INQ-260PH | Global HIV/AIDS

Full Title: Global HIV/AIDS: The Sociology of an Epidemic

Topic Description:

HIV/AIDS is a global epidemic, but how is it more than a medical disease? In highly developed nations, AIDS has become a treatable, though decidedly stigmatized infection. In much of the world, AIDS remains a death sentence, a path to orphan-hood, an economic and social disaster. We will begin with some HIV/AIDS 101, but then will move on to think about the disease from social scientific perspectives. 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 sexuality, gender, social class, and race have allowed bias 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. And importantly, we will do all of these things on both a national and global scale.

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: November 2011