AIDS, South Africa, and the Politics of Knowledge (Routledge Global Health Series)

Through an in-depth examination of the interactions between the South African government and the international AIDS control regime, Youde examines not only the emergence of an epistemic community but also the development of a counter-epistemic community offering fundamentally different understandings of AIDS and radically different policy prescriptions. In addition, individuals have become influential in the crafting of the South African government's AIDS policies, despite universal condemnation from the international scientific community. This study highlights the relevance and importance of Africa to international affairs. The actions of African states calls into question many of our basic assumptions and challenges us to refine our analytical framework. Ideally suited to scholars interested in African studies, international organizations, global governance and infectious diseases. Contents......Page 6 List of Tables......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 List of Abbreviations......Page 12 The Paradox of AIDS Policies in South Africa......Page 14 The AIDS Epidemic in Perspective......Page 18 AIDS Policies in South Africa......Page 22 Plan of the Book......Page 26 2 Knowledge and International Policymaking......Page 28 Knowledge as Strength: Power-based Theories......Page 29 Knowledge through Incentives: Interest-based Theories......Page 32 Is AIDS in the Government’s Interest?......Page 34 Understanding Self and Other: Knowledge-based Theories......Page 38 Epistemic Communities......Page 40 Science, Democracy, and Policy-relevant Knowledge......Page 43 Civic Science......Page 48 Civic Science and AIDS......Page 49 History, Identity, and Epistemic Communities......Page 51 Oversights in the Epistemic Communities Approach......Page 53 What is a Counter-epistemic Community?......Page 56 Epistemic and Counter-epistemic Communities......Page 59 Conditions Giving Rise to Counter-epistemic Communities......Page 61 Objection #1: This Concept Only Applies to South Africa and/or AIDS......Page 64 Objection #2: Counter-epistemic Communities are Identical to Interest Groups......Page 66 Objection #3: Any Counter-epistemic Community will eventually Disappear......Page 68 Conclusion......Page 69 4 History and Public Health in South Africa......Page 72 State Public Health Responses in an Historical Context......Page 73 Infectious Disease, Public Health, and Colonialism......Page 75 Inoculation Campaigns: Rinderpest and Influenza......Page 77 Bubonic Plague, Tuberculosis, and Apartheid......Page 80 Public Health during the Apartheid Era......Page 82 Early Responses to AIDS in South Africa......Page 85 Conclusion......Page 88 5 Identity, AIDS, and Public Health in South Africa......Page 90 The African Renaissance......Page 91 Virodene, Alternative Therapies, and International Pharmaceutical Companies......Page 94 Explaining South Africa’s Position to the World......Page 100 AIDS in a Broader Identity Context......Page 104 Conclusion......Page 108 Roots and Beliefs of the AIDS Counter-epistemic Community......Page 110 Peter Duesberg......Page 116 David Rasnick......Page 118 The Perth Group......Page 119 Matthias Rath......Page 120 Credentials and Expertise......Page 121 AIDS Dissidents in Actions......Page 122 Denialism as Policy?......Page 126 Democracy, Liberation, and Racism......Page 129 Influence Waning?......Page 132 Conclusion......Page 133 7 Conclusions and Implications......Page 136 Review of Previous Chapters......Page 137 Counter-epistemic Communities and Policy Relevance......Page 138 Conclusion......Page 141 Works Cited......Page 144 B......Page 162 E......Page 163 M......Page 164 R......Page 165 Z......Page 166 Contents 6 List of Tables 8 Acknowledgments 10 List of Abbreviations 12 1 Introduction 14 The Paradox of AIDS Policies in South Africa 14 The AIDS Epidemic in Perspective 18 AIDS Policies in South Africa 22 Plan of the Book 26 2 Knowledge and International Policymaking 28 Knowledge as Strength: Power-based Theories 29 Knowledge through Incentives: Interest-based Theories 32 Is AIDS in the Government’s Interest? 34 Understanding Self and Other: Knowledge-based Theories 38 Epistemic Communities 40 Science, Democracy, and Policy-relevant Knowledge 43 Civic Science 48 Civic Science and AIDS 49 History, Identity, and Epistemic Communities 51 Oversights in the Epistemic Communities Approach 53 3 Counter-epistemic Communities 56 What is a Counter-epistemic Community? 56 Epistemic and Counter-epistemic Communities 59 Conditions Giving Rise to Counter-epistemic Communities 61 Possible Objections 64 Objection #1: This Concept Only Applies to South Africa and/or AIDS 64 Objection #2: Counter-epistemic Communities are Identical to Interest Groups 66 Objection #3: Any Counter-epistemic Community will eventually Disappear 68 Conclusion 69 4 History and Public Health in South Africa 72 State Public Health Responses in an Historical Context 73 Infectious Disease, Public Health, and Colonialism 75 Inoculation Campaigns: Rinderpest and Influenza 77 Bubonic Plague, Tuberculosis, and Apartheid 80 Public Health during the Apartheid Era 82 Early Responses to AIDS in South Africa 85 Conclusion 88 5 Identity, AIDS, and Public Health in South Africa 90 The African Renaissance 91 Virodene, Alternative Therapies, and International Pharmaceutical Companies 94 Explaining South Africa’s Position to the World 100 AIDS in a Broader Identity Context 104 Conclusion 108 6 South Africa AIDS Policies and the Counter-epistemic Community 110 Roots and Beliefs of the AIDS Counter-epistemic Community 110 Members of the AIDS Counter-epistemic Community 116 Peter Duesberg 116 David Rasnick 118 Harvey Bialy 119 The Perth Group 119 Sam Mhlongo 120 Matthias Rath 120 Credentials and Expertise 121 AIDS Dissidents in Actions 122 Denialism as Policy? 126 Democracy, Liberation, and Racism 129 Influence Waning? 132 Conclusion 133 7 Conclusions and Implications 136 Review of Previous Chapters 137 Counter-epistemic Communities and Policy Relevance 138 Conclusion 141 Works Cited 144 Index 162 A 162 B 162 C 163 D 163 E 163 F 164 G 164 H 164 I 164 K 164 M 164 N 165 P 165 R 165 S 166 T 166 U 166 V 166 W 166 Y 166 Z 166 Through an in-depth examination of the interactions between the South African government and the international AIDS control regime, Jeremy Youde examines not only the emergence of an epistemic community but also the development of a counter-epistemic community offering fundamentally different understandings of AIDS and radically different policy prescriptions. In addition, individuals have become influential in the crafting of the South African government's AIDS policies, despite universal condemnation from the international scientific community. This study highlights the relevance and importance of Africa to international affairs. The actions of African states call into question many of our basic assumptions and challenge us to refine our analytical framework. It is ideally suited to scholars interested in African studies, international organizations, global governance and infectious diseases. "Through an in-depth examination of the interactions between the South African government and the international AIDS control regime, Youde examines not only the emergence of an epistemic community but also the development of a counter-epistemic community offering fundamentally different understandings of AIDS and radically different policy prescriptions. In addition, individuals have become influential in the crafting of the South African government's AIDS policies, despite universal condemnation from the international scientific community." "This study highlights the relevance and importance of Africa to international affairs. The actions of African states call into question many of our basic assumptions and challenge us to refine our analytical framework. Ideally suited to scholars interested in African studies, international organizations, global governance and infectious diseases."--Jacket Through an in-depth examination of the interactions between the South African government and the international AIDS control regime, Jeremy Youde examines both the epistemic and counter-epistemic communities to highlight the relevance and importance of Africa to international affairs. The study is ideally suited to scholars interested in African studies, international organizations, global governance and infectious diseases