ASA Regional Chapters are independent non-profit organizations.
Depending on the needs and desires of their members, chapters organize a variety of activities within their regions including the publishing journals, organizing conferences, and sponsoring reading and writing groups, summer institutes, symposia.
Regional chapters collaborate with the ASA in a variety of ways. Some chapters sponsor panels at the annual ASA conference, and others host receptions at the annual meeting. The ASA supports regional chapters by automatically enrolling all national ASA members as members of the regional chapter in their area (if there is an active chapter covering the state where the national member resides) and donating those memberships fees to the chapters. Members may also choose to affiliate with additional chapters outside their designated region for a small additional fee.
The ASA also offers ASA chapters the opportunity to apply for annual chapter grants to support chapter activities and convenes the Committee on Regional Chapters to encourage cross-chapter national relationships and foster collaborative initiatives.
As independent organizations, each regional ASA has unique election processes for leadership positions. If you are interested in pursuing a leadership role within a chapter, you can find contact information on the chapter’s website, linked below.
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: California
President: Justin Gomer, California State University, Long Beach
Representative to the ASA Committee on Regional Chapters: Brett Mizelle, California State University, Long Beach
CASA was created in 1982, when the northern and southern California ASA chapters were combined. Since its founding, CASA has been an open, inclusive regional organization devoted to promoting the field of American Studies, particularly in California. Our annual conference regularly welcomes undergraduate and graduate students, K-12 educators, college and university facility, and community members.
Annual three-day conferences were held every spring from 1983 to 2003, addressing focused topics and drawing presenters and attendees not only from California, but also from other regions. Periodic conferences and other activities are currently pursued by the association.
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
President: Elliott Powell, University of Minnesota Representative to the ASA Committee on Regional Chapters: Tom Sarmiento, University of Kansas
MAASA’s purposes are to foster the study of American culture in all its aspects, to provide a forum for communication and discussion among its members and the general public, and to promote scholarship by the publication of the journal, American Studies. These ends are to be achieved by the organization of regular meetings, by recognition of outstanding contributions to American Studies, and by cooperation with the national American Studies Association.
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont
President: Hannah Haynes, Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts
Representative to the ASA Committee on Regional Chapters: Hannah Haynes, Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts (Committee Chair)
NEASA organizes a number of events and awards including an annual conference, a collection of prizes for recent books and essays, and an annual fall colloquium.
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware
President: Rosalie Uyola, New York City Public Schools & Fordham University
Representative to the ASA Committee on Regional Chapters: Kel Karpinski, CUNY New York City College of Technology
The New York Metro-Eastern ASA includes researchers, teachers, students, writers, activists, librarians, artists, community organizers, and activists from around the world who are dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of U.S. culture and history in a global context. We host salon talks, symposia, and an annual brunch.
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico
President: Ulrich Adelt, University of Wyoming Representative to the ASA Committee on Regional Chapters: Ulrich Adelt, University of Wyoming
The Rocky Mountain American Studies Association has a relatively small number of programs in a vast geographical space. Many of our members are drawn from schools along the Rocky Mountain front range. RMASA publishes an occasional journal of articles and reviews entitled Canon.
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and parts of Virginia
President: Elijah Gaddis, Auburn University
Representative to the ASA Committee on Regional Chapters: Erich Nunn, Auburn University
SASA presents new developments and findings in American Studies scholarship, identifies and defines areas of debate about the nature of American culture and its study, and conducts cultural and historical programs on the Southeast and its communities. We work with broad, inclusive conference themes that encompass such topics as art and architecture, Black literature and music, American studies as cultural critique, the cultural uses of photography, Native American studies, popular culture, Southern literature, gender studies and much more. We host a regular conference and award the Critoph Prize for best paper by a graduate student at each SASA conference.