SMA Policy Committee: about the process
The SMA Policy Committee is an initiative sponsored by the SMA Board aimed at addressing issues having national and international health importance. A participatory process enables SMA members to critically access and dialogue with each other about focal issues following their reading of a set of background materials. Each year the SMA Board will select issues for deliberation. During the year, a committee will be formed to raise member’s awareness about these issues through the provision of background readings and illustrative case studies. A bulletin board enables members to express opinions and exchange ideas. At the end of the year, an invited session will be organized at the AAA (or SMA meetings) and a policy paper will be written by members of the task force explaining the role(s) that anthropologists can play in addressing the focal issues.