L&S Curricular Connections

How has the world responded to the AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa? The very assumption that “the world” can and should respond suggests how deeply the notion of a global society has taken root. The course introduces basic concepts, theories, and methods from the social sciences and exposes students to the history and contemporary reality of sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to examining the basic biology and epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, we explore the cultural, political, and moral issues raised by global efforts to fight the epidemic. We also analyze what “governance” means when a multitude of international actors, from huge UN agencies to tiny non-governmental and community organizations, attempt to address a human catastrophe. The course is writing intensive: reading is light and sections are small to allow time for hands-on attention to student research and writing.