HNRS-260PH | Global HIV/AIDS

Full Title: Global HIV/AIDS: Sociological Perspectives on an Epidemic

Topic Description:

HIV/AIDS is a global biomedical epidemic, but how is it also a social and cultural disease? In highly developed nations, AIDS has become a treatable, though decidedly stigmatized infection. In much of the world, however, AIDS remains a death sentence, a path to orphan-hood, an economic and social disaster. We will begin with HIV/AIDS 101, and then move on to think about the disease from a sociological perspective. We will examine the social history of HIV/AIDS, including denial, fear, misinformation, discrimination, and in time, some positive turning points. We will study the ways inequality in sexuality, gender, social class, and race have allowed inequality to persist in prevention and treatment programs. We will read the voices of those living with HIV/AIDS. We will think about stigma and other processes as they affect individuals and institutions. Importantly, we will do all of these things on both a national and global scale.

Counts as Global? Yes

Topic Approved: April 2014