Society for Medical Anthropology: minutes 2001
Minutes Society for Medical Anthropology
Annual Business Meeting
William Dressler, President
Washington, DC, November 30, 2001
Mark Luborsky, Recording
1]. The meeting was called to order by President Bill Dressler who got things rolling with announcement of victuals. Approximately 150 people attended,
Beginning welcome remarks by President Dressler included a warm welcome to old and new members. He then expressed sentiments and thoughts in memorium to Art Ruben whose death touched many among the SMA and beyond.
2]. Meeting minutes fromlast year were approved from the SMA Business meeting, Nov 17, 2000, San Francisco.
3]. Presentation of Awards. Awards for 2001 performed by Jim Trostle. Thanks to the reviewers Gay Becker, Gilles Bibeau, Ralph Bolton, Mac Marshall, David Napier, Kathryn Oths, and Lola Romanucci-Ross. Winners announced: A brief (sometimes not so brief) thank you by winners and acknowledgement to advisors and faculty were made.
- Rivers Undergraduate Prize: Sunita Puri (Yale Universityy) “An Overview of Telemedicine, the Gaze of Health Care in the Next Century.”
- Hughes graduate prize: Elizabeth Horton (University of Arizona), "Stories of Aging, Ideology and Nation."
- Basker Award: Virginia Hahn, "Reproducing Jews: A Cultural Account of Assisted Reproduction in Israel." from among five submissions this year.
Next, Bill turned to invite communiqués from the various SMA components and activities.
4]. Reportof Medical Anthropology Quarterly Editor, Mac Marshall. He provided an informative overview describing the number of submissions, acceptance rate, and turn around period for the review, and success at reducing the backlog. He urged members to send their best work. Thanks were given to all reviewers and encouragement to SMA prize winners to submit manuscripts.
5]. Executive Committee Reports.
- Anthropology Newsletter column, Ann Miles and Fred Bloom. Length cut radically, but continue to have great content. Moving a lot of the announcements onto the website. Craig James was thanked for his web site maintenance. Unhappily, Ann is wrapping up her term. Bill called for new editor.
- Secretary-Treasurers Report, Mark Luborsky, reviewed the total budget in overview. It was noted that we continue to carry a relatively adequate balance against expenses but that the future operating balance seems to be reduced. Overall, the largest portion of our income is derived from the MAQ and from memberships.
- Nominations Committee, Cheryl Mattingly and Mark Nichter reported on the year’s activities. We have a large executive board and have now elected three new members: Linda Hunt, Linda Ravathan, and Vincann Adams. Welcome aboard!
- Membership Committee, Jim Kim. He also has taken over as the designated contact person for people seeking information from the web site. In brief, we currently have about 1,400 members.
- Student Activities and Special Events. The SMA has now gone to hosting special events instead of the former format of hosting roundtables at the meetings. Notable roundtables that were developed, by Sabrina Chase, this year was an exceptional and exceptionally well attended one on publishing in medical anthropology which included participation by journal editors. Students work and involvement was superb. Other events included another smashing success on funding opportunities at NIH, led Emily Otey and Suzanne-Heurtine Roberts.
- Special Committees reports. Paul Farmer reported on the diverse range of SMA interest groups. Among the reported activities and chairs were Alcohol, AIDS & Anthropology Merrill Singer, CAR, Deborah Blizzard, Council on Nursing and Anthropology, Bioethics Interest Group Eliza Gordon, Disability Interest Group, Deva Kavitz, Andean Health Research, Ann Wiley. Clinically applied anthropology, Suzanne Heurtin Roberts. Student membership committee, Sabrina Chase. Future directions include creation and further use of a virtual community along with the ‘real’ community which made easier for all of us to remain engaged.
