AIDS and sociology: Current South African research

Abstract

This introduction aims, firstly, to provide an intellectual context for this special issue, and, secondly, to provide a foundation for some thoughts about further research on sociological aspects of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Articles that appeared in five other special collections on AIDS, all published by local journals, are reviewed. In addition, we comment on the recent report published by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), which was based on the first national study linking a prevalence test to questionnaire data. This is followed by a summary of the contents of this issue of Society in Transition. Finally, our conclusions raise methodological concerns, as well as empirical and theoretical questions. These include a proposal for a shift from the present focus on those groups of people who are particularly susceptible to contracting HIV towards a consideration of what we as a society are getting right. We also argue for more large-scale well-conceived and carefully-implemented quantitative studies.