I am writing to you with a request:  Apparently the AAG leadership has not heard from its members about their concerns about recent cuts to social sciences research funding (the Coburn amendment which cut funding for political science research at the U.S. National Science Foundation.  For those of you not in the U.S. or not familiar with these developments, please see here: http://prospect.org/article/take-political-science.) 

When a colleague and I inquired as to whether the AAG was collaborating with other professional organizations in the social sciences to mount a public opinion campaign on the importance and contributions of social science research to society we were told that such efforts are currently not underway.  The AAG has a representative/liaison with Congress, and we were told to contact our elected political representatives, but this is, as of now, the extent of any effort.  

More importantly, the AAG, as of this morning, had only heard expressions of concern from 2 geographers (out of some 10,000 members.)  This either means that geographers are not concerned about the threat to research funding, or are not expressing their concern.  I ask that--if you are concerned and are so inclined--you please drop a short email to the AAG leadership (names and email addresses are below) to let them know that such cuts should be on top of the AAG's priority list, and that they ought to be discussed during the upcoming council meeting.  Please feel free to make constructive suggestions as to what the AAG as our professional organization (and we as its members) could do, i.e., help with a public opinion campaign, etc.  You can leave a comment on the AAG's facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/geographers?fref=ts) or via twitter (@theAAG) or email the following people:

AAG President Eric Sheppard ([log in to unmask])

AAG Executive Director Doug Richardson ([log in to unmask])

AAG Government Relations John Wertman ([log in to unmask])

Thanks,

Patricia