Public Policy Issue Briefs

Introduction
The AAA Committee on Public Policy has identified five public policy issues to develop in the near and long term as a first step in accomplishing the Long-Range Plan objective to better inform national discussions by promoting anthropological perspectives on critical societal issues. The issues, important to policy makers and coincident with research and expertise of anthropologists, are (click link to see brief definition):

1. Social and cultural aspects of health;
2. Culture and diversity in education;
3. An interdisciplinary approach to the environment;
4. Economic, social and cultural aspects of the information revolution; and
5. Globalization and its impact on public policy.

Process
Using the five issues, the Committee will develop a process for determining the state of anthropological knowledge and expertise, and enhancing and adapting that knowledge and expertise to meet the needs of policy makers. Once the process is working successfully, the five issues will be expanded to include a larger set of issues.

Goal
The goal is twofold:

1. to advance the use of anthropological knowledge and expertise in policy making at the local, state, national and international levels; and
2. to increase the presence of anthropological expertise in the local and national media when policy issues are discussed.

What we need from you.
Anthropologists are asked to:

1. review the scope of the issues;
2. determine the cutting edge research being conducted by anthropologists on these issues; and
3. identify anthropologists who are addressing these issues.

How to participate.
Following each issue brief is a place to register your comments electronically. If you are working on any of these issues, please take the time to register the information requested. For more information, contact Damon Dozier, 703-528-1902.