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History of ISTSS

History of ISTSS Task Force Volunteer Opportunity

  1. Person(s) with experience and interest in videography and/or documentary-making are the key issues.  I’m coming to realize that, although I am capable of manipulating the images in my recordings to a great degree, it would be still better to have someone on the team with more editing experience/finesse and, if possible, access to/experience using more sophisticated editing software. 
  2. Person(s) with directorial experience in creating an effective video (Someone who knows how to frame and tell a story based on a mélange of video clips.
  3. Person(s) with formal training or amateur experience as an historian who could help develop this project as a formal history.

Contact Harold Kudler, MD for more information.

History of ISTSS Committee ​Responsibilities

The goal of this Task Force is to provide ISTSS with a consistent written history of the Society. To this end, the Task Force will build on an earlier document on the origins of the ISTSS, produced by Past President Sandra Bloom: Our Hearts and Our Hopes are Turned to Peace: Origins of The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. In: Arieh Y. Shalev, Rachel Yehuda and Alexander C. McFarlane (eds.) (2000) International Handbook of Human Response to Trauma. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. The Task Force may consider linking the history of ISTSS to the history of the field of traumatic stress. This way, a document may result which should be af interest to a larger readership. The main focus will be on pivotal moments in the life of the Society and on how they helped reflect and shape the growth of the field of traumatic stress studies. Contributions will be invited from ISTSS members who played a key role in these events. The final result of the Task Force’s work is planned to be twofold:

  • A series of brief video statements by prominent members focused on a moment in the life of the Society that changed the field of traumatic stress studies in an important way.  It is planned to create a set of 25 video clips.
  • A book publication, based on trasnscritions of the video clips.

The History Project has impact on ISTSS’s Straategic Goals 1, 5 and 6 for the following reasons:

  • Goal 1: If done well, it will increase our sense of professional community
  • Goal 5: The project will put the history of our efforts to grow as an international society (including the history of our affiliations) into perspective in ways that should inform future efforts to globalize.
  • Goal 6: A well-documented history will provide a strong foundation for strategic planning.

Composition & Designated Chair or Members: Task Force Chair is appointed by the President.
If deemed necessary, the Task Force Chair selects up to 2-5 ISTSS members in good standing to become members of the Task Force.

Authority (including limitations): The Task Force has the authority to produce a series of brief video statements, and a manuscript which will be submitted for approval to the ISTSS Board of Directors.  The Task Force does not have authority to publish any written material without prior approval by the ISTSS Board of Directors.

Society Policies Impacting Function: The Task Force must abide by all Society policies.

Interactions with Other Committees: The Task Force may seek advice from the Past Presidents’ Council.

Products: The Task Force will present the Board of Directors with the frist 2-3 video statements at the Midyear Board Meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, April 18-19, 2010. The full series of video statements, plus a draft manuscript will be submitted for review by the Board of Directors by end of September, 2010 (to be approved at the Board Meeting in November 2010).

Staff resources available (from Sherwood scope of work): None specified.

Financial and other resources available: None at the moment.

Processes/procedures: The Task Force Chair takes the lead in producing the video statements and the manuscript. Members of the Task Force may act as advisors, or provide contributions (e.g., a whole chapter) to the manuscript. Throughout the process of generating the manuscript, the Task Force Chair will communicate closely with their liaison to the Exec.