Society for Medical Anthropology records
name: label: Creator
content: Society for Medical Anthropology
label: Names
content: American Anthropological Association
label: Names
content: Council on Nursing and Anthropology
topic: label: Topic
content: Medical anthropology
label: Topic
content: Professional associations
creator: label: Creator
content: Society for Medical Anthropology
physloc: label: Note
content: The collection is stored off-site. Advanced notice must be given to view the collection.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: The Society for Medical Anthropology (SMA) grew out of a Group for Medical Anthropology that was organized in 1968.  The organization is open to anthropological, medical and health care professionals and other interested persons. Its purposes are "(a) to promote the study of the anthropological aspects of health, illness, health care and related topics; (b) to encourage communication and utilization of results obtained from such studies; and (c) to aid in the education of person who are or will be involved in carrying out the above activities." ; The SMA is governed by an executive council, which includes the officers and several members. The officers include a president, president-elect, secretary-treasurer, and editor, the latter being selected by the council and sitting with it as a non-voting member (formerly the immediate past president was also on the council). The SMA issued the Medical Anthropology Bulletin until 1968 when the name was changed to the Medical Anthropology Quarterly. The SMA also awards the Ellen Basker Award for contributions in the area of gender, health, and illness; the W.H.R. Rivers Prize for a student essay; and the Steven Polgar Prize for a papers from a person not yet in graduate studies. ; During the 1970s, the SMA's business was managed by the American Anthropological Association. In 1984, the SMA voted to become an organization within the AAA. In 1986, the SMA and several groups with special medical interests became formally assoicated, with the groups assuming the status of affiliates. These groups included the Council on Nursing and Anthropology, Council on Reproductive Anthropology, Council on Nutritional Anthropology, Association for Anthropology and Gerontology, Critical Anthropology of Health Interest Group, Infectious Disease Study Group and Anthropology and AIDS Research Group.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 39.5 Linear feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1975-2002
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: National Anthropological Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NAA.1990-05
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection is unprocessed.  Contact the repository for more information.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: This collection documents the activities of the Society for Medical Anthropology and its affiliated group, the Council for Nursing and Anthropology (CONAA).  The records include correspondence, minutes, agenda, reports, bylaws, a procecdures manual, programs, financial papers, and editorial materials. Most of these pertain to the SMA but there is also considerable material relating to CONAA, including bibliographies, membership directories and newsletters (1980-2002) and meeting agendas, minutes and treasurer's reports (1973-2001).  The collection also includes the unpublished papers and other materials of Eileen Basker and the correspondence of Hazel W. Weidman.  Correspondents include Eileen Basker, Hazel W. Weidman, Rita L. Arlinger, Clifford Barnett, Pamela J. Brink, Paul Brown, Lucy Cohen, Jeannine Coreil, Charles C. Hughes, Charles Leslie, Marc S. Micozzi, Benjamin D. Paul, Gretel H. Pelto, Janet M. Schrieber, and Helen Jean Wiese.

Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.