By-Laws

Passed on December 2, 2005.  

First amendment: August, 2015.

Second Amendment: October, 2024.

ARTICLE I: NAME

Section 1: The name of this organization is: Soyuz, the Post-communist Cultural Studies Interest Group (hereafter cited Soyuz).

Section 2: Soyuz may, at its pleasure, by a vote of the membership, change its name.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

Soyuz is formally constituted as the Post-Communist Cultural Studies Interest Group of the American Anthropological Association and an affiliate of the Association for Slavic, East European and Slavic Studies. It is also more broadly conceived as an international community of anthropologists and other scholars working in postsocialist studies. It serves as a vehicle to promote the study of postsocialist societies, the dissemination of current research, and collaborative and interdisciplinary work among an international community of scholars.

To this end Soyuz shall:

Section 1: Maintain a website.

Section 2: Establish an electronic forum for its members and/or other social media as appropriate.

Section 3: Hold yearly business meetings at the American Anthropological Association (AAA) meetings, the Association for Slavic, East European and Slavic Studies (ASEEES) meetings, or both.

Section 4: Sponsor at least one panel, roundtable, or a formal session with presented papers at the annual convention of the Association for Slavic, East European and Slavic Studies (ASEEES) and one panel, roundtable or formal session at the annual convention of the American Anthropological Association (AAA).  Sponsor panels and roundtables at other relevant conferences when appropriate.

Section 5: Organize a yearly Symposium, separate from the ASEEES and the AAA, which will bring together scholars working on issues of interest to Soyuz members.

  1. The goal of this Symposium is to advance current research on postsocialist societies and facilitate exchanges among scholars.
  2. The Symposium will provide scholars working in postsocialist societies an opportunity to present current research and receive feedback. Junior scholars, including graduate students, are especially encouraged to participate.
  3. The Symposium will be held every year.
  4.  

Section 6: Sponsor an annual article prize

  1. The prize will be called “the Sonja Luehrmann first article prize”.
  2. Any graduate student or junior faculty member may apply.
  3. Eligible submissions include each applicant’s first peer-reviewed article or peer-reviewed book chapter published in English in the previous year on any topic that falls within the broad scope of interest represented by Soyuz.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Membership in Soyuz will be open to all interested in this field of studies irrespective of race, sex, religion, nationality, or sexual preference.

All persons who have subscribed to the Soyuz listserv are considered members of the organization.

Members are encouraged to join the American Anthropological Association and the Association for Slavic, East European and Slavic Studies, but membership in these organizations is not required.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS

Section 1. There shall be a Convenor

  1. The duties of Convenor will be to provide leadership and an agenda of activities for Soyuz.
  2. The Convenor will convene business meetings in advance of the conventions of AAA and/or ASEEES.
  3. The Convenor will handle official Soyuz correspondence.
  4. The Convenor will call for elections.

Section 2. There shall be a Webmaster

  1. The Webmaster will maintain all aspects of the Soyuz website and list-serve.

Section 3. There shall be a Secretary

  1. The Secretary will maintain records of Soyuz meetings.
  2. The Secretary will maintain the Soyuz membership list.
  3. The Secretary will maintain a record of Soyuz history for institutional membership.
  4. The Secretary will serve as a resource for in-coming officers regarding responsibilities and on-going projects in order to ensure a smooth transition.

Section 4. There shall be a Programming Coordinator

  1. The Programming Coordinator will work with the organizers of the yearly Soyuz Symposiums.
  2. The Programming Coordinator will supervise the process by which Soyuz’s sponsored panels at ASEEES and AAA are selected.
  3. The Programming Coordinator will work with the Student Representative when appropriate to plan mentoring and social events at AAA, ASEEES and other conferences.

Section 5: There shall be a Student Representative

  1. The Student Representative will be defined as any person actively working toward but not yet awarded a Ph.D.
  2. The Student Representative will be charged with bringing issues of importance to student members before Soyuz
  3. The Student Representative will work with the Programming Coordinator when appropriate to plan mentoring and social events at AAA, ASEEES and other conferences.

Section 6: There shall be an Anthropology News (AN) column editor.

  1. The AN column editor will be responsible for ensuring that a column is submitted to Anthropology News on a regular basis.
  2. The AN column editor may solicit contributions from Soyuz members.

Section 7: There shall be an ASEEES Liaison.

  1. The ASEEES liaison will maintain open lines of communication with ASEEES leadership and facilitate communication between ASEEES and the Soyuz board as needed.
  2. The ASEEES liaison will ensure the timely and successful submission of a Soyuz-sponsored panel at the annual ASEEES conference.
  3. The ASEEES liaison will keep the Soyuz board apprised of developments and happenings within ASEEES that are relevant to Soyuz activities.

Section 8: The terms of office of all officers shall be two years. If the Student Representative is awarded a Ph.D. during his/her term of office, he/she can serve out the two-year term if there is less than 12 months left of the appointment.

Section 9: Any officer may succeed him/herself in office for one consecutive term.

ARTICLE V: EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The Executive Council shall consist of the officers.

a. The duties of the Executive Council will be to shape the general policies and activities of Soyuz and to communicate with members.

ARTICLE VI: SELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1: Elections shall be called by the Convenor every year. Positions of Secretary and Student Representative will be elected in even numbered years with all other positions elected in odd numbered years. All positions hold two-year terms.

Section 2: Candidates may nominate themselves or be nominated by other Soyuz members.

Section 3: Elections will be conducted with members sending their ballots to the Convenor by electronic medium.

Section 4: Ballots shall be secret.

Section 5: Fifteen (15) days shall be allowed for the return of ballots. Ballots must be received by the Convenor not later than the stated return date to be counted.

Section 6: The candidate receiving a simple majority of the votes for a contested office shall be elected. The Executive Committee shall hold a run-off election within thirty (30) days in the case of a tie.

ARTICLE VII: STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing committees shall be appointed to help Soyuz sustain its goals.

Examples of possible committees:

a. Committee on Bylaws

b. Soyuz Symposium Organizing Committee

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS AND OTHER BUSINESS

Section 1: These Bylaws may be altered, amended, repealed, or added to by proposal of the Executive Committee and subject to ratification by a majority of those members responding by the deadline.

Section 2: All other business of Soyuz requiring a vote of the membership shall be transacted by majority vote unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws.