A poetic inquiry: the role of the social sciences and humanities in revitalising AIDS

Abstract

For the past four decades, biomedical science has transformed clinical outcomes for HIV and AIDS. However, the social, economic and gendered determinants of HIV remain largely intact. The social science and humanities offer concepts and methods for articulating why these remain intractable. I used poetic inquiry - an arts-based, qualitative approach - as I reviewed literature on the "end of AIDS, and post-AIDS". As I did so, I considered what contribution the social sciences and humanities could make in moving us closer to these ideals. Several themes and found poems emerged in this reading: (1) how language oversimplifies complex social realities; (2) the voices of people living with HIV and AIDS must be included; (3) HIV and AIDS intersects with social inequalities; (4) social and structural issues are no barrier to HIV prevention and (5) the need for radical interdisciplinarity. The paper concludes that the end of AIDS requires responses that are integrated, holistic and that radically challenge our silo'd disciplinary boundaries and frames. The social sciences and humanities are key to this charge.