AIDS and Anthropology

State University of New York at Plattsburgh

 

Instructor: Kathleen O'Connor

ANT 252AA

TTH 9:30-10:45  

Spring 1992

 

Course Description and Purpose

 

This seminar is an introduction to the biology of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the clinical and epidemiological picture of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) that the virus causes, and the various behavioral and sociocultural causes and consequences of the AIDS epidemic.

 

The purpose of this seminar is to provide a broad base of information on HIV and AIDS using an anthropological perspective.  An anthropological approach is useful for the study of the AIDS epidemic because it 1) focuses on the interactions between human biology and human behavior/culture, 2) draws attention to the importance of understanding the shared environment and evolutionary history of Homo sapiens with other primate species (for example, regarding the issue of the origins of HIV), and 3) utilizes detailed cross-cultural and ethnographic data obtained through fieldwork on human behavior and culture to understand what people do, how and why people do the things they do, and how educational, preventative, and curative measures might best be implemented to improve the health of both individuals and populations.  In short, the biological, social, political, and personal factors associated with behavior and culture must all be considered in a comprehensive review of the AIDS epidemic.

 

Course Requirements

 

1) Readings: There is no required textbook for this class.  All required readings will be available on reserve in the library.  These readings are from a variety of sources, including books, journals, magazines, and newspapers.  The assigned readings for each are listed on the attached syllabus.  All assigned readings should be completed prior to the class for which they are scheduled.  A bibliography for the assigned readings is attached to the syllabus.

 

2) Seminar Paper:  A six to ten page typewritten paper on some aspect of the AIDS epidemic is required.  This paper will be research or literature review paper and will use sources not read in class, as well as class readings.  The objective of this paper is for each student to be able to explore in more detail some aspect of the AIDS epidemic that is of particular concern or interest to her/him.  Details on the format expected and other information are provided on a separate handout.  The due date is Friday, March 20.

 

3) Presentations: Each student will participate in one group presentation of assigned readings.  Each group will consist of 3 students and each student is responsible for one (or possibly two) paper(s).  The papers that a group presents will all be on a similar topic but present different perspectives on, or aspects of, the topic.  The 3 students in a group are responsible for reading all of the papers that their group is assigned, but each student will present to the class only one of the papers, and each student in the group will also hand in a 2-3 page typewritten summary and analysis of the paper(s) for which they are responsible.  All of the students in the class should also read each of the papers, but it is the group's responsibility to present that day's topic, summarize the papers, integrate the different perspectives in the papers, and lead the class discussion.  Obviously, this will require getting together with your group outside of class to plan and organize your class presentation.  The objectives of these presentations are to give students the opportunity to 1) learn how to summarize and present material to an audience, 2) learn how to integrate material from several sources into a topic presentation, 3) work with peers, and 4) lead a class discussion.

 

4) Grading Policy:

Seminar Paper     60 points

      Presentation      40 points

 

Syllabus

 

TH 1/23     Introduction: AIDS in the Context of the Human History of Epidemic Disease

 

TU 1/28     The Biology and Origins of HIV and AIDS

Readings:

Essex, M., and P.J. Kanki. "The Origins of the AIDS Virus," 1988.

Gallo, R.C., and L. Montagnier.  "AIDS in 1988," 1988.

McClure, M.  "Where Did the AIDS Virus Come From?" 1990.

Gilks, Charles.  "AIDS, Monkeys, and Malaria," 1991.

 

TH 1/30     The Clinical Picture of HIV Infection and AIDS

Readings:

Redfield, R.R., and D.S. Burke.  "HIV Infection: The Clinical Picture," 1988.

Randall, Teri.  "Gene Scene: Studies Begin to Yield Clues About Disease Progression After HIV Infection," 1991.

Nowak, Rachel.  "New AIDS Definition," 1991.

 

Also recommended:

Gong, V., et al.  "The Clinical Spectrum," 1987.

 

TU 2/4      Epidemiology I: The United States

Readings:

Brookmeyer, R.  "Reconstruction and Future Trends of the AIDS Epidemic in the United States," 1991.

Parsons, Ed.  "Women Become Top U.S. AIDS Risk Group," 1991.

Haverkos, H.W., and R. Edelman.  "The Epidemiology of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Among Heterosexuals," 1988.

Associated Press.  "A Drop in AIDS Rate," 1991.

Heyward, W.L., and J.W. Curran.  "The Epidemiology of AIDS in the U.S," 1988.

Epstein, L.  "Perspective: Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Children," 1990.

 

TH 2/6      Epidemiology II: The World Situation  GROUP PRESENTATION

Readings:

Anderson et al.  "The Spread of HIV-1 in Africa: Sexual Contact Patterns and the Predicted Demographic Impact of AIDS," 1991.

