Fraught Embrace: The Romance and Reality of AIDS Altruism in Africa

In the face of the AIDS pandemic, Ann Swidler and Susan Cotts Watkins explore the complex dynamics between altruists, villagers, and brokers in Malawi, shedding light on the mismatched expectations, fantasies, and misunderstandings that shape the AIDS enterprise.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 304 pages
\n Publication date: 04 December 2018
\n Publisher: Princeton University Press
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In the aftermath of the AIDS pandemic, a multitude of organizations and kind-hearted individuals from distant lands flocked to Africa, driven by a profound desire to offer assistance and save lives. Ann Swidler and Susan Cotts Watkins vividly capture the often mismatched expectations and fantasies of altruists who yearn to transform lives, the villagers who desperately seek help, and the brokers who serve as the vital intermediaries between Western altruists and impoverished communities. Drawing from extensive fieldwork in the heavily affected country of Malawi, this incisive and irreverent book delves into the sprawling AIDS enterprise, unraveling the complex paradoxes of policy and practice. Whether you are an idealistic volunteer or a seasoned development professional, brokers emerge as indispensable guides, problem solvers, and cultural translators. The intricate interplay between these individuals creates a captivating drama, filled with longing, exhilaration, disappointment, heartache, and, occasionally, the potential for enduring connections. A Fraught Embrace sheds light on the intricate web of relationships among those engaged in the collective effort to contain an epidemic.

\n Weight: 408g\n
Dimension: 146 x 227 x 21 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780691183206\n \n