Russian Socio-Medical Expertise as a Rite of Passage [Rossiiskaia mediko-sotsial'naia ekspertiza kak obriad perekhoda]
The article discusses anthropological research on practices of socio-medical expertise (SME) involved in the process of disability production. Drawing on the participant-observation study of the work of several SME bureaus, I examine the ways in which agents participate in SME and describe the stages along which the “disability” status is produced. I further show the means and effects of intersection of common everyday practices among different agents as medical experts, medical doctors, or other professionals, and civil “recipients of public services”, departments, online systems, medical and legal documents.