+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Posted Mon, 6 Jan 2003 14:24:01
This message was forwarded through MEDSOCNEWS.
If you wish to make an announcement or publicise
an event then please send the text to:
[log in to unmask]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Med Soc News subscriber
*****************************************************
Urgent - is this the end of Medical Sociology News after 28 years?
*****************************************************
Apologies for this long email, but Medical Sociology News is in danger of disappearing if we don't have an interested group of new editors volunteering soon.
Although the Medical Sociology Group has no formal 'membership' separate from that of the BSA, subscriptions to Medical Sociology News have traditionally defined an informal membership, which includes those who are not BSA members. MSN has been the main medium of communication for the committee, the Foundation, Sociology of Health and Illness and the 'members' . The mailing list is used to keep you all informed about the annual conference and other events, and to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information across the medical sociology community. It therefore has an important function for maintaining the community.
MSN has always been edited by members, in a voluntary capacity. Unfortunately, as academic jobs have become more pressured, few of us have the time to devote to things that don't 'count' in an instrumental way for our institutions. There have been no offers from an editorial team to take over when our group finishes.
This email is first a final call for new editors, as MSN will not continue in its present form without a new team. PLEASE email asap if you are interested (to [log in to unmask] or to one of other current editors). The current team will publish one more issue (the March one) only in the current format.
This email also informs you of our plans for the coming year in the absence of a new team. They are as follows:
1) As most subscribers have paid 2003 subs, and it will be very difficult to repay 2/3 of the subs, we will publish issues 29 (2) and 29 (3) so that all subscribers have had a full year. HOWEVER this will be done in a minimalist way. We will not canvass for copy or book reviews, remind regional/national groups about copy dates, proof read any copy that does come in, send out books for review or take any new subscribers to the list after the March issue has come out (so if you want possibly the last ever volume, send your form in now!).
2) Subscribers are welcome to send in reviews of books they have read, or any other articles & letters for publication. This should be in the form of a Word file, attached to an email to me ([log in to unmask]). I will not be reformatting, retyping or editing that copy. Copy which does come in will be circulated to all current subscribers, but probably in a photocopied rather than printed format.
3) Kelly Lawless will continue to administer the newsletter, and will answer queries about subs etc - but we can no longer answer or redirect general enquiries about the newsletter, conference, medical sociology etc etc.
4) Up to now the JISC mail list (moderated by Simon Carter) has been set up to complement the paper version of MSN and as such only carries
announcements of events and posts/jobs. If the paper version of MSN was to cease production this e-list could be expanded (e.g. it could include book reviews, conference and research reports, research queries,
etc). Membership of the list would be made open and free (currently people can only subscribe to the JICS mail MedSocNews list by subscribing to the paper version of MSN). However, if the volume of 'e traffic' was to
increase on this list it would be necessary to find additional moderators
to help manage and run the list. This would involve substantially less
work than managing the paper version of MSN. We would need to seek funds from the committee to initially set up a small management group (this would only to cover travel expenses so that such a group could initially meet and discuss operational practicalities)
5) No new subs will be collected at the end of 2003, and Medical Sociology News will fold (after 28 years!).
This has been discussed by the Medical Sociology Committee, who will revisit the position at the end of 2003.
Judy Green
(on behalf of LSHTM editorial team)
********************************************************
Judith Green
Senior Lecturer in Sociology
HSRU
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Keppel Street
London WC1E 7HT
020 7 927 2024
fax: 020 7 580 8183
********************************************************
**********************************************************************
1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example,
send an email to [log in to unmask] with the following message:
set medsocnews nomail
2. To resume email from the list, send the following message:
set medsocnews mail
3. To leave medsocnews, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message:
leave medsocnews
4. Further information about the medsocnews discussion list, including list archive,
can be found at the list web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medsocnews.html
**********************************************************************
|