3 - Some Dilemmas of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Coping in a Zambia Village
Corresponding Author(s) : C. Bawa Yamba
African Sociological Review,
Vol. 8 No. 1 (2004): African Sociological Review
Abstract
The paper examines the activities of researchers in a multidisciplinary HIV/AIDS prevention project in an African rural setting. Like most such projects on health promotion, it entailed trying to pass on superior knowledge on how to save people from dying of AIDS. It draws on an ethnography that spans over a decade of HIV/AIDS prevention in Zambia to show some of the problems inherent in applied projects that do not problematise the very idea of capacity building that aims to empower local people to deal with their own problems. It is argued that such researchers ought to reflect on questions such as what it entails to say that people cope(or are coping) with a given situation of stress and uncertainty; whether this means that such
people draw from a range of resources to counter the impact of the situation, or simply drift along with the inevitable and are, thus, able to reduce the impact; and what kind of knowledge isinternaliseable so as to make its recipients think it prudent to act in accordance with its precepts. It is argued social scientists working with HIV/AIDS prevention ought to examine these kinds of
underlying assumptions in their work, otherwise they end up creating increased uncertainty and leaving they people they study more vulnerable than before. Examples from the project are drawn to illustrate these issues, to conclude with some tentative points on why it is necessary to be modest about knowing what is best for others, particularly in HIV/AIDS prevention.
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- Ahlberg, Beth May. 1994. 'Is there a Distinct African Sexuality?: A Critieal Response to Caldwell', Africa, vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 220-242.
- Bond, V. A. 1998. 'Household Capacity and "Coping Up" in Rural Zambia: Dealing with AIDS, other lllnesses and Adversity in Chiawa', Unpublished Ph.D Dissertation, Hull University.
- Bond, V. and S. Wallman. 1993. Report on the 1991 Survey ofHouseholds in Chiawa, Community Capacity to Prevent, Manage and Survive HIVIAJDS, IHCARJHull/IAS, Working Paper 5. Bond, V., M. M. Macwang'i, and P. Ndubani. 1993.
- Report on a Survey of Migrant Labour Camps in Chiawa. Community Capacity to Prevent, Manage and Survive HIVIAIDS, IHCAR/Hull/IAS, Working Paper 6. Caldwell, John C., Pat Caldwell, and Pat Quiggin. 1989. 'The Social Context of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa', Population and Development Review, vol. 15, no. 2, pp.185-234.
- Caldwell, John C., I. O. Orubuloye, and Pat Caldwell. 1992. 'Underreaction to AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa', Social Science and Medicine, vol. 34, no.11, pp.1169-1182.
- Dover, Paul. 1995. "'I want to Play with a Woman": Gender Relations, Sexuality and Reproductive Health in Rural Zambia: Report from a Minor Field Study', University Department of Social Anthropology, Stockholm. Heald, Suzette. 1995.
- 'The Power of Sex: Sorne Reflections on the Caldwell' s "African Sexuality" Thesis', Africa, vol. 65, no. 4, pp. 489-505.
- Hunt, C. W. 1989. 'Migrant Labor and Sexually Transmitted Disease: AJDS in Africa', Journal ofHealth and Social Behaviour, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 353-73.
- Lancaster, C. S. 1974. 'Brideservice, Residence and Authority among the Goba (N. Shona) of the Zambezi Valley', Africa, vol. 44, no.l, pp 46-64.
- Lancaster, Chet S. 1981. The Goba of the Zambezi: Sex Roles, Economies, and Change, First ed., Norman, University of Oklahoma Press.
- Leavey, C. 1989. 'Cash-Cropping and Social Organisation: The Case of the Goba of the Zambezi in a Comparative Framework', BA Dissertation, Anthropology Department, University of Cambridge. Schoepf, B. G. 1991. 'Ethical, Methodological and Political Issues of AIDS Research in Central Africa', Social Science and Medicine, vol. 33, no. 7, pp. 749-763.
- Schoepf, B. G.2001. 'International AIDS Research in Anthropology: Taking a Critical Perspective on the Crisis' ,AnnualReviewof Anthropology, vol. 30,pp. 335-361.
- Sîankanga, Z., C. Chela, B. Baîley, and R. Mwilu. 1991.
- 'Home Based Care for HIV lnfected Individuals in a Rural Zambian Community: A Four Year Experience of Integrated AIDS Management', The Salvation Army Chikankata Hospital, Mazabuka, Southern Province, Zambia. Wall man, S. 1985.
