Society for Medical Anthropology: website history
SMA entered the Internet Age on February 28, 1996, when an experimental home page was set up by EJ Sobo (Durham). Located at http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dan0ejs/smahomepage.html, the home page was an innovative outgrowth of the AN Unit News column. Its purpose was to allow SMA members another, more extensive means of communication than the AN format offers. Some features included: About SMA (information on the Society, Interest Groups and membership); Member News (awards, new books, job changes, etc); Cooperation and Contribution Calls (upcoming conferences, calls for session proposals or journal submissions, etc); Section News (on-line copies of AN columns); Anthropology Hot Spots (links to other pages); and News from Other Medical Anthropology Associations (including the British Medical Anthropology Society). Other subpages were added as needed
The present website was developed by Mark Nichter ( University of Arizona)and Besty Brada (University of Chicago) after consultation with SMA Board members and interviews with a sample of practicing and academic based medical anthropologists as well as graduate students in 2001. The SMA Board voted in 2001 to fund a graduate student webmaster working quarter time to update the website on a weekly basis up to to respond to the requests of SMA members for information, serve the needs of SMA special interest groups, post fast breaking news, and encourage dialogue by SMA members as a community of practice. Since the initiation of the expanded website in 2001 new features have been added on a regular basis and members have been asked to contribute resources ranging from class syllabi to resources for practicing anthropologists, and information about policy initiatives SMA members may want to take a stand on individually or as a collective. The SMA website is emergent, constantly evolving, and depends on participation of SMA members to stay vital.
Webmasters
Elisa J. Sobo (1996-1997)
Ruthbeth Finerman (1997-1999)
Craig Janes (1999-2001)
Betsey Brada (2001-2004)
Lauren Wynne (2004-2007)
Ben McMahan (2007-present)