What Are the Potential Advantages and Disadvantages of Culturally Relativist Positions of HIV/AIDS - Coursework Example

Topic: What are the potential advantages/disadvantages of culturally relativist positions of HIV/AIDS? The human immunodeficiency virus or more popularly known as HIV has been the topic of study for most of the researchers and most often has been perceived and studied as an essentially biological phenomenon as opposed to the other probable and more likely alternatives such as social or cultural perspectives across the United States and world wide. This perception and the range of studies have in the said field have survived through the entire twentieth century which saw enlightening forays being made in the field of medicine, health care and bio medical education. This aspect however, was faced with increasing criticism and began to be challenged across the nation by cultural theorists and scholars in the mid thirties and forties which shifted the importance of the deadly disease as a mere biological malfunction towards a more broader concept - that of applying alternative philosophies as a tool to view and perceive the spread of the disease and view it in a different light. The power of medicine and science was for a while kept aside and the syndrome was sought to be analyzed apart from the medicinal powers to cultural relativism in a bid to emancipate humanity from the clutches of obliviousness and indisposition. In the words of the famous historian Charles Rosenberg, the medicine’s conceptual foundations ……… (came) under increasing attack as a result of the marriage of cultural criticism and antipositivism” (Goldstein, Manlowe, 1997, Pp.2) Several critics have, time and again, have challenged the legitimacy and credibility of the delegitimating tools of cultural relativism as regards its association with medicinal science and its ability to impart knowledge and decisive power. For critics and scholars such as these the power that medicinal knowledge exudes is not free of value but forms an inevitable part of a carefully constructed social culture and a predetermined belief system which is largely a reflection of the indiscriminate social arrangements, social need as well as the desire for distribution of power. Such relativist perceptions have further assisted in undermining the apparent objectivity of the deadly disease as well as implication of the legitimacy of the social authority which is delegated by the medical profession. The amalgamation of cultural criticism and anti positivism that inspired an in depth examination and investigation about the purported competence, objectivism, omniscience, as well as neutrality of the bio medicinal implications that dominated the sixties and seventies era were further popularized and carried on through the eighties as well. However ironically the problem of HIV / AIDS has to a significant extent compelled those factors surrounding / influencing Euro – American culture which is most likely to debate and object the authority of the medical establishments – especially the factors related to sexual, racial and economic minorities and influence them into reinstating their beliefs upon medical science and the experts associated with it for legitimizing, defining, explaining and curing them of the ailments. In a globally diverse multicultural world it is often advisable that the health care professionals, researchers and scholars exhibit a deeper understanding of the global forces that have a profound impact on the individual’s health. In order to understand the cultural relativism of HIV / AIDS and the potential advantages and disadvantages of the same one must attempt to clearly understand the definition of culture in the broader context. According to the dictionary definition of the term, culture encompasses varied elements such as an individual’s history, their common behavioral traits, the geographical location to which they belong, as well as their language, religion, socio – cultural practices, tradition, race, ethnicity and art forms amongst others. An individual’s ethnography embraces the concept of cultural relativism and propagate the acceptance of cultural perspectives that should be understood and examined from a broader viewpoint and not be restricted to being judged on narrow terms such as those related or limited to one’s beliefs and other more powerful and dominant cultures. Certain cultural values might be perceived as intolerable by others viewing it from a neutral perspective but it should nevertheless be judged in a fair and just manner and studied in accordance with its relevance to the individual’s cultural and traditional backdrop. The theory of cultural relativism as a guiding principle that supports modern anthropology is related to providing a deeper insight into a culture as perceived from their viewpoint so as to prevent the possibility of engaging into heated debates alleging stereotyping. Such a concept was initially popularized by anthropologists during the late twentieth century and the concept of cultural relativism has ever since contributed significantly towards reflecting the movements which seeks to identify the intricacies of various aspects associated with it including gender, and cultural and class differences. Thus although the concept of cultural relativism reassure broader understanding of the issues related to such complicated and complex issues as health care and treatment of diseases as deadly as HIV / AIDS, in a different light it also on the other hand, undervalues the obstacles that are created while attempting to voice one’s opinions and take affirmative action for the betterment of and in favor of universal rights. Many critics and researchers have acknowledged the acceptance of significance of application of cultural relativism to study topics of global significance through individual cultural perspectives. According to Robert Edgerton, (1992), all disorders related to an individual’s health especially in the context of underdeveloped countries are a result of industrialization and urbanization which brings along with it a drive that affects the cultural values of that particular region and gives rise to a modern cross cultural framework. The influence of the Western countries and the influx of Western philosophies and ways of life has seeped into the cultures of other relatively