- 'Rules ofThurnb', Advocacy and Anthropology: First Encounters, Edited by R. Paine, St. John's, Institute of Social and Economie Research, Memorial University of Newfoundland, pp 1-13. W allman,
- S., K. Kalumba, K., L. Sachs, and N. Krantz. 1990. 'Community Capacity to Prevent, Manage and Survive HlV/AlDS in Africa', IHCAR/Hull/IAS.
- WHO. 2003. Academic Mode! United Nations 2003, Topic Area, HIV/AIDS, Geneva, World Health Organisation.
- Yamba, C. Bawa. 1997. 'Cosmologies in Turmoil: AIDS and Witchfinding in Chiawa, Zambia',Africa, vol. 67, no. 2, pp. 183-209.
References
Ahlberg, Beth May. 1994. 'Is there a Distinct African Sexuality?: A Critieal Response to Caldwell', Africa, vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 220-242.
Bond, V. A. 1998. 'Household Capacity and "Coping Up" in Rural Zambia: Dealing with AIDS, other lllnesses and Adversity in Chiawa', Unpublished Ph.D Dissertation, Hull University.
Bond, V. and S. Wallman. 1993. Report on the 1991 Survey ofHouseholds in Chiawa, Community Capacity to Prevent, Manage and Survive HIVIAJDS, IHCARJHull/IAS, Working Paper 5. Bond, V., M. M. Macwang'i, and P. Ndubani. 1993.
Report on a Survey of Migrant Labour Camps in Chiawa. Community Capacity to Prevent, Manage and Survive HIVIAIDS, IHCAR/Hull/IAS, Working Paper 6. Caldwell, John C., Pat Caldwell, and Pat Quiggin. 1989. 'The Social Context of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa', Population and Development Review, vol. 15, no. 2, pp.185-234.
Caldwell, John C., I. O. Orubuloye, and Pat Caldwell. 1992. 'Underreaction to AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa', Social Science and Medicine, vol. 34, no.11, pp.1169-1182.
Dover, Paul. 1995. "'I want to Play with a Woman": Gender Relations, Sexuality and Reproductive Health in Rural Zambia: Report from a Minor Field Study', University Department of Social Anthropology, Stockholm. Heald, Suzette. 1995.
'The Power of Sex: Sorne Reflections on the Caldwell' s "African Sexuality" Thesis', Africa, vol. 65, no. 4, pp. 489-505.
Hunt, C. W. 1989. 'Migrant Labor and Sexually Transmitted Disease: AJDS in Africa', Journal ofHealth and Social Behaviour, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 353-73.
Lancaster, C. S. 1974. 'Brideservice, Residence and Authority among the Goba (N. Shona) of the Zambezi Valley', Africa, vol. 44, no.l, pp 46-64.
Lancaster, Chet S. 1981. The Goba of the Zambezi: Sex Roles, Economies, and Change, First ed., Norman, University of Oklahoma Press.
Leavey, C. 1989. 'Cash-Cropping and Social Organisation: The Case of the Goba of the Zambezi in a Comparative Framework', BA Dissertation, Anthropology Department, University of Cambridge. Schoepf, B. G. 1991. 'Ethical, Methodological and Political Issues of AIDS Research in Central Africa', Social Science and Medicine, vol. 33, no. 7, pp. 749-763.
Schoepf, B. G.2001. 'International AIDS Research in Anthropology: Taking a Critical Perspective on the Crisis' ,AnnualReviewof Anthropology, vol. 30,pp. 335-361.
Sîankanga, Z., C. Chela, B. Baîley, and R. Mwilu. 1991.
'Home Based Care for HIV lnfected Individuals in a Rural Zambian Community: A Four Year Experience of Integrated AIDS Management', The Salvation Army Chikankata Hospital, Mazabuka, Southern Province, Zambia. Wall man, S. 1985.
'Rules ofThurnb', Advocacy and Anthropology: First Encounters, Edited by R. Paine, St. John's, Institute of Social and Economie Research, Memorial University of Newfoundland, pp 1-13. W allman,
S., K. Kalumba, K., L. Sachs, and N. Krantz. 1990. 'Community Capacity to Prevent, Manage and Survive HlV/AlDS in Africa', IHCAR/Hull/IAS.
WHO. 2003. Academic Mode! United Nations 2003, Topic Area, HIV/AIDS, Geneva, World Health Organisation.
Yamba, C. Bawa. 1997. 'Cosmologies in Turmoil: AIDS and Witchfinding in Chiawa, Zambia',Africa, vol. 67, no. 2, pp. 183-209.