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[bacardiandlime]

I will be attending the AHA, but at that stage, I will have no affiliation (unemployed). What should I do? Retain my doctoral institution as my affiliation? Put 'independent scholar'?
The vibe I get is that 'independent scholar' is akin to 'leper' in eyeslide meet & greets, and I will also be on the job market.
Suggestions?

[qrypt]

The work you did that contributes to your attendance was done at your doctoral institution.  e.g., if you're presenting a paper, you wrote it while a PhD student.  So your affiliation should be that university.

Not sure how it works at the AHA, but for the ASA your affiliation for name badge is taken automatically from the database containing your membership information.  So unless you've already told the association to change your affiliation in relation to your membership, it will likely list your doctoral institution automatically.  I see no reason to make the effort to tell them otherwise, at least for this year.  You probably can't get away with that default option for next year, but for this year it should be no problem.  The stage at which you would change affiliation is when you renew your membership.  Anyway, you're right that "IS" = leper. 

[bacardiandlime]

thanks - I am currently at another institution (not my PhD institution) on a short-term fellowship (which will be over by AHA time). But the paper I give will be based on work I am doing here, not my PhD. I haven't updated my membership details as I didn't want the hassle of the AHR being mailed to a different address!!

[dr_dre]

I listed the school where I was adjunct teaching for my nametag affiliation. Once you've graduated you are no longer affiliated with your doctoral institution. I received all my mailings at home.

As for the leper thing, I wouldn't worry about it. One year at OAH, I had my doctoral institution on my badge. Some senior scholars did the old "scan the name tag and ignore" move anyway, even though it's not a terrible school and I could well have been faculty there for all they knew. I'd say, in general, junior scholar = "leper" in our profession.

[minnesotan]

I'd say, in general, junior scholar = "leper" in our profession.

Which makes grad students "old ex-lepers" in the grand scheme of things?  We don't even have a viable trade.  =)

[onion]

When I was still a grad student, I once had a fellow desperate job hunter in the job register area at the AHA scan my name tag, note my institutional affiliation, look at my face, and say "b*tch!"  I guess she thought that I was going to get all the jobs because my name tag listed FancyPants University as my affiliation?  And her affiliation was the University of Virginia, so it's not like she was from Online-PhDs-R-Us or anything.  Sheesh.  She's lucky I was a job hunter and not on an SC.  But I remember her face, and if I ever see her again, IT'S ON!

This totally doesn't answer your question, B&L.  Use the uni where you're on fellowship.

[jrscholar]

That's surprising: I thought UVA folks always thought "peon" when they looked at people from other schools.  [joking, ha ha]

As for affiliation, I'm not sure independent scholar is the best choice, either, because that usually applies (at least in my mind) to people who are working outside of academe on a more-or-less permanent basis.  Do you have to put an affiliation?  I know I've seen some with nothing under the name before.

And why are you contemplating this at this time of year?  It's summertime, which is definitely not the time to be thinking of winter in New York City.

[bacardiandlime]

the cut-off point for editing your details to be listed in the program (I am presenting a paper), is I think very soon.

[jrscholar]

Oh, that makes it a little more complicated than just your name tag since your name and affiliation will be in the program.  Independent scholar might be the best choice if you have no other place to hang your hat.  The audience can get clarification of some sort when the panel chair introduces you.  I hope you don't get a Sunday morning slot like I did a couple years ago.

By the way, this whole thing about eye slides, etc., ticks me off.  We all know that the profession is producing more Ph.D.s than jobs, that there are plenty of very good people with no jobs or less than desirable jobs.  Why all the snobbery?  Insecurity?  Guilt? 

[dr_dre]

Why all the snobbery?  Insecurity?  Guilt? 

Just lots of asshats in our profession.

[t_r_b]

By the way, this whole thing about eye slides, etc., ticks me off. 

I don't think there is anything wrong with the eye slide per se. We wear nametags at conferences for a reason, after all, that has nothing to do with pecking orders or name brand institutions. I'm always forgetting people's names and/or home institutions, and so my eyes slide frequently. The problem is not the eye slide: it's the discourtesy (or obsequiousness) that often follows the eye slide.

[jrscholar]

That's what I meant.  Of course we are supposed to use these things as references for learning people's names.   

[onion]

That's surprising: I thought UVA folks always thought "peon" when they looked at people from other schools.  [joking, ha ha]

That's what I thought, too.  ;D

B&L, I had a similar situation a couple years ago.  I just used the name of the institution I was adjuncting at when I was asked for the info for the program, and by the time of the conference, my institutional affiliation had changed, and they just announced that at the start of the session.  I think it's not that much of a big deal in the grand scheme of the AHA.

But if you're wearing a UVA tag, beware.  I'm going on a vengeance-filled rampage at AHA 2009.

[bacardiandlime]

I want to be wearing a badge with affiliation to ploughandstars' institution [interthreaduality]

[malcha]

How about a Kissyface College affiliation?

Seriously, if you are on the short-term research thing at the time when you tell the AHA your affiliation, use that, and then if your affiliation changes the person who introduces your talk can update you.