less developed and culturally diverse regions where the theory and practice of cultural relativism is even today, striving to boost the development of economically dysfunctional social structures. The rapid rise in industrialization, the development process and the resultant consequences in terms of its cultural impact has played a significant role in redefining the cultural barriers and hence according to some researchers is one of the basic reasons why people in the African sub Saharan continent are infected with the deadly HV/ AIDS virus. Apparently the people in the African continent are by far the largest carriers of the disease which is again attributed to their culture and lifestyle as well as the impact of westernization that has shaped the current sexual habits of the people of those regions (Rao, 2004, Pp.127). According to studies almost 58% of the African and Sub Saharan population infected with HIV / AIDS are women. This fact is representative of the alarming trends and impact of cultural beliefs and traditions of the predominantly male oriented societies. In order to curb such a trend the governing bodies must recognize and acknowledge the significance of women as part of a productive workforce and as must be given equal rights as citizens. The economic contribution of women must be acknowledged and reviewed and they must be given due share and credibility for their efforts and guarantee a position that assures them of their social standing in their societies. Women form a backbone of every society as nurturers, as well as significant contributors towards a nation’s economy. This role should not be dismissed and in fact should be considered as a model to change the existing dogmatic mentalities of inherent in one’s culture. If the status and position of women is left unnoticed it would finally led to a doom of the society leaving it in peril and ill health. Irrespective of the differing beliefs surrounding an individual’s ethics and principles the theory of cultural relativism refrains from propagating the idea that one’s cultural beliefs prevents the expression of or the freedom to include exercise of human rights. It also does not prevent or object to the idea of encouraging cross cultural trends. However, the one most significant and apparent trait observed in all cultures across the globe point to the fact of increasing cases of gender equality. Women, the world over are treated most unfairly across all cultural barriers and are denied equal status irrespective of the progressive status of the country to which they belong. Some of the common traits that might result from such widening disparity in the treatment of sexes include females being forced to thrive in situations of extreme poverty, women are the worst hit in times of natural calamites or in situations of national disaster, they are confined to lives of poverty and destitute, are treated more unjustly in cases where they have been diagnosed of HIV / AIDS as compared to males. Moreover, they are more likely to experience social barriers in term of accessing public health care facilities for treatment and other essential public services such as education and employment. The cultural practice of virginity testing in girls in South Africa has recently caused furore at the international level for its apparent violation of human rights. It is suggestive of a culture that supports and advocates gender inequality and a severe violation of International Human Rights. This tradition, in spite of the recent prohibition by the national government has not only re – emerged with more vitality but also finds a reason behind such practice – that of testing young girls for HIV / AIDS infection. Today, thousands of children have been exposed to this ghastly practice for what is perceived as an extension of the country’s tradition and cultural beliefs of testing their children to ensure whether they have retained their virginity. The country finds itself engulfed in an alarming rate of AIDS infected people and is an epidemic with the country being named as one of the largest carries of the deadly virus in the world. Owing to their cultural practice and traditional beliefs, which further encourages unfair practices and treatment of women, they are clearly an easy bait for attracting such the AIDS virus and have been considered the most vulnerable of them all. The re – emergence and the recent spread of the highly unpopular cultural practice of virginity testing is a cause of serious concern for the South African authorities who are faced with the growing problem of HIV / AIDS, and a cause of social embarrassment especially since the country as perceived in the international community as one which seeks to present itself as a pluralistic society on one hand and practices unsafe practices such as these for prevention of the world’s most deadliest disease. The country however is faced with a dilemma owing to its inadequate economic resources at its disposal, a frail public health administration system and a rapidly deteriorating legal enforcement mechanism. The debate over the highly unsafe and potentially disastrous cultural practice of virginity testing in the country have drawn public ire from across the globe and is reminiscent of the wide gap between the theoretical and practical conflicts of ideologies between the human rights and cultural relativism. The practice if perceived from the cultural perspective could not be construed as a human rights issue since it is an extension of the cultural identity of the society that perceives such a testing as an inevitable part of their social traditions – a measure to of public health prevention while yet on the other hand if seen from the global perspective is essentially and clearly a violation and abuse of human rights. Thus on the basis of the discussions presented in the above sections it could be construed that the theory and concept of cultural relativism is indeed a complex issue which needs to be perceived with a neutral perspective in order to arrive at a logical conclusion and understand the ongoing issue in a relatively broader context. References Goldstein, N., Manlowe, J. L., (1997). The Gender Politics of HIV / AIDS in Women: Perspectives on the Pandemic in the United States, NYU Press, Pp.2 Rao, V., (2004). Culture and Public Action, Orient Blackswan, Pp.127 Read More