the board.

Dittmer reported on the meeting of specialty group chairs of the AAG. There were 8,200 registrations for the Washington AAG, and 5,677 abstracts were submitted.

The number of sponsorships of sessions by specialty groups ranged from 1 to 104. Dittmer strongly suspects that PGSG was the group with the largest number of sponsored sessions.

New Business:

MA Student Awards: Dittmer noted that Derek Alderman had asked the rules for MA Student Awards, specifically whether the policy of requiring that the research be presented at a conference within the calendar year unfairly disadvantaged new masters students. Shannon O’Lear pointed out that the purpose of the rule was to encourage participation in the conference. After some discussion, it was decided to leave the rule as is.

Pre-conference 2011: Larry Knopp of UW-Tacoma proposed that the pre-conference for the 2011 AAG Annual Meeting in Seattle be hosted by UW-Tacoma. Given space constraints at the campus, the conference would need to be held at an area hotel. Several names were mentioned as local co-organizers. Two questions were asked to the members present by Knopp. Could the meeting be co-organized by the Sexuality and Space Specialty Group? Could previous organizers with experience serve as consultants? Dittmer pointed out that there had been successfully co-organized pre-conferences in the past with the Development Specialty Group. He suggested further that board members and previous pre-conference organizers could serve as consultants. After some very brief discussion, Knopp’s proposal was accepted by acclamation.

Carl Dahlman proposed shortening the pre-conference or holding concurrent sessions. Pre-conference plus GEOPOL meant a full week of conferencing. Board will take this under advisement.

Fred Shelley asked where social event would be held following the meeting and for award winners to remain to have their pictures taken.

Somdahl-Sands asked if it was allowable for undergraduates to enter the MA student paper competition. Dittmer pointed out that there was no need for this since there was an undergraduate paper competition, even though some years there are no submissions. After some discussion, no action was taken.

Dittmer thanked the members and adjourned the meeting at 7:12 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Corey Johnson, member of PGSG Board

Student Paper Awards

There were no submissions this year for the undergraduate research award. Other award winners can be found in the minutes from the last business meeting.

Newsletter information

The Political Geography Specialty Group continues to publish two newsletters a year. We have also expanded our website to include a new blog that is more easily accessible and updatable.

2010 Annual Meeting Plans for Seattle, WA

As mentioned above, the PGSG will be having its annual pre-conference in Tacoma in conjunction with the Space and Sexuality Specialty Group.

5) Membership and Participation

The PGSG currently has 664 members, of whom 314 are students.

6) Financial Report (If your funds are being managed by AAG and you need your statements, please contact Teri Martin at directly).

Association of American Geographers
Specialty Groups Financial Report
August 31, 2010
Political Geography Specialty Group
Date / Description / Receipts / Disbursements / Balance
######## / Balance forward / $ 4,591.98
9/10/09 / Ravuvu- Undergraduate Paper award / -100.00 / 4,491.98
9/22/09 / Support for China SG for AM10 speaker / -50.00 / 4,441.98
9/30/09 / Ravuvu returned wire fee / -22.86 / 4,419.12
9/30/09 / Dues collected for September 2009 / 257.00 / 4,676.12
10/29/09 / Derrick-reimburse Conf Reg fee / -145.00 / 4,531.12
10/31/09 / Dues collected for October 2009 / 996.00 / 5,527.12
11/30/09 / Dues collected for November 2009 / 305.00 / 5,832.12
12/31/09 / Dues collected for December 2009 / 108.00 / 5,940.12
1/31/10 / Dues collected for January 2010 / 150.00 / 6,090.12
2/28/10 / Dues collected for February 2010 / 161.00 / 6,251.12
3/31/10 / Dues collected for March 2010 / 180.00 / 6,431.12
4/16/10 / Mountz - Stanley D. Brunn Young Scholar Award / -50.00 / 6,381.12
4/17/10 / Hanchett - 1st place Master's stu pap / -100.00 / 6,281.12
4/16/10 / Toal - reimburse preconf exp / -404.25 / 5,876.87
4/1/10 / Dittmer - reimbursement / -105.00 / 5,771.87
4/17/10 / Walker - 1st place grad stu pap / -100.00 / 5,671.87
4/16/10 / Bernazzoli - Dissertation Enhancement Award / -800.00 / 4,871.87
4/16/10 / Elden - Julian Minghi Outstanding Research Award / -50.00 / 4,821.87
4/28/10 / Taylor - lodging for Award Party / -276.34 / 4,545.53
4/5/10 / Weingarten - plaque 2010 / -65.89 / 4,479.64
4/16/10 / Nevins - Richard Morrill Public Outreach / -50.00 / 4,429.64
4/30/10 / Dues collected for April 2010 / 176.00 / 4,605.64
5/6/10 / Casarino - speaker stipend / -100.00 / 4,505.64
5/31/10 / Dues collected for May 2010 / 79.00 / 4,584.64
6/30/10 / Dues collected for June 2010 / 99.00 / 4,683.64
7/31/10 / Dues collected for July 2010 / 43.00 / 4,726.64
8/31/10 / Dues collected for August 2010 / 177.00 / 4,903.64
8/31/10 / Balance / $ 4,903.64
Date / Description / Receipts / Disbursements / Balance
######## / Balance forward / $ 6,980.46
9/30/08 / Dues collected for September 2008 / 328.00 / 7,308.46
10/31/08 / Dues collected for October 2008 / 556.00 / 7,864.46
11/30/08 / Dues collected for November 2008 / 208.00 / 8,072.46
12/31/08 / Dues collected for December 2008 / 153.00 / 8,225.46
1/23/09 / Political Geography SG website / -300.00 / 7,925.46
1/23/09 / Dittmer - Political Geog SG Website / -177.48 / 7,747.98
1/29/09 / Transfer to MGSG for guest speaker / -200.00 / 7,547.98
1/31/09 / Dues collected for January 2009 / 152.00 / 7,699.98
2/28/09 / Dues collected for February 2009 / 197.00 / 7,896.98
3/24/09 / Lee, J. - diss enhancement award / -800.00 / 7,096.98
3/31/09 / Dues collected for March 2009 / 122.00 / 7,218.98
4/3/09 / Clarke-Sather - Dissertation award / -800.00 / 6,418.98
4/3/09 / Jansson - Brunn Award / -50.00 / 6,368.98
4/3/09 / Lindner - Student paper / -100.00 / 6,268.98
4/3/09 / Pain - Research Award / -50.00 / 6,218.98
4/3/09 / Graves - Morrill Award / -50.00 / 6,168.98
4/30/09 / Dues collected for April 2009 / 74.00 / 6,242.98
5/26/09 / Shelley - reimb preconf expenses / -2,230.00 / 4,012.98
5/31/09 / Dues collected for May 2009 / 153.00 / 4,165.98
6/30/09 / Dues collected for June 2009 / 138.00 / 4,303.98
7/31/09 / Dues collected for July 2009 / 85.00 / 4,388.98
8/31/09 / Dues collected for August 2009 / 153.00 / 4,541.98
8/31/09 / Balance / $ 4,541.98

7) Suggestions for Council

None.