- Program Committee, presented by Suzanne Heurtine Roberts. The program has done very well. SMA had 9 proposals and accepted 6. Five of these were co-sponsored with other sections. Members proposing programs are urged to look for cosponsors, that gives us more slots. SMA had one poster session, received 8 posters abstracts. 14 volunteered sections and 8 accepted. Remember submission deadline is March 31, not April 1 since online submission possible starting next year. Theme of next year, "Imagining the Future." SMA and also AAA is encouraging all to do more creative things, including posters with senior experienced anthropologists. We get one invited poster session.
6]. & 7].President’s Report, and Old Business.
President Dressler reports results of working to increase contact with major institutions by SMA including places such as NIH. He reviewed the conference "Higher Levels of Analyses" which featured several medical anthropologists in prominent portions of the program. That is important, since its a government report that can be used to support articles and grant applications. The President describes consultations done with specific agencies. SMA is fortunate to have Emiline Otey who conducted a workshop on funding at NIH. Also at this year's meeting, there are sessions bringing together medical anthropologists talking about topics that cut across all institutes and higher administrators from NIH. So we are achieving an increasingly high profile and higher level dialogue on what anthropologists can do and agencies on where and how.
On smaller scale, Bill explained his vision to continue to decentralize the work of SMA and initiatives away from the Board and moving widely into general participants in the SMA. The lack of broader participation is indexed by the fact that 400 people voted out of 1400 members. We continue to trim the business meeting so that it’s shorter and leaves more time for discussion. Also want to open up nominations from the floor/membership for the open slots. Argues for use of existing roles to do more and different things. SMA has joint meeting with the SfAA coming up. But in the future that needs to be into the general membership. Bill calls for continued dispersion of such activities.
- Special Acknowledgement by Bill on behalf of the SMA to Ruthbeth Finerman for spearheading the organization of the joint SMA/SfAA in Atlanta in March 2002. Sesions include confronting global challenges to TB and HIV, Methods, Hidden Populations, and several other exciting programs. Be there!
8]. Old Business. Last year Robert Hahn suggested development of searchable membership directory. AAA did that this year, we can download that 2 times a year into our own SMA database. We need to know that you can go in edit your own listing. SMA can use it to search for people when requests for particular expertise needed by, for example, public policy, grant reviews, congressional briefing. Bill reported SMA will develop and circulate a protocol to help assure that its in a format that is useable.
- Medical Anthropology Editor search. Last year the Board decided to make the search a non-board function. Ann Millard, chaired this activity. While had hoped to name a new editor at this meeting, we still lack a viable proposal to assume editorship. There still is time to complete the task and work with Mack Marshall as he moves out. But, we really need to kick into high gear. Bill called for membership input and suggestions for finding new editor.
9]. New Business.
- Suzanne announced a new report from NIH "Qualitative Methods in Health Research: Opportunities and Considerations in Application and Review" available from the NIH web site. The document is designed to help you prepare applications that are more competitive for funding. But also, as a document, now you have something you can cite and that is a great way to support work. Thanks to anthropologists in SMA and NIH people who developed it.
- Monica Schoch-Spana announced formation of Biological Weapons Interest Group.
- Lucy Cohen. The Medical Anthropology Archives is closed and moving in January to a new and better place.
- New business from the floor. Stacey Pick announced special issue of the journal, Medical Anthropology co-edited special issues (3 volumes) Daughters of time, the shifting identities of contemporary midwives.
- AAA received large grant to educate public about race. A website, primer, and exhibit will be developed. Input requested from members at the meetings and in the future.
- Proposal from the floor to form an “AIDS and Anthropology” interest group.
- Call for SMA to remain committed to fight against AIDS and contribute skills knowledge to prevent pandemic. Merrill Singer read a proclamation urging endorsement. Statement has been proposed as seconded by members presented. Moved and seconded, and adopted.
10]. Closing - Bryan Page, singing a fond farewell to outgoing board members.
Final New Business.
Incoming President Mark Nichter thanks to outgoing President Bill Dressler, to great rounds of applause.
New SMA President Mark Nichter gaveled the meeting into adjournment at 8pm.