Unbinding the other in the context of HIV/AIDS and education - Peter Rule and Vaughn John

Theorists in fields such as philosophy, psychology, sociology and education provide both positive and negative conceptions of 'the other'. In relation to the social pathology of HIV/AIDS, 'the other' and 'othering' are themes that have particular pertinence. Data from an education research project in the Richmond area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, provide evidence that the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS manifests itself in a radical 'othering' of those infected or otherwise directly affected by the disease, and that this is acutely perceived and reflected by children. Silence, secrecy, denial and distancing are strategies that people use to avoid HIV/AIDS stigmatization. One consequence is that discourses of communal trust and solidarity are undermined. However, a positive and inclusive conception of the other is evident in the discursive practices of HIV/AIDS support groups, and this opens up possibilities for a pedagogy of trust and connectedness that transgresses the stark boundary of 'us' and 'them' in the struggle against the disease and its associated stigma. A holistic approach to HIV/AIDS education acknowledges the complex ways in which the disease articulates with other barriers to learning in 'othering' those infected and affected; and affirms the key role that people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS have to play in educating their communities, thus rehabilitating 'the other'.
From: Journal of Education, Vol. 43 (2008)