Narratives of Nationhood and HIV/AIDS: Reflections on Multidisciplinary Research on the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Zambia over the Last 30 Years

Abstract

The HIV/AIDS epidemic, exacerbated by global processes, has affected most aspects of life in Zambia. The country's demographic profile has changed, with significant losses among those of reproductive age, and a huge increase in the number of orphans has placed additional burdens on families and on the delivery of health and education services. HIV/AIDS has engendered profound changes in personal and national identity. Shifts in Zambian narratives of nationhood emerge from this overview of the history of HIV made through the lens of research over a stretch of 30 years. One key narrative change concerns ideas of integrity and respect. Discussion of, and instruction in, sexual matters has become a topic of public debate about right conduct at all levels in society, thus reframing ideas of respect towards those in authority who have addressed this crisis. Another key narrative involves changes in the locus of responsibility and rights. The HIV response has both contested and pushed the...