Academy of Social Sciences in Australia

Academy Committees
Executive Committee and Panel Chairs
The affairs of the Academy are directed by the Executive Committee, consisting of the President, the Executive Director, the Treasurer and seven other Fellows elected at a General Meeting, normally held annually.
Workshop Committee
The Workshop Program provides social scientists with the opportunity to engage quickly with current issues. It complements the longer term and forward looking research projects as part of the Academy's overall research activities. A major outcome for the Workshop Committee has been the enhancement of the program in response to the DEST-HEIP initiative. That temporary grant stimulated a record number of workshops in the last three years and enabled the Program to strengthen its mechanism for encouraging the linkages between research and policy advice. Workshop Convenors and participants have been encouraged to extend their activities, where appropriate, to include the consideration of policy advice on issues of national importance and to include clear reference to these in their reports and publications
International Program Committee
ASSA's International Program now serves as an important vehicle for building relationships with sister academies and international scholars in the social sciences, in keeping with the Academy's objective to promote international scholarly cooperation and to act as an Australian national member of international organisations concerned with the social sciences. Historically, ASSA's international relationships were essentially unfunded, and developed not so much strategically, but rather as opportunities arose in the course of the activities of individual Fellows who formed international collaborations. These relationships proved to be fragile and short lived, becoming moribund when either party changed research directions or priorities. In 2002, ASSA moved to reconsider all of its agreements and to provide a rationalised plan for all its current and future international relationships. ASSA seeks to sustain its international collaborations and to develop new opportunities where funding permits, recognising that we provide minimal support for each scholar.
Early Career Award Committee
The Early Career Award Committee is responsible for identifying and inviting the recipient of the Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research. The Committee calls for nominations from the Panels each year. The award recognizes an early career researcher with an outstanding record of research in the social sciences. The award winner is introduced and presented with an award at the Academy's Annual Dinner. The award winner's home university is invited to sponsor a pubic lecture honouring the award and its winner.
Branch Convenors
Branch Convenors provide networking for Academy Fellows from all ASSA disciplines within their state. Convenors may host visiting speakers, convene debates or suggest social activities.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee manages and supervises the general financial affairs of the Academy
Australian Council of Learned AcademiesCommittee
The Australian Council of Learned Academies (formerly known as the National Academies Forum) provides a basis for cooperative activities by the four learned Academies and a common point of access to the Academies for outside organisations and individuals. It promotes a unified national vision on issues of national significance, helping to overcome the difficulties that have often separated science, technology and engineering from the social sciences and the humanities.
Policy and Advocacy Committee
The Policy and Advocacy Committee consists of members of the ASSA Fellowship: a Chairperson and seven members, including the Workshop Committee Chair and Research Committee Chair, given the close relationship between Policy and Advocacy outcomes and the Workshop and Research programs. Policy outcomes are also encouraged by the Editor (pegsbooks [at] optusnet.com.au) in the Academy journal Dialogue. The Committee structure reflects the close working relationship between the Policy and Advocacy, Workshop and Research Committees and provides, at every possible opportunity, useful positive recommendations and supporting arguments.
Public Forums Committee
The Public Forums Committee oversees the selection and operation of Academy events where public access and the contributions of non-Fellows are invited. These events include the Academy's major event, the Annual Symposium, the Fellows Colloquium, the Cunningham Lecture, the Paul Bourke Lecture, the Fay Gale Lecture and the Keith J. Hancock Lecture. The committee also responds to opportunities for outreach as these may arise.
Panel A Committee
  • Anthropology
  • Demography
  • Geography
  • Linguistics
  • Sociology
  • Management
Panel B Committee
  • Accounting
  • Economic History
  • Economics
  • Statistics
  • Marketing
Panel C Committee
  • History
  • Law
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
Panel D Committee
  • Psychology
  • Social Medicine
  • Education