AIDS Behavior and Culture

AIDS Behavior and Culture presents a bold challenge to the prevailing wisdom of “the global AIDS industry” and offers an alternative framework for understanding what works in HIV prevention. Arguing for a behavior-based approach Green and Ruark make the case that the most effective programs are those that encourage fundamental behavioral changes such as abstinence delay of sex faithfulness and cessation of injection drug use. Successful programs are locally based low cost low tech innovative and built on existing cultural structures. In contrast they argue that anthropologists and public health practitioners focus on counseling testing condoms and treatment and impose their Western values culture and political ideologies in an attempt to “liberate” non-Western people from sexual repression and homophobia. This provocative book is essential reading for anyone working in HIV/AIDS prevention and a stimulating introduction to the key controversies and approaches in global health and medical anthropology for students and general readers.