World Press Review.  "AIDS in the Muslim World," 1991.

Mann, J.M. et al.  "The International Epidemiology of AIDS," 1988.

Hersch et al.  "Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in Romania," 1991.

Holden, C.  "Russian AIDS Puzzle," 1991.

 

TU 2/11     Epidemiology III: At-Risk Groups vs. At-Risk Behaviors

Readings:

Murray, Stephen O., and Kenneth W. Payne.  "The Social Classification of AIDS in American Epidemiology," 1989.

Letters to the Editor.  "HIV in Intravenous Drug Users," 1990.

Page et al.  "Intravenous Drug Use and HIV Infection in Miami," 1990.

Leonard, Terri L.  "Male Clients of Female Street Prostitutes: Unseen Partners in Sexual Disease Transmission," 1990.

 

TH 2/13     Sexual Behaviors and Transmission Dynamics

Readings:

Day, Sophie.  "Prostitute Women and the Ideology of Work in London," 1990.

Carrier, J.M.  "Sexual Behavior and Spread of AIDS in Mexico," 1989.

Feldman, Douglas A.  "A Household Survey for AIDS-Related Complex in Rwanda," 1989.

World Press Review.  "Sex After "Glasnost," 1991.

 

TU 2/18     Education and Prevention and Perspectives on Condom Use

Readings:

Struve, C.  "Condom Failure Rate," 1991.

Stall, R. et al.  "Sexual Risk for HIV Transmission among Singles-Bar Patrons in San Francisco," 1990.

Fineberg, H.V. "Education to Prevent AIDS: Prospects and Obstacles," 1988.

Marshall, Eliot. "Sullivan Overrules NIH on Sex Survey," 1991.

Moffat, A.S. "Another Sex Survey Bites the Dust," 1991.

Carrier, J.M., and J.R. Magana. "Use of Ethnosexual Data on Men of Mexican Origin for HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs," 1991.

 

Also recommended:

Lamb, G.A., and L.G. Liebling.  "The Role of Education in AIDS Prevention," 1989.

 

TH 2/20     Cross-Cultural Perspectives  GROUP PRESENTATION

Readings:

Singer et al.  "SIDA: The Economic, Social, and Cultural Context of AIDS Among Latinos," 1990.

Feldman, Douglas A.  "Assessing Viral, Parasitic, and Sociocultural Cofactors Affecting HIV-1 Transmission in Rwanda," 1990.

Worth, D.  "Minority Women and AIDS: Culture, Race, and Gender," 1990.

Lewis, G.A.  "Beliefs and Behavior in Disease," 1977.

Marron, JoAnn.  "AIDS in Africa," 1991.

 

Also recommended:

Farmer, Paul.  "AIDS and Accusation: Haiti, Haitians, and the Geography of Blame," 1990.

 

TU 2/25     The Power of the Media  GROUP PRESENTATION

Readings:

Goldstein, Richard.  "The Implicated and the Immune: Responses to AIDS in the Arts and Popular Culture," 1991.

Kinsella, J.  "Covering the Plague Years: Four Approaches to the AIDS Beat," 1989.

Treichler, Paula A.  "AIDS, Gender, and Biomedical Discourse: Current Contests for Meaning," 1988.

 

Also recommended:

Shilts, Randy.  "In Cold Blood: Why the Reagan Administration Ignored Its Own Medical Advisors on AIDS," 1987.

 

TH 2/27     The Medical System: Health Care Issues and Risks for Doctors and Patients  GROUP PRESENTATION

Readings:

Bosk, C.L., and J.E. Frader.  "AIDS and Its Impact on Medical Work," 1991.

Rosenthal, E.  "Study Sees Moves on HIV Infection Backfiring," 1991.®PG¯

Brennan, Troyen.  "Transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Health Care Setting - Time for Action," 1991.

Marshall, P.A. et al.  "Touch and Contamination: Patients' Fear of AIDS," 1990.

 

Also recommended:

Burns, Irene.  "We Were There," 1989.

 

TU 3/3      Legal and Civil Rights  GROUP PRESENTATION

Readings:

Dickens, B.M.  "Legal Rights and Duties in the AIDS Epidemic," 1988.

Tauer, C.  "AIDS: Human Rights and Public Health," 1989.

Levine, C.  "AIDS and Changing Concepts of Family," 1991.

 

TH 3/5      Citizen and Community Action: ACT UP Guest Speaker

Readings:

Niehaus, Juliet A.  "Increasing the Cost of Living: Class and Exploitation in the Delivery of Social Services to Persons with AIDS," 1990.

