Critical Anthropology for Global Health Study Group: activities
2008 Rudolph Virchow Awards
Rudolf Virchow, a German physician during the 19th century, was a key founder of social medicine. In addition to writing in the areas of anthropology and medical science, his contributions to social medicine centered on his recognition of the multiple interacting factors - particularly social, political, and economic factors - that produce disease and illness. He argued that the circumstances and deprivations of the working class increased susceptibility to disease as well as to higher mortality rates. Virchow also recognized the political and material circumstances that inhibited disease prevention efforts and viewed advocacy as an essential part of medical research. He was perhaps most articulate about the limitations of medical science to improving health in the absence of material security. Virchow viewed the state as responsible for providing that security through employment of those who could work. His appreciation for the complex relationship among health, medicine and society are remembered in his statement, "Medicine is a social science, and politics is nothing more than medicine in larger scale."
The annual Rudolf Virchow Awards are given by the Critical Anthropology for Global Health Caucus, a special interest group of the Society for Medical Anthropology (SMA). The professional award honors a recent article, and the graduate and undergraduate student awards honor recent student papers, all written in the spirit of Rudolf Virchow and deemed by the judges to best reflect, extend, or advance critical perspectives in medical anthropology. These are materialist approaches that emphasize the social and political economic nature of health, disease and healing, and which embrace both micro and macro perspectives.
The deadline for submissions for the Rudolf Virchow Awards of the Critical Anthropology for Global Health Caucus of the Society for Medial Anthropology is June 15, 2008. We encourage you to submit your own works and/or to or nominate papers of your students or articles of colleagues. There are awards in the Professional, Graduate student and Undergraduate student categories. Articles must be submitted electronically in MS Word or Adobe PDF formats. (File sizes must be less than 2MB)
Professional, Graduate and Undergraduate Categories
The professional award will be given to an article, singly or co-authored, published during 2007 in either a peer-reviewed journal (either a print or on-line journal) or an edited volume. Technical reports and other contracted works will not be considered for this award.
The graduate student award will be granted to a paper that was written in 2007 or 2008 and that has not been subjected to the process of editorial review. Papers that have been submitted to a journal or edited volume, but that have not yet benefited from review, may be included in this category. Theses and dissertations will not be accepted. However, a summary of a thesis or a dissertation (no greater than 30 pages) that can stand on it own, or a chapter that has been revised and can stand on its own, will be considered for this award. Papers from students who have graduated after the paper was written will still be accepted under this category. Only papers, not interactive media, will be considered for this award.
The undergraduate student award will be given to a paper that was written in 2007 or 2008 while the student was still an undergraduate. Theses will not be accepted. However, a shortened version (up to 30 pages) of the thesis or a chapter from the thesis that has been revised to stand on its own will be considered for this award. Only papers, not interactive media, will be considered.
If you wish to submit a paper for consideration, please e-mail the paper along with a cover letter to the chair of the '08 Virchow Awards committee, Brian Kelly, by June 15th at bckelly@purdue.edu To ensure a prompt and fair review, papers will not be accepted after the June 15th deadline.