The Politics of AIDS Denialism: South Africa's Failure to RespondSuccessive South African governments have had controversial views on HIV and AIDS which have led to allegations that South Africa is in a state of denial about the AIDS epidemic. This book attempts to determine the validity of such claims of government denial by formulating and testing a denial hypothesis. The hypothesis is contextualized with an overview of the South African epidemic as well as a review of allegations of government denial. It reveals possible political factors that may motivate policy-makers to resort to official denial and tentatively concludes with a confirmation of the allegations contained in the denial hypothesis. However, this is done within the broader notion that denial is inherently vague and couched in language (rarely in writing) and therefore difficult to test with certainty and as such this book's real value lies in the insights gained into the complex politics of denial. By exploring the dynamics of denial and denialism and applying this to the South African AIDS epidemic, this study provides a comprehensive analysis. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The South African AIDS Epidemic | 13 |
Developing a Theory of Government AIDS Denial | 35 |
A History of the Official Response | 57 |
Past is Prologue Apartheid Responses to AIDS | 59 |
The Mandela Governments Response to AIDS | 77 |
The Two Mbeki Governments Responses to AIDS | 107 |
Making Sense of Official AIDS Denial | 143 |
Classic Official Denial | 145 |
Counteroffensive Denial and Partial Acknowledgement | 165 |
The Politics of Denial | 183 |
Conclusion | 195 |
Other editions - View all
The Politics of AIDS Denialism: South Africa's Failure to Respond Pieter Fourie,Melissa Meyer Limited preview - 2016 |
The Politics of AIDS Denialism: South Africa's Failure to Respond Pieter Fourie,Melissa Meyer Limited preview - 2016 |
The Politics of AIDS Denialism: South Africa's Failure to Respond Pieter Fourie,Melissa Meyer No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
accusations action African AIDS epidemic AIDS civil society AIDS deaths AIDS denialism AIDS in South AIDS Law Project amongst apartheid apartheid government argued arguments ARVs Barnett and Whiteside behaviour blame Chapter classic official denial Cohen Cohen's typology counter-offensive denial critics culture Department of Health disease drug effective Goal government denial government's Grundlingh 2001 HAART Health Minister Heywood HIV and AIDS HIV infection HIV-positive homosexuals human rights impact implementation implicatory inaction instance issue legislation long-wave events Manto Tshabalala-Msimang Marais Matthias Rath Mbeki governments Minister of Health MTCTP NACOSA Nattrass Nevirapine NP government official denial partial acknowledgement policy makers political President programmes PWAS racism rhetoric rollout SANAC Sarafina sector sexual South African AIDS South African epidemic South African government spread of HIV Strategic Plan strategy Thabo Mbeki treatment Treatment Action Campaign Tshabalala-Msimang typology of official Virodene virus Vliet Whilst Whiteside 2006 Zuma