Kobasa, S.C.O.  "AIDS Volunteering," 1991.

 

TU 3/10     Open for a topic or discussion

 

FR 3/20     SEMINAR PAPERS DUE

 

Required Reading List

 

Anderson, R.M., et al.

    1991    The Spread of HIV-1 in Africa: Sexual Contact Patterns and the Predicted Demographic Impact of AIDS.  Nature 352:581-589.

 

Associated Press

    1991    A Drop in AIDS Rate. New York Times (October 8, 1991).

 

Bosk, Charles C., and Joel E. Frader

    1991    AIDS and Its Impact on Medical Work. In: A Disease of Society: Cultural and Institutional Responses to AIDS. D. Nelkin, D.P. Willis, and S.V. Parris, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 150-171.

 

Brennan, Troyen

    1991    Transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Health Care Setting - Time for Action. The New England Journal of Medicine 324(21):1504-1509.

 

Brookmeyer, Ron

    1991    Reconstruction and Future Trends of the AIDS Epidemic in the United States. Science 253:37-42.

 

Burns, Irene

    1989    We Were There. In: The AIDS Epidemic: Private Rights and the Public Interest. Padraig O'Malley, ed. Boston: Beacon Press. pp. 307-314.

 

Carrier, J.M.

    1989    Sexual Behavior and Spread of AIDS in Mexico. In: The AIDS Pandemic: A Global Emergency. Ralph Bolton, ed. New York: Gordon and Breach. pp. 37-50.

 

Carrier, Joseph M., and J. Raul Magana

    1991    Use of Ethnosexual Data on Men of Mexican Origin for HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs. The Journal of Sex Research 28(2):189-201.

 

Day, Sophie

    1990    Prostitute Women and the Ideology of Work in London. In: Culture and AIDS. Douglas A. Feldman, ed. New York: Praeger. pp. 93-109.

 

Dickens, Bernard M.

    1988    Legal Rights and Duties in the AIDS Epidemic. Science 239:580-586.

 

Epstein, Bernard M.

    1990    Perspective: Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Children.  Human Biology 2:365-372.

 

Essex, Max, and Phyllis J. Kanki

    1988    The Origins of the AIDS Virus. Scientific American (October 1988):64-71.

 

Farmer, Paul

    1990    AIDS and Accusation: Haiti, Haitians, and the Geography of Blame.  In: Culture and AIDS. Douglas A. Feldman, ed. New York: Praeger. pp. 67-91.

 

Fineberg, Harvey V.

    1988    Education to Prevent AIDS: Prospects and Obstacles.  Science 239:592-596.

 

Feldman, Douglas A.

    1989    A Household Survey for AIDS-Related Complex in Rwanda. In: The AIDS Pandemic: A Global Emergency. Ralph Bolton, ed. New York: Gordon and Breach. pp. 51-57.

 

    1990    Assessing Viral, Parasitic, and Sociocultural Cofactors Affecting HIV-1 Transmission in Rwanda. In: Culture and AIDS. Douglas A. Feldman, ed. New York: Praeger. pp. 45-54.

 

Gallo, Robert C., and Luc Montagnier

    1988    AIDS in 1988. Scientific American (October 1988):41-48.

 

Gilks, Charles

    1991    AIDS, Monkeys and Malaria. Nature 354:262.

 

Goldstein, Richard

    1991    The Implicated and the Immune: Responses to AIDS in the Arts and Popular Culture. In: A Disease of Society: Cultural and Institutional Responses to AIDS. D. Nelkin, D.P. Willis, and S.V. Parris, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 17-42.

 

Gong, Victor (and others)

    1987    The Clinical Spectrum. In: AIDS: Facts and Issues. V. Gong and N. Rudnick, eds. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. pp. 49-89.

 

Haverkos, Harry W., and Robert Edelman

    1988    The Epidemiology of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Among Heterosexuals. Journal of the American Medical Association 260(3):1922-1929.

 

Hersch, B.S., et al.

    1991    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in Romania. The Lancet 338(8768):645-649.

 

Heyward, William L., and James W. Curran

    1988    The Epidemiology of AIDS in the U.S. Scientific American (October 1988):72-81.

 

Holden, Constance

    1991    Russian AIDS Puzzle. Science 253:1214.

 

Kinsella, James

    1989    Covering the Plague Years: Four Approaches to the AIDS Beat. In: The AIDS Epidemic: Private Rights and the Public Interest.  Padraig O'Malley, ed. Boston: Beacon Press. pp. 465-474.

 

Kobasa, Suzanne C. Ouellette

    1991    AIDS Volunteering. In: A Disease of Society: Cultural and Institutional Responses to AIDS. D. Nelkin, D.P. Willis, and S.V. Parris, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 172-188.

 

Lamb, George A., and Linette G. Liebling

    1989    The Role of Education in AIDS Prevention. In: The AIDS Epidemic: Private Rights and the Public Interest. Padraig O'Malley, ed. Boston: Beacon Press. pp. 315-322.

 

Leonard, Terri L.

    1990    Male Clients of Female Street Prostitutes: Unseen Partners in Sexual Disease Transmission. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 4(1):41-55.

 

Letters to the Editor

    1990    HIV in Intravenous Drug Users. The New England Journal of Medicine 322(9):632.

 

Levine, Carol

    1991    AIDS and Changing Concepts of Family. In: A Disease of Society: Cultural and Institutional Responses to AIDS. D. Nelkin, D.P. Willis, and S.V. Parris, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 45-70.

 

Lewis, G.A.

    1977    Beliefs and Behaviour in Disease. In: Health and Disease in Tribal Societies. CIBA Foundation Symposium 49. Elsevier. pp. 137-153.

 

Mann, Jonathan M., James Chin, Peter Piot, and Thomas Quinn

    1988    The International Epidemiology of AIDS. Scientific American (October 1988):82-89.

 

Marron, JoAnn

    1991    AIDS in Africa. Collegiate Anthropologist Vol XII(1):27-40.

 

Marshall, Eliot

    1991    Sullivan Overrules NIH on Sex Survey. Science 253:502.

 

Marshall, P.A., J.P. O'Keefe, and S.G. Fisher

    1990    Touch and Contamination: Patients' Fear of AIDS. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 4(1):129-144.

 

McClure, Myra

    1990    Where Did the AIDS Virus Come From? New Scientist (June 30, 1990):54-57.

 

Moffat, Anne Simon

    1991    Another Sex Survey Bites the Dust. Science 253:1483.

 

Murray, Stephen O., and Kenneth W. Payne

    1989    The Social Classification of AIDS in American Epidemiology. In: The AIDS Pandemic: A Global Emergency. Ralph Bolton, ed. New York: Gordon and Breach. pp. 23-36.

 

Niehaus, Juliet A.

    1990    Increasing the Cost of Living: Class and Exploitation in the Delivery of Social Services to Persons with AIDS. In: Culture and AIDS.  Douglas A. Feldman, ed. New York: Praeger. pp. 183-203.

 

Nowak, Rachel

    1991    New AIDS Definition. Nature 352(6337):653.

 

Page, J. Bryan, et al.

    1990    Intravenous Drug Use and HIV Infection in Miami. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 4(1):56-71.

 

Parsons, Ed

    1991    Women Become Top U.S. AIDS Risk Group. Letter to the editor in the New York Times, November 18, 1991.

 

Randall, Teri

    1991    Gene Scene: Studies Begin to Yield Clues About Disease Progression After HIV Infection. Journal of the American Medical Association 266(16):2186.

 

Redfield, Robert F., and Donald S. Burke

    1988    HIV Infection: The Clinical Picture. Scientific American (October 1988):90-98.

 

Rosenthal, Elisabeth

    1991    Study Sees Moves on HIV Infection Backfiring. New York Times, September 10, 1991.

 

Shilts, Randy

    1987    In Cold Blood: Why the Reagan Administration Ignored Its Own Medical Advisors on AIDS. Mother Jones (November 1991):25-47.

 

Singer, M., et al.

    1990    SIDA: The Economic, Social, and Cultural Context of AIDS Among Latinos. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 4(1):72-114.

 

Stall, R., et al.

    1990    Sexual Risk for HIV Transmission among Singles-Bar Patrons in San Francisco. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 4(1):115-128.

 

Struve, Catherine

    1991    Condom Failure Rate. Letter to the editor in the New York Times, November 18, 1991.

 

Tauer, Carol A.

    1989    AIDS: Human Rights and Public Health. In: The AIDS Pandemic: A Global Emergency. Ralph Bolton, ed. New York: Gordon and Breach. pp. 85-100.

 

Treichler, Paula

    1988    AIDS, Gender, and Biomedical Discourse: Current Contests for Meaning. In: AIDS: The Burdens of History. E. Fee and D.M. Fox, eds.  Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 190-266.

 

World Press Review

    1991    AIDS in the Muslim World.  November 1991, p. 33.

    1991    Sex After "Glasnost."  November 1991, p. 55.

 

Worth, Dooley

    1990    Minority Women and AIDS: Culture, Race, and Gender. In: Culture and AIDS. Douglas A. Feldman, ed. New York: Praeger. pp. 111-135.